Members of the House and Senate introduced legislation to limit and provide increased oversight on animal and life sciences research. Rep. Nicole Malliotakis (R-NY.), on March 6 introduced the Safeguard Pets, Animals, and Research Ethics (SPARE) Act (H.R. 1802), which would prohibit the use of animals in federally funded research facilities for experimentation, testing, and biomedical research. The bill has been referred to the House Science, Space, and Technology; Energy and Commerce; Agriculture; and Rules committees for consideration. The AAMC joined other research organizations in a Nov. 2024 letter (PDF) urging robust support for animal research in fiscal year 2025 appropriations bills in addition to a December 2024 letter urging Congress to reverse harmful policies that would limit animal research at the Department of Veterans Affairs [refer to Washington Highlights, Feb. 7].
Additionally, on March 5, Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) and Sen. Gary Peters (D-Mich.), chair and ranking member of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee (HSGAC) respectively, reintroduced the Risky Research Review Act (S. 854). The bill, which aligns with the 2024 Senate version (S.4667) that advanced out of HSGAC, would establish new federal oversight of life sciences research, including by defining life sciences research and establishing a Life Sciences Research Security Board to serve as an independent body responsible for evaluating certain high-risk research, including gain-of-function research [refer to Washington Highlights, Sept. 27, 2024]. Rep. Morgan Griffith (R-Va.) on March 5 introduced the House companion bill (H.R. 1864), which was referred to the House Energy and Commerce and Science, Space, and Technology committees.