Plain Language Summary
# SPARE Act Summary **What It Would Do:** The SPARE Act would ban federal agencies, contractors, and grant recipients from using animals in research and testing. The ban would take effect 18 months after passage for cosmetics and toxicity testing, and 3 years after passage for biomedical and drug testing. However, Congress could grant exceptions for research on infectious diseases or national security issues if there are no alternatives and animals would be used minimally.
Clinical veterinary research and military/service animal activities would be exempt from the ban. **Who It Affects:** This bill would impact federal agencies like the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and Department of Agriculture (USDA), as well as universities, private companies, and research institutions that receive federal funding or contracts for animal research. It could affect the development of new medications and medical treatments that currently rely on animal testing. **Current Status:** The bill (HR 1802) was introduced in the 119th Congress by Representative Nicole Malliotakis (R-NY) and is currently in committee, meaning it has not yet been debated or voted on by the full House of Representatives.
CRS Official Summary
Safeguard Pets, Animals, and Research Ethics Act or the SPARE ActThis bill prohibits federal departments, agencies, contractors, subcontractors, and grantees from engaging in research and testing using animals. This prohibition takes effect 3 years after the bill’s enactment for biomedical experimenting and drug testing, and 18 months after enactment for other research including cosmetics and toxicity testing. The prohibition does not apply to clinical veterinary research or certain activities related to military or service animals. Upon an application from a federal entity, contractor, or grantee, Congress may authorize animal research for a limited period if the research relates to an infectious disease or national security, would use animals sparingly, and for which no alternative exists. The bill establishes a civil penalty for certain violations of the prohibition, and permits the Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to impose other specified sanctions on violators. The bill also requires federally funded research facilities that have used animals in research to release any such animal to a specified animal organization or eligible individual within one year of the bill’s enactment, after having consulted with an accredited sanctuary or animal behavioral specialist. The USDA and NIH must make available a public database with information on animals released under these provisions. Finally, the bill requires the National Science Foundation to establish a competitive grant program to support the transition of animal research to non-animal research, and to establish a program to support the validation and standardization of non-animal research.
Latest Action
Referred to the Subcommittee on Livestock, Dairy, and Poultry.