HR 3246

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IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

May 7, 2025

Ms. Mace (for herself, Mr. Huffman, Mr. Gimenez, Ms. Scanlon, Ms. Malliotakis, Ms. Meng, Mr. Webster of Florida, Mr. Tran, Mrs. Harshbarger, Ms. DelBene, Mr. Lynch, Mr. Nehls, Mrs. McBath, Mr. Connolly, Ms. Chu, Mr. Davis of North Carolina, Ms. Omar, Ms. Titus, Mr. Carson, Mr. Sherman, Ms. Tokuda, Mr. Fitzpatrick, Mr. Gottheimer, Mr. Stauber, Ms. Norton, Ms. Barragan, Mrs. Kim, Ms. Scholten, Mr. Johnson of Georgia, and Mr. Perry) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Agriculture

A BILL

To amend the Animal Welfare Act to allow for the adoption or non- laboratory placement of certain animals used in Federal research, and for other purposes.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the “Violet’s Law”.

SEC. 2. PLACEMENT OF ANIMALS USED IN FEDERAL RESEARCH.

Section 14 of the Animal Welfare Act (7 U.S.C. 2144) is amended to read as follows:

“SEC. 14. STANDARDS FOR FEDERAL FACILITIES.

“(a) Laboratory Animal Facilities.—Any department, agency, or instrumentality of the United States having laboratory animal facilities shall comply with the standards and other requirements promulgated by the Secretary under sections 13(a), (f), (g), and (h).

“(b) Adoption and Non-Laboratory Placement.—Any department, agency, or instrumentality of the United States operating as a Federal research facility shall, not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this subsection, promulgate standards and other requirements that, in the determination of the department, agency, or instrumentality, facilitates the adoption or non-laboratory placement of any eligible animal of the facility no longer needed for research and determined to be suitable for release to an animal rescue organization, animal sanctuary, animal shelter, or individual.

“(c) Definitions.—In this section:

“(1) Animal rescue organization.—The term ‘animal rescue organization’ means an organization—

“(A) described in section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 and exempt from taxation under section 501(a) of such Code; and

“(B) with the purpose of rescuing animals that are unwanted, abandoned, or otherwise in need of placement and finding permanent adoptive homes for such animals.

“(2) Animal sanctuary.—The term ‘animal sanctuary’ means an organization described in section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 and exempt from taxation under section 501(a) of such Code that—

“(A) is registered with the Secretary;

“(B) operates a place of refuge—

“(i) where an unwanted, displaced, or retired animal is provided care for the lifetime of such animal; and

“(ii) where an unescorted public visitation of such an animal is not permitted;

“(C) does not engage in commercial trade of such an animal;

“(D) does not breed such an animal;

“(E) does not permit direct contact between the public and such an animal;

“(F) does not allow the use of such an animal for performance or exhibition purposes; and

“(G) does not conduct research that pains or distresses such an animal.

“(3) Animal shelter.—The term ‘animal shelter’ means a facility that accepts or seizes animals to care for such animals, place such animals in a permanent adoptive home, or carry out law enforcement purposes.

“(4) Eligible animal.—The term ‘eligible animal’ means any dog, cat, nonhuman primate, guinea pig, hamster, or rabbit.

“(5) Suitable for release.—The term ‘suitable for release’ means an eligible animal that has been evaluated and has received a certificate issued by a veterinarian licensed to practice veterinary medicine, certifying that they inspected the eligible animal on a specified date that is not more than ten days before such animal is released, and when so inspected, the eligible animal appeared free of any infectious disease or physical abnormality which would endanger the eligible animal, other animals, or public health.”. <all>