116th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 8867


To amend title 38, United States Code, to prohibit the Secretary of Veterans Affairs from conducting medical research causing significant pain or distress to cats.


IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

December 3, 2020

Ms. Titus (for herself, Mr. Mast, Mr. Gaetz, Mr. Fitzpatrick, Mr. Suozzi, Mr. Ted Lieu of California, Mr. Cohen, Ms. Shalala, Mrs. Dingell, Mr. Rodney Davis of Illinois, Mr. Harder of California, Ms. Lee of California, Ms. Norton, Mr. Lynch, Mr. Nadler, Mr. Cicilline, Mr. Levin of Michigan, Mr. Lowenthal, Ms. Jayapal, Ms. Eshoo, and Mr. Hurd of Texas) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs


A BILL

To amend title 38, United States Code, to prohibit the Secretary of Veterans Affairs from conducting medical research causing significant pain or distress to cats.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. Short title.

This Act may be cited as the    Cat Abuse in Testing Stops Act of 2020    or the    CATS Act of 2020   .

SEC. 2. Prohibition on Department of Veterans Affairs medical research causing significant pain or distress to cats.

(a) In general.   Section 7303 of title 38, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection:

   (e) (1) In carrying out research, the Secretary may not purchase, breed, transport, house, feed, maintain, dispose of, or experiment on cats as part of the conduct of any study that causes significant pain or distress.

   (2) In this subsection, the term    study that causes significant pain or distress    includes any study classified to pain category D or E by the Department of Agriculture (or such successor categories developed pursuant to section 13 of the Animal Welfare Act (7 U.S.C. 2143)).   .

(b) Effective date.   The amendment made by subsection (a) shall take effect 90 days after the date of enactment of this Act.