Charleston Reporter

Representative Mace (R-SC-01) introduced the Preventing Animal Abuse and Waste Act (PAAW Act) in Washington D.C. today. The bill, aimed at amending the Public Health Service Act, seeks to prohibit the National Institutes of Health (NIH) from conducting or funding research that causes significant pain or distress to dogs or cats. Working alongside Rep. Jared Moscowitz (D-FL-23) and supported by Rep. Nicole Malliotakis (R-NY-11) and the White Coat Waste Project, the bipartisan effort aims to address the misuse of taxpayer dollars in animal research.

Rep. Mace, a vocal advocate for animal welfare, expressed her concerns about the unnecessary experiments on pets funded by NIH, stating, "As an animal lover, I’ve been disturbed to learn the scale and scope of barbaric and unnecessary dog and cat experiments funded by the National Institutes of Health." She emphasized the importance of ensuring taxpayers' money is not wasted on cruel experiments on animals.

Rep. Moscowitz, a dog owner himself, echoed Rep. Mace's sentiments, expressing his support for the bill and the need to prioritize animal welfare over politics. "As a dog owner, I’m appalled by the inhumane practices that have been conducted using taxpayer dollars. I’m happy to have worked across the aisle with Rep. Mace to choose paws over politics," he remarked.

Similarly, Rep. Malliotakis highlighted the need for more oversight in NIH-sponsored animal research, stating, "Protecting animal welfare has always been a personal passion of mine... While we continue our fight to end cruel animal testing altogether, I’m proud to join my colleagues in supporting this bipartisan legislation."

Justin Goodman, Senior Vice President of Advocacy and Public Policy at the White Coat Waste Project, commended Rep. Mace for her leadership in introducing the PAAW Act, emphasizing the need to stop taxpayer-funded cruelty to animals. He stated, "When it comes to painful and unnecessary dog and cat testing, wasteful NIH spending is the problem and Rep. Mace’s PAAW Act is the solution."

The PAAW Act includes provisions to ensure accountability and transparency in animal research. It prohibits research causing significant pain or distress to dogs and cats and mandates regular reporting on the use of animals in NIH-funded projects. Additionally, the bill calls for a comprehensive study by the Government Accountability Office to assess NIH's efforts in reducing and replacing the use of animals in research.

The PAAW Act aims to address the misuse of taxpayer dollars in animal research and promote higher standards of animal welfare in biomedical studies. With bipartisan support and advocacy from various stakeholders, the bill represents a significant step towards protecting animals and taxpayer dollars in research initiatives.