Sponsors (7)
Introduced March 25, 2025 by Eric Stephen Schmitt · Last progress March 25, 2025
The bill strengthens ethical oversight and transparency for NIH-funded animal research abroad and protects federal research dollars, at the cost of added administrative burden, implementation expenses, and potential disruption or delays to international research projects.
NIH-funded researchers and animals in foreign labs will be required to meet U.S. animal-care standards, increasing ethical oversight of federally funded animal research abroad.
Taxpayers and the public gain greater transparency because compliance certificates for foreign facilities will be publicly accessible, making it clearer which labs meet U.S. standards.
Taxpayers and U.S. researchers are better protected because noncompliant foreign facilities can have NIH funding suspended or revoked, reducing the risk of misused federal research dollars.
Scientists, hospitals, and research participants could face delays or disruption of ongoing projects if foreign labs lose NIH funding for noncompliance, slowing scientific progress and clinical research.
Foreign partner labs and their U.S. collaborators may incur higher administrative costs and burdens from quarterly inspections and certification requirements, which could slow international research collaboration.
HHS/NIH will need to allocate resources and coordinate internationally to carry out inspections and enforcement, increasing administrative costs that ultimately affect taxpayers and agency budgets.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Requires quarterly inspections and public compliance certificates for non-U.S. labs receiving NIH funds with Animal Welfare Assurances, and allows suspension of funding for unresolved violations.
Requires quarterly inspections of non-U.S. laboratories that receive NIH (or national research institute) funds and hold an Animal Welfare Assurance to verify compliance with U.S. animal-research requirements. The Secretary, working with the NIH Director and appropriate foreign authorities and organizations, must set up the inspection process, designate inspectors, allow corrective-action periods, issue written compliance certificates after each quarterly inspection, and publish those certificates via the Office of Laboratory Animal Welfare; persistent noncompliance can lead to suspension or revocation of NIH grants, contracts, or cooperative agreements. The rule takes effect 180 days after enactment.