The House Oversight and Government Reform Subcommittee on Cybersecurity, Information Technology, and Government Innovation held a Feb. 6 hearing focusing on federal funding and oversight of animal research. Subcommittee Chair Nancy Mace (R-S.C.) questioned the necessity and oversight of federally funded animal research, while Ranking Member Shontel Brown (D-Ohio) emphasized bipartisan support for federal investments in alternative research methods.
Lawmakers asked about funding transparency across federal agencies, including the National Institutes of Health, and the role of academic institutions in federally funded research. The three hearing witnesses included organizations opposing federally funded animal research and a researcher expressing personal viewpoints opposing federally funded animal research. Mace indicated plans to introduce legislation addressing the issue, stating, “I will continue to fight and end all animal testing, including by introducing legislation that prohibits use of federal funds for these cruel animal sex-change experiments.”
The AAMC joined other research organizations in a November 2024 letter (PDF) calling for congressional appropriators to provide robust funding for animal research in fiscal year 2025 appropriations bills. Additionally, in December 2024, the AAMC and other organizations called on Congress to reverse harmful policies that would limit the Department of Veterans Affairs’ ability to employ the use of animal models in valuable studies that hold promise for veterans [refer to Washington Highlights, Dec. 6, 2024].
- Washington Highlights