Us Congress House Bill HB10048

Us Congress 2023-2024 Regular Session

• Introduced: 10/25/24
• Refer: 10/25/24

Caption

HELP PETS Act Higher Education Loses Payments for Painful Experiments, Tests and Studies Act

Impact

Should this bill be enacted, it would have significant implications for state laws related to animal testing and research funding. Institutions that engage in painful experiments would lose access to federal funds, thereby incentivizing a transition towards more humane research practices. The exceptions provided in the bill, specifically for clinical veterinary research and training-related studies involving service and military animals, indicate a nuanced approach that acknowledges valuable research activities while promoting ethical standards.

Summary

House Bill 10048, titled the 'HELP PETS Act' or the 'Higher Education Loses Payments for Painful Experiments, Tests and Studies Act', aims to prohibit federal funding to institutions of higher education that conduct painful biomedical research involving dogs and cats. This legislative measure reflects growing ethical considerations regarding animal welfare in medical research, emphasizing a shift towards reducing the suffering of animals used in such studies. By targeting painful research practices, the bill seeks to align federal funding with humane standards in scientific inquiry.

Contention

The bill may face various points of contention within legislative discussions. Proponents argue that limiting federal funding for painful research is essential for advancing animal welfare and promoting ethical research practices, while opponents may express concerns about the potential implications for biomedical advancements that rely on such research methods. Additionally, discussions may pivot on how definitions of 'painful research' could be interpreted and enforced, raising questions about its scope and applicability across different research settings. This could lead to debates on balancing scientific progress with ethical considerations.