Federal Legislation

Bills We Support

H.R. 689: Pet Safety and Protection Act of 2019
This bill would amend the Animal Welfare Act to ensure that all dogs and cats used by research facilities are obtained legally.

• Sponsor: Rep. Doyle, Michael F. [D-PA 18]
• Latest Action: House – 02/08/2019 Referred to the Subcommittee on Livestock and Foreign Agriculture
• Massachusetts co-sponsors:
  • Rep. McGovern, James [D-MA-2]

H.R. 1568: SAVE Right Whales Act (Scientific Assistance for Very Endangered Right Whales Act )
This bill would support and provide financial resources for North Atlantic right whale conservation programs and projects of persons with expertise required for the conservation of North Atlantic right whales, and for other purposes.

• Sponsor: Rep. Moulton, Seth [D-MA-6]
• Latest Action: House – 10/18/2019 Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 194.
• Massachusetts Co-Sponsors:
  • Rep. Keating, William R. [D-MA-9]
  • Rep. Clark, Katherine M. [D-MA-5]
  • Rep. McGovern, James [D-MA-2]
  • Rep. Pressley, Ayanna [D-MA-7]
  • Rep. Neal, Richard E. [D-MA-1]
  • Rep. Kennedy, Joseph P., III [D-MA-4]
  • Rep. Trahan, Lori [D-MA-3]

H.R. 249: FACT Act (Federal Accountability in Chemical Testing Act)
This bill would amend the ICCVAM Authorization Act of 2000 to improve reporting about animal testing and alternative test method use by Federal agencies. The amendments would related to the “Reporting Requirements” and “Provision of Information” sections.

• Sponsor: Calvert, Ken [R-CA-42]
• Latest Action: House – 01/25/2019 Referred to the Subcommittee on Health
• Massachusetts co-sponsors:
  • Rep. Moulton, Seth [D-MA-6]

H.R. 614, H.R. 737, S. 877: Shark Fin Sales Elimination Act of 2019
These bills would make it illegal to possess, buy, or sell shark fins or any product containing shark fins. It would be acceptable to possess a shark fin only if it was taken with a license or permit and used for noncommercial subsistence or for research purposes.

• Sponsor: H.R. 614 – Lieu, Ted [D-CA-33]; H.R. 737 – Rep. Sablan, Gregorio Kilili Camacho [D-MP-At Large]; S. 877 – Sen. Booker, Cory A. [D-NJ]
• Latest Action: 
  • H.R. 614 – House – 02/06/2019 Referred to the Subcommittee on Water, Oceans, and Wildlife
  • H.R. 737 – Senate – 11/21/2019 Received in the Senate and read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
  • S. 877 – Senate – 12/12/2019 Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 325.
• Massachusetts co-sponsors:
  • H.R. 614
    • none (as of 4/29/2020)
  • H.R. 737
    • Rep. Moulton, Seth [D-MA-6]
    • Rep. Keating, William R. [D-MA-9]
    • Rep. McGovern, Jim P. [D-MA-2]
    • Rep. Kennedy, Joseph P., III [D-MA-4]
    • Rep. Neal, Richard E. [D-MA-1]
    • Rep. Lynch, Stephen F. [D-MA-8]
    • Rep. Clark, Katherine M. [D-MA-5]
    • Rep. Pressley, Ayanna [D-MA-7]
    • Rep. Trahan, Lori [D-MA-3]
  • S. 877
    • none (as of 4/29/2020)

H.R. 724: PACT Act (Preventing Animal Cruelty and Torture Act)
This bill will make it a federal crime to commit malicious cruelty to an animal on federal property or in interstate commerce.

• Sponsor: Deutch, Theodore [D-FL-22]
• Latest Action: 11/25/2019 Became Public Law No: 116-72.
• Massachusetts co-sponsors:
  • Rep. Moulton, Seth [D-MA-6]
  • Rep. Keating, William R. [D-MA-9]
  • Rep. Clark, Katherine M. [D-MA-5]
  • Rep. Kennedy, Joseph P., III [D-MA-4]
  • Rep. Neal, Richard E. [D-MA-1]
  • Rep. Lynch, Stephen F. [D-MA-8]
  • Rep. Pressley, Ayanna [D-MA-7]
  • Rep. Trahan, Lori [D-MA-3]
  • Rep. McGovern, Jim P. [D-MA-2]

H.R. 1002: WOOF! Act (Welfare of Our Friends Act)
This bill would prevent dog breeders whose USDA license has been suspended or revoked from continuing to operate through a new license acquired by someone else at the same address. Right now, it is possible for suspended/revoked breeders to evade enforcement by having family members apply for a new license, allowing the same business to continue as before.

• Sponsor: Fitzpatrick, Brian [R-PA-1]
• Latest Action: House – 03/01/2019 Referred to the Subcommittee on Livestock and Foreign Agriculture.
• Massachusetts co-sponsors:
  • Rep. McGovern, James P. [D-MA-2]
  • Rep. Moulton, Seth [D-MA-6]
  • Rep. Neal, Richard E. [D-MA-1]
  • Rep. Kennedy, Joseph P., III [D-MA-4]
  • Rep. Clark, Katherine M. [D-MA-5]
  • Rep. Lynch, Stephen F. [D-MA-8]
  • Rep. Trahan, Lori [D-MA-3]
  • Rep. Pressley, Ayanna [D-MA-7]
  • Rep. Keating, William R. [D-MA-9]

H.R. 1776: Captive Primate Safety Act of 2019
This bill would amend the Lacey Act Amendments of 1981 to prohibit any interstate or foreign commerce involving nonhuman primates for the exotic pet trade, including sale, transportation, and acquisition. It is narrowly crafted to target the commerce in and private possession of primates, and would not impact zoos, circuses, universities, labs, or sanctuaries.

• Sponsors: Blumenauer, Earl (D-OR) and Fitzpatrick, Brian (R-PA)
• Latest Action: House – 04/03/2019 Referred to the Subcommittee on Water, Oceans, and Wildlife.
• Massachusetts co-sponsors: 
  • Rep. McGovern, James [D-MA-2]
  • Rep. Clark, Katherine M. [D-MA-5]
  • Rep. Kennedy, Joseph P., III [D-MA-4]

H.R. 1380: Big Cat Public Safety Act
The bill would amend the Captive Wildlife Safety Act to prohibit the possession of lions, tigers, leopards, cheetahs, jaguars, cougars, or any hybrid of these species by individuals who are not licensed by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA). It is narrowly focused on privately owned animals and includes exemptions for sanctuaries, universities, and zoos. Current owners are grandfathered in and are simply required to register their animals with the government to ensure that first responders and animal control officers are aware of the presence of such animals in their communities. This bill also restricts direct contact between the public and big cats.

• Sponsors: Quigley, Mike (D-IL) and Fitzpatrick, Brian (R-PA)
• Latest Action: House – 09/18/2019 Ordered to be Reported by the Yeas and Nays: 21 – 14
• Massachusetts co-sponsors:
  • Rep. McGovern, James [D-MA-2]
  • Rep. Keating, William R. [D-MA-9]
  • Rep. Lynch, Stephen F. [D-MA-8]
  • Rep. Moulton, Seth [D-MA-6]
  • Rep. Kennedy, Joseph P., III [D-MA-4]
  • Rep. Clark, Katherine M. [D-MA-5]
  • Rep. Trahan, Lori [D-MA-3]
  • Rep. Neal, Richard E. [D-MA-1]
  • Rep. Pressley, Ayanna [D-MA-7]

H.R. 2850: Humane Retirement Act
This bill requires animal care committees at entities that receive federal funds for biomedical or behavioral research to make reasonable efforts to find parties to adopt dogs and cats that have been retired from research. Prior to euthanizing, the animal care committee must assess the temperament of the dog or cat to determine whether it is suitable for adoption and, if so, make reasonable efforts to offer the dog or cat to an adopting party.

• Sponsor: Rep. Rice, Kathleen M. [D-NY-4]
• Latest Action: House – 05/21/2019 Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
• Massachusetts co-sponsors:
  • none as of 4/29/2020

S. 2121, H.R. 2863 – Traveling Exotic Animal and Public Safety Protection Act
These bills would amend the Animal Welfare Act to restrict the use of exotic and wild animals in traveling performances.

• Sponsor: S. 2121 – Sen. Menendez, Robert [D-NJ]; H.R. 2863 – Rep. Grijalva, Raul M. [D-AZ-3]
• Latest Action: 
  • S. 2121 – Senate – 07/15/2019 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.
  • H.R. 2863 – House – 06/21/2019 Referred to the Subcommittee on Livestock and Foreign Agriculture.
• Massachusetts co-sponsors:
  • S. 2121
    • none (as of 6/18/2020)
  • H.R. 2863
    • Rep. McGovern, Jim P. [D-MA-2]
    • Rep. Kennedy, Joseph P., III [D-MA-4]

S. 3221, H.R. 6718 – Farm System Reform Act of 2019, 2020
These bills would place a moratorium on large concentrated animal feeding operations, strengthen the Packers and Stockyards Act, 1921, and require country of origin labeling on beef, pork, and dairy products, and for other purposes.

• Sponsor: S. 3221- Sen. Booker, Cory A. [D-NJ]; H.R. 6718 – Rep. Khanna, Ro [D-CA-17]
• Latest Action: 
  • S. 3221- Senate – 01/21/2020 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.
  • H.R. 6718 – House – 05/06/2020 Referred to the Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment.
• Massachusetts co-sponsors:
  • S. 3221
    • Sen. Warren, Elizabeth [D-MA]
  • H.R. 6718
    • none (as of 6/18/2020)

For more information:

• To check on the status of a bill or to read the text, go to congress.gov.
• If your Senator/Congressperson has not signed on to a good bill (in support), please contact them and ask them to sign on as a co-sponsor.
• To see a list of the Massachusetts Congressional Delegation in the 116th Congress, click here.
• To find out who represents you and how to contact your U.S. Representative and U.S. Senators, visit www.wheredoivotema.com.
• To see how the MA Congressional Delegation has scored in previous sessions of Congress, see the Humane Society Legislative Fund’s scorecards.