Rep. Nancy Mace Introduces Bill To Reverse Supreme Court Decision Shielding Pesticide Companies From Accountability

WASHINGTON, D.C. (Aug. 24, 2026) — Today, Congresswoman Nancy Mace (R-SC) introduced the Pesticide Harm Accountability Act to give Americans back their day in court when toxic pesticides cause harm, following the Supreme Court’s June 25 ruling in Monsanto Co. v. Durnell.

In Durnell, the Supreme Court held the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) blocks states from holding pesticide manufacturers accountable when the EPA approved a label without requiring a cancer warning. The decision wiped out a $1.25 million jury verdict for John Durnell, a man diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma after decades of Roundup exposure, and slammed the courthouse door on victims like him nationwide.

“If a pesticide company harms you, you should be able to take them to court. Period.” said Congresswoman Mace. “Washington bureaucrats shouldn’t be able to protect big corporations from accountability while Americans pay the price. When Washington fails, states must have the power to fight back and hold bad actors accountable.”

The Pesticide Harm Accountability Act would:

• Stop federal law from blocking state lawsuits against pesticide manufacturers over labeling and packaging.
• Protect states’ ability to require stronger warnings on pesticide products under state tort law.
• Restore Americans’ ability to seek damages in state court when pesticide manufacturers fail to adequately warn about the risks of their products.
• Require the EPA to identify and address federal regulations, guidance and policies limiting state tort claims involving pesticide labeling or packaging.

The bill comes as Congress has documented serious failures in EPA pesticide oversight: nearly 65 percent of pesticides are conditionally registered before full safety review; emergency exemptions are used to keep pesticides on the market for years without comprehensive registration; and manufacturers are not required to disclose certain "inactive" ingredients, which can constitute 99 percent of a product and include carcinogenic chemicals.

“You shouldn’t need an act of Congress to get justice when a company’s product harms you, but here we are. If your product poisons people, you should answer for it in court. No corporation is above accountability,” Mace added. 

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