CARGO Act of 2025
- Bill Number
- H.R. 1085
- Origin Chamber
- House
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 1
- Policy Area
- Health
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2025-02-06: Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
- Last Updated
- 2026-06-03T08:07:19Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose
The Cease Animal Research Grants Overseas Act of 2025 (CARGO Act) aims to ensure better oversight of animal welfare in research funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) by prohibiting federal support for any animal research conducted outside the United States. It addresses concerns about inadequate monitoring and potential mistreatment of animals in foreign facilities.
Key Provisions
- Prohibition on Foreign Funding: The NIH cannot provide any financial support (such as grants, contracts, cooperative agreements, or technical assistance) for research activities or programs that use live animals unless the research takes place in the United States, which includes the 50 states, the District of Columbia, and U.S. territories or possessions.
- Congressional Findings: The bill highlights that between fiscal years 2011 and 2021, the NIH allocated about $2.2 billion to foreign organizations for animal research. It notes the absence of NIH inspections abroad, reliance on self-reported data, and risks of misrepresented information leading to animal mistreatment.
- Technical Amendments: The legislation amends Section 495 of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 289d) by inserting a new subsection (a) with the prohibition and redesignating existing subsections (a) through (e) as (b) through (f), along with related updates to cross-references.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
- This introduces a blanket ban on NIH funding for live animal research conducted abroad, which was previously allowed without such geographic restrictions.
- It shifts the focus of existing animal welfare protections (under Section 495, which requires Institutional Animal Care and Use Committees for oversight) to apply only to U.S.-based research, effectively closing a loophole for foreign projects by eliminating federal support for them.
- No changes to domestic research requirements, but the redesignation ensures the new rule integrates seamlessly without altering core protections for U.S. facilities.
Potential Impacts
- On Government Agencies: The NIH will need to revise grant awarding processes to verify research locations, potentially increasing administrative burdens and reducing flexibility in funding international collaborations. This could redirect billions in funds back to U.S.-based projects.
- On Citizens: U.S. taxpayers' money will be limited to domestic animal research, potentially improving accountability for animal welfare but possibly slowing scientific progress if key expertise or resources are abroad.
- On International Relations: Foreign research institutions and collaborators may lose access to U.S. funding, straining partnerships in global health research and affecting diplomatic ties in science diplomacy.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- National Institutes of Health (NIH): Directly responsible for implementing the funding restrictions.
- Researchers and Institutions: U.S.-based scientists may benefit from more funding opportunities, while foreign researchers and organizations reliant on NIH grants for animal studies will face significant cuts.
- Animal Welfare Advocates: Groups concerned with ethical treatment of research animals could see improved oversight, though they might worry about unintended shifts in research volume.
- Scientific Community: Broader impacts on medical and biomedical research, including universities, pharmaceutical companies, and international partners involved in animal testing.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Legal: The bill enforces stricter conditions on federal spending under the Public Health Service Act, potentially inviting challenges if seen as overly restrictive on NIH's discretion in grant allocation. It aligns with existing U.S. laws on animal welfare (e.g., the Animal Welfare Act) but extends them extraterritorially through funding controls.
- Constitutional: Raises no major issues, as Congress has broad authority over federal appropriations (under the Appropriations Clause), but could spark debates on whether it unduly burdens free scientific inquiry or international cooperation.
- Political: Bipartisan support (introduced by members from both parties) reflects concerns over accountability in public spending and animal rights. It may fuel discussions on "America First" policies in science funding, influencing future appropriations debates or similar restrictions on other federal agencies.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Cosponsors (29)
Rep. Titus, Dina [D-NV-1], Del. Norton, Eleanor Holmes [D-DC-At Large], Rep. Kim, Young [R-CA-40], Rep. Fitzpatrick, Brian K. [R-PA-1], Rep. Davis, Donald G. [D-NC-1], Rep. Malliotakis, Nicole [R-NY-11], Rep. Gooden, Lance [R-TX-5], Rep. Mackenzie, Ryan [R-PA-7], Rep. Mace, Nancy [R-SC-1], Rep. Evans, Dwight [D-PA-3], Rep. Tokuda, Jill N. [D-HI-2], Rep. Dean, Madeleine [D-PA-4], Rep. Van Drew, Jefferson [R-NJ-2], Rep. Escobar, Veronica [D-TX-16], Rep. Harder, Josh [D-CA-9], Rep. Buchanan, Vern [R-FL-16], Rep. Schweikert, David [R-AZ-1], Rep. Nunn, Zachary [R-IA-3], Rep. Smith, Christopher H. [R-NJ-4], Rep. Steube, W. Gregory [R-FL-17], Rep. Hamadeh, Abraham J. [R-AZ-8], Rep. Evans, Gabe [R-CO-8], Rep. Kean, Thomas H. [R-NJ-7], Rep. Kiggans, Jennifer A. [R-VA-2], Rep. Garbarino, Andrew R. [R-NY-2], Rep. Weber, Randy K. Sr. [R-TX-14], Rep. Bresnahan, Robert P. [R-PA-8], Rep. Harshbarger, Diana [R-TN-1], Rep. Langworthy, Nicholas A. [R-NY-23]
Recent Actions
- 2025-02-06: Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
- 2025-02-06: Introduced in House
- 2025-02-06: Introduced in House
Bill Versions
- Cease Animal Research Grants Overseas Act of 2025 — issued 2025-02-06 — PDF (3 pages)