The AAMC joined an April 13 letter led by the National Association for Biomedical Research with 32 scientific, medical, veterinary, and academic organizations expressing concern about Section 246 (PDF) in the final fiscal year (FY) 2026 Military Construction, Department of Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies (MilCon-VA) bill (P.L. 119-75) and urging Congress to remove or amend this provision in future appropriations legislation. Section 246 directs the VA to eliminate research involving dogs, cats, and nonhuman primates by Sept. 30, absent secretary-level approval.
The letter argues that imposing a strict deadline on certain types of animal research could disrupt ongoing studies, slow the development of new treatments for veterans, and undermine previous government funding invested in these research efforts. The letter notes, “Prematurely terminating these studies will delay promising therapies for conditions that disproportionately affect veterans and will undermine prior federal investment in biomedical advancements.”
On April 16, the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Committee released the FY 2027 MilCon-VA spending bill (PDF) the day before an April 17 subcommittee markup. The bill includes the same language for Section 246 as the FY 2026 legislation.