Massey attempts to reverse Trump’s pro-glyphosate executive order

This week, Representative Thomas Massie (R-KY) introduced the No Immunity for Glyphosate Act (H.R. 7601)  in response to a recent executive order by President Donald Trump that promotes domestic glyphosate production and grants liability protections to manufacturers under the Defense Production Act. Rep. Chellie Pingree (D-ME) is the co-lead on the legislation.

"If the goal is to 'Make America Healthy Again,' the federal government should not be using its authority to promote or protect the production of glyphosate," said Massie in a press release announcing the legislation. "The February 18 Executive Order expands production of this chemical while granting liability protections to manufacturers. Congress should ensure that Americans retain their right to seek a remedy in court if they believe they have been injured by this product."

Speaking before Congress, Massey noted that Attorney General Pam Bondi and White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles both worked for a lobbying firm (Florida-based Ballard Partners) that represents Monsanto parent company Bayer AG. Monsanto is the manufacturer of Roundup, a glyphosate-based herbicide. In June 2020, Bayer agreed to a $9.6 billion settlement to resolve tens of thousands of lawsuits alleging that glyphosate in Roundup caused cancer. In January 2024, a Philadelphia jury ordered Bayer to pay $2.25 billion in a case linking Roundup to cancer.

President Trump signed an executive order last week designating glyphosate-based herbicides and elemental phosphorus as critical to national defense, invoking the Defense Production Act to ensure their domestic supply. The order directs Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins to prioritize production and grants legal immunity to manufacturers complying with federal directives, shielding them from liability under certain conditions.

"If there was ever any doubt about whose side this Administration is on, this Executive Order makes it crystal clear: Big Chemical comes first, and the health of Americans comes last,” Rep. Pingree said. “Calling glyphosate production a matter of ‘national security’ is absurd. Invoking wartime authorities to ramp up production while opening the door to liability shields for chemical companies is dangerous and indefensible. This Executive Order has nothing to do with protecting farmers or feeding the country—it’s about protecting corporate profits and insulating polluters from accountability."

The bill aims to revoke immunity protections for glyphosate manufacturers and ensure that individuals retain the right to sue for alleged health harms linked to glyphosate exposure, the active ingredient in Roundup. It would also prohibit federal funds from being used to implement the executive order.