MONARCH Act of 2025
- Bill Number
- S. 2128
- Origin Chamber
- Senate
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 1
- Policy Area
- Animals
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2025-06-18: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
- Last Updated
- 2026-04-06T16:35:35Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose
The MONARCH Act of 2025 aims to support and promote conservation efforts by states, tribal governments, local entities, and other partners to protect and restore the declining western population of monarch butterflies. It emphasizes habitat restoration, pollinator support, and coordinated action to prevent extinction, while also benefiting broader ecosystems like agriculture through improved pollination.
Key Provisions
- Findings: The bill outlines the severe decline of western monarch butterflies, noting a 99% population drop over 30 years due to drought, habitat loss, and climate change. It highlights record lows in 2020 and 2024, predicting extinction within two decades without intervention. Conservation of milkweed, nectar plants, and habitats is deemed essential for monarchs and other pollinators.
- Definitions: Key terms include:
- Conservation: Methods to protect, restore, and manage habitats, including planning, outreach, and education.
- Fund: The Western Monarch Butterfly Rescue Fund.
- Secretary: The Secretary of the Interior (head of the U.S. Department of the Interior, which oversees wildlife and public lands).
- Tribal government: Governing bodies of federally recognized Native American tribes.
- Western monarch butterfly: The population that overwinters in California and breeds in several western states (California, Arizona, Nevada, Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Utah).
- Grant Program (Section 4):
- The Secretary uses funds to award grants for conservation projects focused on western monarchs and other pollinators in their range.
- Eligible applicants: Local or tribal government agencies, research institutions, nonprofits with relevant expertise; other entities as approved by the Secretary.
- Federal and state agencies cannot lead projects but can partner.
- Project proposals must include purpose, responsible entity, qualifications, implementation methods, outcomes, consultations with authorities, non-conflict with food safety, and potential for conservation impact.
- Annual solicitation, review, and approval based on the project's likelihood to aid wild populations; technical assistance provided to grantees.
- Grantees submit progress reports; reports shared with state legislatures upon request and made public.
- Western Monarch Butterfly Rescue Fund (Section 5):
- Establishes a dedicated fund in the U.S. Treasury.
- Up to 3% of funds can cover administrative costs.
- Authorizes $12.5 million annually for fiscal years 2026–2030.
- Implementation of Conservation Plan (Section 6):
- Requires the Secretary to partner with the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (a nonprofit established by Congress to support wildlife conservation) to update and implement the 2019 Western Monarch Butterfly Conservation Plan by the Western Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies.
- Exempts this partnership from certain standard foundation rules to streamline efforts.
- Authorizes another $12.5 million annually for fiscal years 2026–2030.
- Reporting to Congress (Section 7):
- Annual report by January 31 detailing monarch status, funded projects under the grant program, and progress on the 2019 conservation plan.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
This bill introduces new mechanisms not previously in place, including a dedicated federal fund and grant program specifically for western monarch butterfly conservation. It builds on the existing 2019 Western Monarch Butterfly Conservation Plan by mandating its update and implementation through a formal federal-nonprofit partnership, but does not amend broader laws like the Endangered Species Act (which protects threatened wildlife but has not yet listed monarchs). It creates fresh funding streams ($25 million total authorized annually) without relying on general appropriations, marking a targeted expansion of federal support for pollinator habitat restoration.
Potential Impacts
- On Government Agencies: The Department of the Interior gains new responsibilities for grant administration, technical support, and annual reporting, potentially increasing workload but fostering interagency collaboration (e.g., with state wildlife agencies). The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation receives dedicated funding to lead plan implementation.
- On Citizens and Ecosystems: Could lead to restored habitats, benefiting pollinators essential for agriculture (e.g., better crop pollination) and wildlife. Public education and outreach may raise awareness, encouraging community involvement in conservation. Western states' residents, farmers, and landowners may see indirect gains from healthier ecosystems, though project implementation could involve minor land-use restrictions in habitat areas.
- On International Relations: Minimal direct impact, as the focus is on the U.S. western population. However, monarchs are migratory, so habitat gains could indirectly support cross-border efforts with Mexico (where eastern monarchs overwinter), potentially strengthening U.S.-Mexico environmental cooperation.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- Primary Beneficiaries: Western monarch butterflies and other pollinators; ecosystems in seven western states.
- Direct Participants: Tribal governments, local governments, nonprofits, research institutions (as grant recipients); federal agencies (e.g., U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service) and state wildlife agencies (as partners or consultants).
- Broader Groups: Farmers and agricultural communities (via improved pollination); the public (through education and habitat access); Congress and state legislatures (via reporting requirements).
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Legal: Establishes enforceable federal funding and reporting obligations, with grants requiring consultation to avoid conflicts (e.g., with food safety laws). It promotes voluntary conservation without mandating Endangered Species Act listing, potentially delaying or averting such regulatory burdens on landowners. The fund's setup in the Treasury ensures fiscal accountability under standard appropriations processes.
- Constitutional: Aligns with Congress's authority under the Property Clause (Article IV, Section 3) to manage federal lands and commerce powers for interstate environmental issues. Tribal consultations respect sovereignty principles in federal Indian law.
- Political: Represents proactive, collaborative conservation (introduced by a bipartisan group of senators, though primarily Democrats), emphasizing urgency without divisive mandates. Could influence future environmental policy by modeling targeted funding for species at risk, potentially building support for broader pollinator protections amid climate debates. No major controversies anticipated, as it avoids regulatory overreach.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Cosponsors (7)
Sen. Whitehouse, Sheldon [D-RI], Sen. Heinrich, Martin [D-NM], Sen. Wyden, Ron [D-OR], Sen. Duckworth, Tammy [D-IL], Sen. Van Hollen, Chris [D-MD], Sen. Padilla, Alex [D-CA], Sen. Booker, Cory A. [D-NJ]
Recent Actions
- 2025-06-18: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
- 2025-06-18: Introduced in Senate
Bill Versions
- Monarch Action, Recovery, and Conservation of Habitat Act of 2025 — issued 2025-06-18 — PDF (10 pages)