H.R. 4698 — Introduced in House

I 119th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 4698 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES July 23, 2025Ms. Mace (for herself, Mr. Soto, Mr. Obernolte, Mr. Davis of North Carolina, Mr. Lawler, Ms. Norton, Mr. Nehls, Mr. Carson, Ms. Malliotakis, Ms. Titus, Mr. Webster of Florida, Ms. Tokuda, and Ms. Salazar) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce A BILL To amend the Public Health Service Act to prohibit the Director of the National Institutes of Health from conducting or funding research that causes significant pain or distress to a dog or cat, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Preventing Animal Abuse and Waste Act or the PAAW Act. 2. Prohibition on research causing significant pain or distress to dogs and cats (a) In general Subpart 6 of part C of title IV of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 285f et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following: 447E. Prohibition on research causing significant pain or distress to dogs and cats (a) In general The Director of NIH may not conduct or support any research that causes significant pain or distress to a dog or cat. (b) Definition In this section, the term research that causes significant pain or distress includes any study that includes an assignment of pain category D or E, as defined by the Pain and Distress Categories of the Department of Agriculture (or such successor categories developed pursuant to section 13 of the Animal Welfare Act (7 U.S.C. 2143)). . (b) Applicability The amendment made by subsection (a) applies beginning on the date that is 90 days after the date of enactment of this Act.