Agriculture and National Security Act of 2026

Bill Number

H.R. 7153

Origin Chamber

House

Congress

119th Congress, Session 2

Policy Area

Agriculture and Food

Status

Introduced

Latest Action

2026-01-20: Referred to the House Committee on Agriculture.

Last Updated

2026-04-17T08:07:28Z

AI-Generated Summary

Purpose of the Legislation

The Agriculture and National Security Act of 2026 aims to strengthen the role of the Department of Agriculture (USDA) in addressing national security risks in the food and agriculture sector. It recognizes food and agriculture as vital to U.S. national security and seeks to better integrate USDA's efforts with national and homeland security agencies, focusing on vulnerabilities like foreign influences, supply chain issues, and emerging technologies such as cybersecurity and artificial intelligence.

Key Provisions

• Sense of Congress: Affirms that while federal efforts exist to protect the food and agriculture sector from homeland security threats (e.g., defense against attacks, critical infrastructure protection, and emergency response), more work is needed to identify and address broader national security risks, especially those involving new technologies.
• Prioritizing National Security at USDA:
• Requires the USDA Secretary to elevate national security alongside homeland security priorities, including hiring more staff with security clearances (permissions to access classified information) and access to secure government systems.
• Creation of Senior Advisor for National Security:
• Mandates appointment of a Senior Advisor within 180 days of enactment, positioned in the Secretary's office.
• Duties include advising the Secretary on national security, serving as the main contact with the National Security Council (NSC) and other agencies, coordinating security efforts across USDA (integrating them with existing homeland security work), and engaging stakeholders to spot vulnerabilities and develop risk-reduction strategies in food and agriculture.
• Interagency Coordination:
• Authorizes USDA to send or receive temporary staff assignments (detailees) from defense, national security, homeland security, law enforcement, and intelligence agencies. This can occur with or without cost reimbursement to improve sharing of threat information, identifying weaknesses, and reducing risks in food and agriculture.
• Biennial Reporting Requirements:
• Requires USDA to submit reports to Congress and the NSC every two years (starting 180 days after enactment), covering:
• Assessments of national security gaps in food and agriculture, including foreign state-owned businesses' influence, control over agricultural data, foreign purchases of intellectual property (ideas and innovations), assets, and land, shortages of farming supplies from abroad, supply chain and trade interruptions, science/tech partnerships, cybersecurity/AI risks, uneven research investments, mismatched regulations, and other sector vulnerabilities (especially emerging tech).
• Actions taken by USDA to fix these gaps, such as interagency collaboration, sharing threat info, and outreach to stakeholders.
• Policy suggestions, including executive actions (steps the President can take without new laws) and legislative proposals to close gaps and address vulnerabilities.
• Resources (e.g., funding, personnel) needed by USDA for current and future security challenges.

Significant Changes to Existing Law

• Amends the Department of Agriculture Reorganization Act of 1994 (specifically Section 221(e) and adds a new subsection (f)):
• Expands USDA's Office of Homeland Security to include national security coordination and authorizes detailees for broader interagency work.
• Introduces mandatory biennial reports on national security gaps, which did not previously exist, shifting USDA's focus from primarily homeland security to a more comprehensive national security lens.

Potential Impacts

• On Government Agencies: Enhances USDA's internal capabilities and interagency ties, potentially leading to better threat detection and response. The NSC and security agencies may see increased collaboration, while Congress gains regular insights for oversight and funding decisions.
• On Citizens: Could improve food supply security by addressing risks like shortages or foreign disruptions, indirectly benefiting public health, food prices, and economic stability in rural and farming communities.
• On International Relations: May influence U.S. policies on foreign investments in agriculture, trade dependencies, and tech cooperation, potentially straining relations with countries seen as security risks (e.g., through scrutiny of land buys or data access) while fostering alliances on shared vulnerabilities like supply chains.

Main Stakeholders Affected

• Primary: USDA (Secretary, staff, and new Senior Advisor role); National Security Council; defense, homeland security (e.g., Department of Homeland Security), law enforcement, and intelligence agencies.
• Secondary: Congress (receives reports for policy-making); food and agriculture industry stakeholders (farmers, businesses, researchers) who provide input on vulnerabilities; foreign governments and companies involved in U.S. agricultural trade, investments, or tech (affected by risk assessments).

Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications

• Legal: Builds on existing USDA reorganization laws without creating new enforcement powers; the detailee provision promotes flexibility in federal staffing but requires adherence to civil service rules for temporary assignments. Biennial reports ensure accountability but could burden USDA with ongoing reporting if resources are insufficient.
• Constitutional: Aligns with Congress's authority over national security and agriculture (under Article I), emphasizing executive branch coordination without infringing on separation of powers.
• Political: Signals bipartisan concern (introduced by members from both parties) over agriculture as a security issue amid global tensions (e.g., trade wars, tech rivalries). It may spur debates on balancing security with open trade/economic growth, potentially leading to future laws restricting foreign agricultural acquisitions or boosting domestic research funding.

This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.

Sponsor

Rep. Bice, Stephanie I. [R-OK-5]

Cosponsors (12)

Rep. Khanna, Ro [D-CA-17], Rep. Schmidt, Derek [R-KS-2], Rep. Edwards, Chuck [R-NC-11], Rep. Nunn, Zachary [R-IA-3], Rep. Smith, Christopher H. [R-NJ-4], Rep. Shreve, Jefferson [R-IN-6], Rep. Stefanik, Elise M. [R-NY-21], Rep. McClain Delaney, April [D-MD-6], Rep. Houlahan, Chrissy [D-PA-6], Rep. Baird, James R. [R-IN-4], Rep. Vindman, Eugene Simon [D-VA-7], Rep. Davis, Donald G. [D-NC-1]

Recent Actions

• 2026-01-20: Referred to the House Committee on Agriculture.
• 2026-01-20: Introduced in House
• 2026-01-20: Introduced in House

Bill Versions

• Agriculture and National Security Act of 2026 — issued 2026-01-20 — PDF (6 pages)