Federal Animal Research Accountability Act of 2025

Bill Number

H.R. 3295

Origin Chamber

House

Congress

119th Congress, Session 1

Policy Area

Health

Status

Introduced

Latest Action

2025-05-08: Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.

Last Updated

2026-07-10T08:05:36Z

AI-Generated Summary

Purpose

The Federal Animal Research Accountability Act of 2025 aims to increase the accuracy and transparency of data on animal use in biomedical and behavioral research funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH). It requires research entities to report detailed information about animals involved in such studies, making this data publicly available to promote accountability.

Key Provisions

• Annual Reporting Requirement: Research entities receiving NIH funds must submit an annual form to the NIH Director detailing the total number of animals bred, housed, and used in the previous fiscal year.
• Breakdown of Data: The form categorizes animals by common species names and usage types:
• Animals used in teaching, research, experiments, or tests with no pain, distress, or pain-relieving drugs (e.g., routine procedures like injections or blood sampling).
• Animals used with accompanying pain or distress, where appropriate pain-relieving drugs (anesthetics, analgesics, or tranquilizers) were provided.
• Animals used with pain or distress where pain-relieving drugs were not used because they would interfere with the research procedures, results, or interpretation.
• Animals bred, conditioned, or held for future use in teaching, research, experiments, or tests but not yet used.
• NIH Responsibilities: The NIH must provide this reporting form to each research entity's animal care committee. Within 3 months of receiving a filed form, the NIH must publish it in a publicly accessible and searchable online database.
• Implementation Timeline: These requirements take effect 2 years after the bill's enactment, allowing time for preparation.

Significant Changes to Existing Law

This bill amends Section 495(b) of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 289d(b)), which previously required research entities to file assurances about animal care but did not mandate detailed annual reporting on animal numbers by species and pain/distress categories. It adds a new subparagraph (D) for this specific data collection and requires public online disclosure, shifting from internal assurances to transparent, public reporting. Minor grammatical updates (e.g., adding "and" and semicolons) ensure the section flows correctly.

Potential Impacts

• On Government Agencies: The NIH will face increased administrative duties in developing forms, collecting data, and maintaining a searchable public database, potentially requiring additional resources for data management and privacy protections.
• On Citizens and Research Entities: Citizens, including animal welfare advocates, will gain easier access to information on animal use in federally funded research, fostering public oversight. Research entities (e.g., universities, labs) may experience a moderate increase in reporting workload but benefit from standardized forms; it could encourage more ethical practices through heightened scrutiny.
• On International Relations: No direct impacts, as the bill focuses on domestic NIH-funded research without addressing foreign entities or collaborations.

Main Stakeholders Affected

• National Institutes of Health (NIH): Responsible for implementing and publishing the data.
• Research Entities: Universities, medical centers, and labs conducting NIH-funded biomedical or behavioral research using animals, who must comply with new reporting.
• Animal Welfare Organizations and the Public: Gain access to transparent data, enabling advocacy, education, and monitoring of animal treatment in research.
• Researchers and Scientists: Affected by the need for detailed record-keeping, which may influence study planning to minimize reportable pain categories.

Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications

• Legal Implications: Strengthens compliance with existing animal welfare laws (e.g., under the Animal Welfare Act) by mandating verifiable data, potentially aiding enforcement by bodies like the U.S. Department of Agriculture. It does not create new penalties but could support future audits or investigations based on public data.
• Constitutional Implications: None apparent; the bill aligns with Congress's authority to regulate federal funding and promote public health research without infringing on free speech, privacy (as data is aggregated by species, not individuals), or other rights.
• Political Implications: May spark debates between animal rights groups pushing for reduced research animal use and scientific communities emphasizing the necessity of such studies for medical advances. Bipartisan sponsorship (from both parties) suggests broad appeal for transparency, but implementation could face pushback over administrative costs or data accuracy concerns.

This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.

Sponsor

Rep. Malliotakis, Nicole [R-NY-11]

Cosponsors (20)

Rep. Davis, Donald G. [D-NC-1], Rep. Kiggans, Jennifer A. [R-VA-2], Rep. Titus, Dina [D-NV-1], Rep. Fitzpatrick, Brian K. [R-PA-1], Rep. Carson, André [D-IN-7], Rep. Gottheimer, Josh [D-NJ-5], Rep. Quigley, Mike [D-IL-5], Rep. Harder, Josh [D-CA-9], Rep. Soto, Darren [D-FL-9], Rep. Levin, Mike [D-CA-49], Rep. Van Drew, Jefferson [R-NJ-2], Rep. Buchanan, Vern [R-FL-16], Rep. Vindman, Eugene Simon [D-VA-7], Rep. Foushee, Valerie P. [D-NC-4], Rep. Mace, Nancy [R-SC-1], Rep. Tran, Derek [D-CA-45], Rep. Kean, Thomas H. [R-NJ-7], Rep. Thanedar, Shri [D-MI-13], Rep. Langworthy, Nicholas A. [R-NY-23], Rep. Kim, Young [R-CA-40]

Recent Actions

• 2025-05-08: Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
• 2025-05-08: Introduced in House
• 2025-05-08: Introduced in House

Bill Versions

• Federal Animal Research Accountability Act of 2025 — issued 2025-05-08 — PDF (4 pages)