Preventing Lethal Agricultural and National Threats (PLANT) Act

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4014 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 4014

To amend title 18, United States Code, to establish criminal penalties 
  for the reckless importation or handling of dangerous agricultural 
                               pathogens.


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                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             June 13, 2025

Mr. Nunn of Iowa (for himself and Mr. Riley of New York) introduced the 
  following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To amend title 18, United States Code, to establish criminal penalties 
  for the reckless importation or handling of dangerous agricultural 
                               pathogens.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Preventing Lethal Agricultural and 
National Threats (PLANT) Act''.

SEC. 2. RECKLESS IMPORTATION OF DANGEROUS AGRICULTURAL PATHOGENS.

    Title 18 U.S.C. is amended by inserting after section 175b the 
following:
``Sec. 175c. Reckless importation of dangerous agricultural pathogens.
    ``(a) Offense.--Whoever knowingly or recklessly imports a 
biological agent, toxin, or organism--
            ``(1) without the required permit or authorization from the 
        U.S. Department of Agriculture or other appropriate agency; and
            ``(2) where such agent, toxin, or organism is designated by 
        regulation as a high-risk agricultural pathogen capable of 
        causing significant harm to U.S. crops, livestock, or 
        agricultural ecosystems,
Shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than 10 years, 
or both.
    ``(b) Aggravating Factors.--If the offense:
            ``(1) involves concealment of origin;
            ``(2) is committed by a person acting on behalf of, or 
        funded by, a foreign government; or
            ``(3) results in actual economic damage exceeding 
        $1,000,000;
Then the term of imprisonment may be up to 20 years.
    ``(c) Definitions.--In this section:
            ``(1) the term `recklessly' means the person consciously 
        disregarded a substantial and unjustifiable risk that the 
        pathogen could cause significant harm.
            ``(2) the term `high-risk agricultural pathogen' shall be 
        defined by the Secretary of Agriculture and published via 
        regulation.''.
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