119-hr1802

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1802 Introduced in House

    (IH) ]

<DOC>

119th CONGRESS
 1st Session
 H. R. 1802

 To prohibit the use of animals in federally funded research, promote 
 the adoption of humane and scientifically advanced alternatives, and 
ensure the ethical rehoming of retired research animals, and for other 
 purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

 March 3, 2025

 Ms. Malliotakis (for herself and Mr. Bean of Florida) introduced the 
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Science, Space, 
 and Technology, and in addition to the Committees on Energy and 
 Commerce, Agriculture, and Rules, for a period to be subsequently 
 determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such 
 provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

 A BILL

 To prohibit the use of animals in federally funded research, promote 
 the adoption of humane and scientifically advanced alternatives, and 
ensure the ethical rehoming of retired research animals, and for other 
 purposes.

 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

 This Act may be cited as the ``Safeguard Pets, Animals, and 
Research Ethics Act'' or the ``SPARE Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

 Congress finds the following:

    (1) Tens of millions of animals are used annually in 
 federally funded research, including dogs, cats, rabbits, 
 primates, and other species.

    (2) Many of these animals cost thousands of tax dollars 
 each, burdening taxpayers with billions of dollars annually in 
 inefficient and unnecessary research costs.

    (3) Modern non-animal research alternatives, such as human-
 cell-based models, artificial intelligence, and organ-on-chip 
 technology, provide more reliable and ethical research methods.

    (4) The continued use of animals in federally funded 
 research contradicts existing Three Rs (Reduce, Refine, 
 Replace) policy goals aimed at reducing reliance on animal 
 models.

    (5) Many animals used in federally funded research are 
 viable for adoption or sanctuary placement upon the cessation 
 of experiments.

SEC. 3. PROHIBITION ON CERTAIN RESEARCH, TESTING, AND EXPERIMENTATION 
 THAT UTILIZES AN ANIMAL.

    (a) In General.--Except as otherwise provided in this section, a 
Federal department, Federal agency, Federal contractor, subcontractor, 
or grantee may not authorize, obligate or expend funds for, or 
otherwise engage in research, testing, and experimentation that 
utilizes an animal.

    (b) Sanctions and Penalties.--

    (1) Civil penalty.--A Federal contractor, subcontractor, or 
 grantee that violates subsection

    (a) or subsection

    (f)

    (1) shall 
 be subject to a civil penalty in an amount of not more than 
 $250,000.

    (2) Sanctions.--
        (A) Federal departments and agencies.--If the 
 Secretary of Agriculture or the Director of the 
 National Institutes of Health determines that a Federal 
 department or agency has violated subsection

    (a) or 
 subsection

    (f)

    (1) , such department or agency shall 
 implement a plan, which may include a reporting 
 requirement, prescribed by such Secretary or Director, 
 as the case may be, to correct the violation.
        (B) Federal contractors, subcontractors, and 
 grantees.--Notwithstanding any other provision of law, 
 if the Secretary of Agriculture or the Director of the 
 National Institutes of Health determines, after 
 reasonable notice and opportunity for a hearing, that a 
 Federal contractor, subcontractor, or grantee has 
 violated subsection

    (a) or subsection

    (f)

    (1) , such 
 contractor, subcontractor, or grantee may be prohibited 
 from receiving, for a period of time specified by such 
 Secretary or Director, as the case may be, a Federal 
 grant for research, testing, and experimentation.
            (c) Delayed Application.--

    (1) Eighteen months.--With respect to research, testing, 
 and experimentation that utilizes an animal and relates to 
 cosmetic testing, toxicity testing, or basic psychological or 
 behavioral experimenting, subsection

    (a) shall not apply until 
 18 months after the date of the enactment of this section.

    (2) Three years.--With respect to research, testing, and 
 experimentation that utilizes an animal and relates to 
 biomedical experimenting or drug testing, subsection

    (a) shall 
 not apply until three years after the date of the enactment of 
 this section.
            (d) Exceptions.--

    (1) Certain veterinary research or animals.--Subsection

    (a) shall not apply to research, testing, and experimentation that 
 utilizes an animal and relates to any of the following:
        (A) Clinical veterinary research.
        (B) A physical exam, training program, or study 
 relating to a military animal or service animal.

    (2) Congressional authorization.--A Federal department, 
 Federal agency, Federal contractor, subcontractor, or grantee 
 may authorize, obligate or expend funds for, or otherwise 
 engage in research, testing, and experimentation that utilizes 
 an animal if the following requirements are satisfied:
        (A) The head of such department, agency, 
 contractor, subcontractor, or grantee submits to 
 Congress an application that states the following:
            (i) Such research, testing, and 
 experimentation would relate to an infectious 
 disease or national security.
            (ii) Such research, testing, and 
 experimentation would utilize such animal 
 sparingly.
            (iii) Such head has determined that an 
 alternative does not exist for such research, 
 testing, and experimentation.
        (B) After Congress receives the application 
 described in subparagraph
        (A) , Congress enacts a joint 
 resolution that authorizes such research, testing, and 
 experimentation for a period of not more than one year.

    (e) Federal Research Modernization Fund.--

    (1) In general.--The Federal Research Modernization Fund 
 (in this subsection referred to as the ``Fund'') is established 
 in the National Science Foundation.

    (2) Functions.--Not later than one year after the date of 
 the enactment of this section, the Director of the National 
 Science Foundation, through the Fund, shall carry out the 
 following:
        (A) Establish a program to award grants on a 
 competitive basis to transition research, testing, and 
 experimentation that utilizes an animal to research, 
 testing, and experimentation that does not utilize an 
 animal, and not less than one grant under such program 
 shall be awarded to a non-profit rescue or 
 rehabilitation organization.
        (B) For Federal contractors engaging in research, 
 testing, and experimentation that utilizes an animal, 
 offer training to such contractors to transition such 
 research, testing, and experimentation to research, 
 testing, and experimentation that does not utilize an 
 animal.
            (C) Establish a program to facilitate collaboration 
 between entities to expedite any transition of 
 research, testing, and experimentation that utilizes an 
 animal to research, testing, and experimentation that 
 does not utilize an animal.
            (D) Establish a program to support the validation 
 and standardization of research, testing, and 
 experimentation that does not utilize an animal.

    (f) Animal Release Program.--

    (1) In general.--Any federally funded research facility 
 that has utilized an animal for research, testing, and 
 experimentation prohibited under this section shall carry out 
 the following:
        (A) Not later than one year after the date of the 
 enactment of this section, establish a program to 
 release each such animal to any of the following:
            (i) An animal rescue organization.
            (ii) An accredited sanctuary.
            (iii) A licensed animal shelter.
            (iv) An individual eligible to receive such 
 animal.
        (B) In carrying out the program described in 
 subparagraph
        (A) , consult with an accredited sanctuary 
 or a specialist in animal behavioral rehabilitation.
            (C) Before releasing such animal pursuant to such 
 subparagraph, receive from a licensed veterinarian a 
 certification that states such animal is suitable for 
 release.
            (D) Not later than 16 months after the date of the 
 enactment of this section and quarterly thereafter, 
 submit to the Animal and Plant Health Inspection 
 Service of the Department of Agriculture and the Office 
 of Laboratory Animal Welfare of the National Institutes 
 of Health information relating to the number of animals 
 released pursuant to such subparagraph.

    (2) Public database.--Not later than 20 months after the 
 date of the enactment of this section, the Secretary of 
 Agriculture and the Director of the National Institutes of 
 Health shall jointly develop, maintain not less than quarterly, 
 and make publicly available a database on each animal released 
 pursuant such program.

    (g) Audits.--Not later than one year after the date of the 
enactment of this section and annually thereafter, the Comptroller 
General of the United States, in consultation with the personnel of the 
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service of the Department of 
Agriculture and the Office of Laboratory Animal Welfare of the National 
Institutes of Health, shall carry out the following:

    (1) Audit each Federal department, Federal agency, Federal 
 contractor, subcontractor, or grantee for compliance with this 
 section.

    (2) Submit a report to Congress on the compliance of each 
 such department, agency, contractor, subcontractor, or grantee 
 with this section.

    (h) Congressional Hearings.--Not later than two years after the 
date of the enactment of this section and annually thereafter, each 
House of Congress shall hold a hearing on the annual report submitted 
under subsection

    (g) .
            (i) Conflict.--If a conflict exists between the Animal Welfare Act 
(7 U.S.C. 2131 et seq.), or the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act 
(21 U.S.C. 301 et seq.), and this section, this section shall apply.

    (j) 

=== Definitions. ===
-In this section:

    (1) Accredited sanctuary.--The term ``accredited 
 sanctuary'' means a facility or organization that satisfies the 
 following requirements:
        (A) Provides lifetime care and shelter to animals.
        (B) Maintains animals in a protective environment 
 without engaging in breeding, commercial trade, or for-
 profit public exhibition.
            (C) Possesses an accreditation by a nationally 
 recognized accrediting body, such as the Global 
 Federation of Animal Sanctuaries, or another entity 
 designated by the Secretary of Agriculture.
            (D) Adheres to standards of animal care, including 
 adequate housing, nutrition, and veterinary attention, 
 verified through periodic reviews conducted as a 
 condition of such accreditation.

    (2) Animal.--The term ``animal'' means a living or dead 
 dog, cat, non-human primate, guinea pig, hamster, rabbit, or 
 other warm-blooded animal that the Secretary of Agriculture 
 designates as being used, or intended to be used, for research, 
 testing, and experimentation, exhibition, or as a pet.

    (3) Animal rescue organization.--The term ``animal rescue 
 organization'' means an organization that satisfies the 
 following requirements:
        (A) Is described in 

section 501
            (c) (3) of the 
 Internal Revenue Code of 1986 and exempt from tax under 
 

section 501

    (a) of such Code.
        (B) Is primarily dedicated to the rescue, 
 rehabilitation, and placement of animals into adoptive 
 homes or other suitable environments, including with 
 respect to the following:
            (i) Taking custody of such animals from 
 research facilities, shelters, or other 
 sources.
            (ii) Providing necessary care, including 
 veterinary treatment and socialization, to such 
 animals.
            (iii) Facilitating the adoption or transfer 
 of such animals to permanent placements.
            (iv) Maintaining records of the intake, 
 care, and disposition of such animals.
            (C) Does not engage in the commercial sale or trade 
 of animals.

    (4) Clinical veterinary research.--The term ``clinical 
 veterinary research'' means research on a dog or cat with a 
 naturally occurring disease or injury that is conducted--
        (A) for the benefit of the dog or cat; and
        (B) with the intention of studying the effect of a 
 procedure, device, or treatment protocol.

    (5) Grantee.--The term ``grantee'' means an entity that 
 receives Federal research funds under a grant agreement with a 
 Federal department or agency.

    (6) Licensed animal shelter.--The term ``licensed animal 
 shelter'' means a facility that satisfies the following 
 requirements:
        (A) Is operated by or under contract with a State 
 or local government, a duly incorporated humane 
 society, or an organization described in 

section 501
            (c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 and 
 exempt from tax under 

section 501

    (a) of such Code.
        (B) Is licensed or registered under any applicable 
 law to impound, harbor, or care for stray, abandoned, 
 or surrendered animals, including animals released from 
 research facilities.
            (C) Provides humane care and treatment to such 
 animals.
            (D) Facilitates the adoption or transfer of such 
 animals to suitable placements.

    (7) Military animal.--The term ``military animal'' has the 
 meaning given the term in 

section 2583 of title 10, United 
 States Code.

    (8) Research, testing, and experimentation.--The term 
 ``research, testing, and experimentation'' includes any of the 
 following:
        (A) Basic research.
        (B) Behavioral research.
            (C) Infectious disease research.
            (D) Drug and device development and testing.
        (E) Cosmetic development and testing.
        (F) Chemical development and testing.
        (G) Biomedical training.

    (9) Service animal.--The term ``service animal'' has the 
 meaning given the term in 

section 37.3 of title 49, Code of 
 Federal Regulations.

    (10) Subcontractor.--The term ``subcontractor'' means an 
 entity that performs work under a subcontract funded by a 
 Federal research grant or another Federal contract.
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