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H.R. 2715

U.S. House•In Senate Committee

Summary

H.R. 2715, the Destruction of Hazardous Imports Act, was introduced in the House on Apr 8, 2025 by Rep. Clay Higgins (R) with 18 co-sponsors. It was referred to Health, Education, Labor, And Pensions, and last saw action on Jul 21, 2026: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

Record

Text

H.R. 2715 has 18 co-sponsors.

hb2715/engrossed-in-house.txt
119 HR 2715 EH: Destruction of Hazardous Imports Act
 U.S. House of Representatives
 text/xml
 EN
 Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.
 IB
 119th CONGRESS  2d Session
 H. R. 2715
 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
 AN ACT
To amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to extend the destruction authority of the Secretary of Health and Human Services to articles that present a significant public health concern, and for other purposes.
1.
Short title
This Act may be cited as the   Destruction of Hazardous Imports Act  .
2.
Destruction of certain refused articles
(a)
In general
Section 801 of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act ( 21 U.S.C. 381 ) is amended by adding at the end the following:
(v)
Destruction of refused articles presenting significant public health concerns
(1)
In general
If the Secretary of Health and Human Services finds that an article that has been refused admission under subsection (a) presents a significant public health concern, the Secretary may issue to the owner or consignee of the article an order to destroy the article, without the opportunity for export.
(2)
Deadline; costs
Not later than 90 days after the issuance of an order under paragraph (1), the owner or consignee of the article shall destroy the article. The owner or consignee shall be responsible for the costs of such destruction.
(3)
Due process
The Secretary of Health and Human Services shall provide to the owner or consignee of an article subject to an order under paragraph (1) appropriate due process prior to the destruction of the article. Such due process shall be specified in regulations and include notice and an opportunity to appear before the Secretary and introduce testimony on the destruction—
(A)
in combination with the notice and opportunity to appear and introduce testimony on the refusal of admission of the article under subsection (a); or
(B)
separately.
 .
(b)
Prohibited acts
Section 301 of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act ( 21 U.S.C. 331 ) is amended by adding at the end the following:
(jjj)
The unauthorized movement, or introduction or delivery for introduction into interstate commerce, including export, of an article that is subject to an order for destruction under section 801(v).
 .
(c)
Applicability
The amendments made by subsections (a) and (b) shall apply to articles beginning on the date that is 30 days after the date on which the Secretary of Health and Human Services, acting through the Commissioner of Food and Drugs, promulgates final regulations under subsection (d).
(d)
Regulations
(1)
Proposed
Not later than 18 months after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Health and Human Services, acting through the Commissioner of Food and Drugs, shall issue proposed regulations to implement the amendment made by subsection (a), allowing for notice and comment on such proposed regulations.
(2)
Final
Not later than 1 year after the issuance of the proposed regulations under paragraph (1), the Secretary of Health and Human Services, acting through the Commissioner of Food and Drugs, shall promulgate final regulations to implement the amendment made by subsection (a).
    Passed the House of Representatives July 20, 2026.  Kevin F. McCumber,  Clerk.

Tracker

The tracker indicates the progress of this legislation as it moves through the legislative process.

  1. Introduced2025-04-08
  2. Passed House2026-07-20
  3. Passed Senate
  4. Conference
  5. To President
  6. Became Law

CRS Summary

The summaries are the Congressional Research Service’s, one per stage. Read them in full.

Reported to House Jun 18, 2026

hb2715/reported-to-house.md

Shown Here:
Reported to House (06/18/2026)

Destruction of Hazardous Imports Act

This bill expands the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA’s) authority to require the destruction of certain items that are refused import into the United States and pose a risk to public health.

Under current law, imported food, drugs, medical devices, tobacco products, and cosmetics are subject to FDA review. If an imported item is deficient in a specified manner (e.g., counterfeit, misbranded, or manufactured under insanitary conditions), the item is generally refused admission to the United States. An item refused admission may generally be exported, except that the FDA may destroy a drug, medical device, or tobacco product that is valued under $2,500 without the opportunity for export.

Under the bill, the FDA may order the destruction, without the opportunity for export, of any food, drug, medical device, tobacco product, or cosmetic that is refused admission if the item presents a significant public health concern. If such an order is issued, the item’s owner or consignee must destroy it within 90 days at their own cost.

The bill also prohibits the unauthorized movement (e.g., export) of an item subject to a destruction order. A violator is subject to a fine, a prison term of up to one year, or both.

The FDA must promulgate regulations to carry out these provisions. These regulations must provide for due process for the owner or consignee of an item subject to a destruction order, including notice and an opportunity to appear before the item is destroyed.

Sponsors

Rep. Clay Higgins (R) sponsors H.R. 2715, and 18 members have co-sponsored it, 1 of them from the day it was introduced.

Committees

H.R. 2715 went before 3 committees: Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, Energy and Commerce and Health Subcommittee.

Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
Referred To · Jul 21, 2026 · 747 Bills
Energy and Commerce
Energy and Commerce
Reported By · Jun 18, 2026 · 1,636 Bills
Health Subcommittee
Health Subcommittee
Reported by · May 13, 2026 · 143 Bills

Reports

1 committee report has been filed on H.R. 2715, the latest H. Rept. 119-705.

Actions

H.R. 2715 has taken 16 actions since Apr 8, 2025, the latest on Jul 21, 2026.

ChamberAction
Jul 21, 2026
Senate
Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee
Jul 20, 202614:35
House
Mr. Guthrie moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
Jul 20, 202614:35
House
Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H4637-4639)
Jul 20, 202614:35
House
DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 2715.
Jul 20, 202614:47
House
On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H4637-4638)

Votes

H.R. 2715 has not gone to a roll call.

1 bill is related to H.R. 2715, as Identical bill.

Titles

H.R. 2715 goes by 7 titles, 4 of them short titles.

  • Destruction of Hazardous Imports Act — Short Titles from RFS (Referred to Senate) bill text
  • Destruction of Hazardous Imports Act — Short Title(s) as Passed House
  • To amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to extend the destruction authority of the Secretary of Health and Human Services to articles that present a significant public health concern, and for other purposes. — Official Titles from EH (Engrossed in House) bill text
  • Destruction of Hazardous Imports Act — Display Title
  • Destruction of Hazardous Imports Act — Short Title(s) as Reported to House
  • Destruction of Hazardous Imports Act — Short Title(s) as Introduced
  • To amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to extend the destruction authority of the Secretary of Health and Human Services to articles that present a significant public health concern, and for other purposes. — Official Title as Introduced

Lobbying

4 clients hired 4 firms and 22 registered lobbyists who named H.R. 2715 in 6 quarterly filings, 2026. Reported under the Lobbying Disclosure Act; a filing’s income covers everything its registrant worked that quarter, so the amounts below are the filings’, not this bill’s.

Filed under Trade (domestic/foreign), Economics/Economic Development, Food Industry (safety, labeling, etc.), Health Issues, Marine/Maritime/Boating/Fisheries, Agriculture, Budget/Appropriations, Copyright/Patent/Trademark.

Clients

Who paid to be heard, by how many filings named the bill.

ClientBusinessStateFirmsFilingsReported
SOUTHERN SHRIMP ALLIANCETrade association representing the U.S. shrimp industry.Florida13$90K
PHARMACEUTICAL RESEARCH & MANUFACTURERS OF AMERICA INC—District of Columbia11$220K
NOVO NORDISK, INC.Pharmaceutical company.District of Columbia11$80K
NATIONAL CONFECTIONERS ASSOCIATION​Trade association representing U.S. confectionery industryDistrict of Columbia11$50K

Firms

Registrants who filed on the bill, by filings.

RegistrantClientsFilingsReported
PICARD KENTZ & ROWE LLP13$90K
COVINGTON & BURLING LLP11$220K
FIERCE GOVERNMENT RELATIONS11$50K
THE NICKLES GROUP, LLC11$80K

Lobbyists

Named on the filings that cite the bill. The 20 named most often, of 22.

LobbyistFirmsClientsFilings
LAUREN SCHWARZE113
NATHANIEL MAANDIG RICKARD113
BRETT BAKER111
GREG D'ANGELO111
JACOBUS VREEBURG111
JAMES WILLIAMS111
JEFF CHOUDHRY111
JENNIFER PLITSCH111
KATE HULL111
KIRSTEN CHADWICK111
KRISTA CARVER111
LUCAS HOLLAND111
MARY SAVARY TAYLOR111
MICHAEL CHAPPELL111
MICHAEL STERN111
MOLLY FROMM111
NATALIE DERZKO111
PATRICK CLIFTON111
RACHEL JONES HENSLER111
RICHARD KINGHAM111

Filings

The documents themselves, on the Senate’s Lobbying Disclosure site, largest reported first.

ClientRegistrantPeriodReportedDocument
PHARMACEUTICAL RESEARCH & MANUFACTURERS OF AMERICA INCCOVINGTON & BURLING LLP2026 second_quarter$220K2nd Quarter - Report
NOVO NORDISK, INC.THE NICKLES GROUP, LLC2026 second_quarter$80K2nd Quarter - Report
NATIONAL CONFECTIONERS ASSOCIATIONFIERCE GOVERNMENT RELATIONS2026 second_quarter$50K2nd Quarter - Report
SOUTHERN SHRIMP ALLIANCEPICARD KENTZ & ROWE LLP2026 second_quarter$45K2nd Quarter - Report
SOUTHERN SHRIMP ALLIANCEPICARD KENTZ & ROWE LLP2026 first_quarter$45K1st Quarter - Report
SOUTHERN SHRIMP ALLIANCEPICARD KENTZ & ROWE LLP2026 first_quarter—Registration

Classification

The Congressional Research Service files H.R. 2715 under Health, one of its 31 policy areas, and gives it 7 legislative subjects.

CRS Subjects

CRS assigns every bill one policy area from its 31; H.R. 2715’s is Health.

hr2715/policy-areas.txt
HealthAgriculture and FoodAnimalsArmed Forces and National SecurityArts, Culture, ReligionCivil Rights and Liberties, Minority IssuesCommerceCongressCrime and Law EnforcementEconomics and Public FinanceEducationEmergency ManagementEnergyEnvironmental ProtectionFamiliesFinance and Financial SectorForeign Trade and International FinanceGovernment Operations and PoliticsHousing and Community DevelopmentImmigrationInternational AffairsLabor and EmploymentLawNative AmericansPublic Lands and Natural ResourcesScience, Technology, CommunicationsSocial WelfareSports and RecreationTaxationTransportation and Public WorksWater Resources Development

Legislative Subjects

H.R. 2715 carries 7 of CRS’s legislative subjects, from Administrative law and regulatory procedures to State and local government operations.

hr2715/subjects.txt
Administrative law and regulatory proceduresConsumer affairsCustoms enforcementDepartment of Health and Human ServicesHealth promotion and preventive careProduct safety and qualityState and local government operations

Constitutional authority

The clause the sponsor cites as Congress’s power to enact H.R. 2715, as entered in the Congressional Record.

[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 63 (Tuesday, April 8, 2025)][House]From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]By Mr. HIGGINS of Louisiana:H.R. 2715.Congress has the power to enact this legislation pursuantto the following:Under Article 1, Section 8 of the Constitution, Congresshas the power ``to make all Laws which shall be necessary andproper for carrying into Execution the foregoing Powers, andall other Powers vested by this Constitution in theGovernment of the United States, or any Department or Officerthereof''[Page H1508]

Source: congress.gov · legiscan.com