Bill Details
HR.297 - 119th Congress
Status
Latest action
2025-01-09 - Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.
Introduced Date
2025-01-09
Policy Area
Education
Committees
View committees (1)
2
0
0
AI Summary This summary was generated by AI from the bill text. AI can get information wrong.
This bill would stop federal money from going to colleges and universities that do painful biomedical research on dogs or cats. The ban would start 180 days after the law is enacted. It is meant to keep federal funds away from schools that carry out or pay for research, testing, or training that causes significant pain to these animals, while still allowing a few specific kinds of work that are seen as necessary or helpful.
- Schools would lose access to federal funds if they conduct or support, even partly, painful research on dogs or cats.
- The bill says this does not apply to clinical veterinary research, such as studying a dog or cat with a natural illness or injury when the work is meant to help that animal.
- It also does not apply to physical exams, training programs, or studies related to service animals or military animals.
- “Painful research” is defined as research, biomedical training, experiments, or biological testing that falls into USDA pain categories D or E, which are used for procedures that involve more pain or distress.
Official Summaries
Higher Education Loses Payments for Painful Experiments, Tests and Studies Act or the HELP PETS Act
This bill prohibits an institution of higher education (IHE) from receiving federal funds if the IHE conducts or funds painful research on dogs or cats. Painful research refers to any research, biomedical training, experimentation, or biological testing classified in specified pain categories by the Department of Agriculture.
Current Full Text
[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 297 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 297
To prohibit the availability of Federal funds to institutions of higher
education that conduct painful biomedical research on dogs and cats.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
January 9, 2025
Ms. Malliotakis introduced the following bill; which was referred to
the Committee on Education and Workforce
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To prohibit the availability of Federal funds to institutions of higher
education that conduct painful biomedical research on dogs and cats.
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 ``Higher Education Loses Payments for
Painful Experiments, Tests and Studies Act'' or the ``HELP PETS Act''.
SEC. 2. PROHIBITION ON AVAILABILITY OF FEDERAL FUNDS TO INSTITUTIONS OF
HIGHER EDUCATION THAT CONDUCT PAINFUL RESEARCH USING DOGS
AND CATS.
(a) In General.--Beginning on the date that is 180 days after the
date of the enactment of this Act, no Federal funds may be made
available to any institution of higher education that conducts or
funds, in whole or in part, painful research on dogs or cats.
(b) Exceptions.--Subsection (a) shall not apply to--
(1) clinical veterinary research; or
(2) any physical exam, training program, or study relating
to service animals or military animals.
(c) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) 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.
(2) Institution of higher education.--The term
``institution of higher education'' has the meaning given the
term in section 102 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20
U.S.C. 1002).
(3) Military animal.--The term ``military animal'' has the
meaning given the term in section 2583(i)(1) of title 10,
United States Code.
(4) Painful research.--The term ``painful research''
includes any research, biomedical training, experimentation, or
biological testing classified in pain category D or E by the
Department of Agriculture.
(5) Service animal.--The term ``service animal'' has the
meaning given the term in section 37.3 of title 49, Code of
Federal Regulations.
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