PAAW Act
Summary
What This Bill Does
The PAAW Act adds a new Public Health Service Act section 447E. The NIH Director may not conduct or support research that causes significant pain or distress to a dog or cat. The bill defines such research as any study assigned USDA Pain and Distress Category D or E, or successor categories developed under Animal Welfare Act section 13. The prohibition applies beginning 90 days after enactment. The bill does not ban all animal research or all dog and cat research; it targets NIH-conducted or NIH-supported studies involving significant pain or distress.
Who Benefits and How
Dogs used in NIH-supported research benefit from a ban on pain category D or E studies. Cats used in NIH-supported research benefit from the same significant-pain-or-distress prohibition. Animal welfare organizations benefit from a federal limit on painful dog and cat studies. Alternative research method developers benefit if NIH-funded researchers shift away from prohibited animal studies.
Who Bears the Burden and How
NIH Director must stop conducting or supporting covered dog and cat research after the 90-day effective date. NIH-funded researchers must avoid studies assigned USDA pain category D or E for dogs or cats. Biomedical research institutions using dogs or cats may lose NIH support for covered projects. Grant administrators must screen animal-study proposals for pain and distress categories.
Key Provisions
- Prohibits NIH from conducting or supporting research causing significant pain or distress to dogs or cats.
- Defines covered research by USDA pain and distress categories D or E or successor Animal Welfare Act categories.
- Applies the prohibition 90 days after enactment.
- Limits NIH-supported painful dog and cat studies without banning all animal research.
Evidence Chain:
This summary is generated from the full bill text using AI analysis. Expand "Detailed Analysis" below for identified beneficiaries/burden bearers with clause-level evidence links.
At a Glance
What This Bill Does
Bars NIH from conducting or supporting research that causes significant pain or distress to dogs or cats, defined by USDA pain categories D or E or successor Animal Welfare Act categories, beginning 90 days after enactment.
Key Policy Areas
Animal Research, NIH, Biomedical Research
Primary Purpose
Bars NIH from conducting or supporting research that causes significant pain or distress to dogs or cats, defined by USDA pain categories D or E or successor Animal Welfare Act categories, beginning 90 days after enactment.
Policy Domains
Resolution provisions
Identified Gains
- Dogs used in NIH-supported research
- Cats used in NIH-supported research
- Animal welfare organizations
- Alternative research method developers
Identified Costs
- NIH Director
- NIH-funded researchers
- Biomedical research institutions
- Grant administrators
Sponsors
Legislative Progress
In CommitteeMs. Mace (for herself, Mr. Soto, Mr. Obernolte, Mr. Davis …
Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
Introduced in House
Stakeholder Effects
cui bono?How this legislation distributes effects. Mention counts reflect frequency, not effect magnitude.
Animal welfare organizations, Cats used in NIH-supported research, Dogs used in NIH-supported research
Biomedical research institutions, NIH-funded researchers
Bill Structure & Actor Mappings
Who is "The Secretary" in each section?
We use a combination of our own taxonomy and classification in addition to large language models to assess meaning and potential beneficiaries. High confidence means strong textual evidence. Always verify with the original bill text.
Learn more about our methodology