AWI Quarterly Articles | Government/Legal

In a surprise move, the US Department of Agriculture published a notice that it was considering changes to its Animal Welfare Act regulations to improve the handling of wild and exotic animals as well as...

In March, Rep. Julia Brownley (D-CA) reintroduced the Marine Mammal Climate Change Protection Act (HR 1383), to protect marine mammals adversely affected by the climate crisis. Since 1972, the Marine Mammal Protection Act has prohibited...

In February, Rep. Raúl Grijalva (D-AZ) introduced the RESCUE Whales Act (HR 1213). This bill would repeal harmful language included in the fiscal year 2023 omnibus funding package that significantly threatens the survival and recovery...

AWI spearheaded the introduction in June of the Mink VIRUS Act (HR 3783), sponsored by Rep. Adriano Espaillat (D-NY). This bill would establish a one-year phaseout of mink fur farms in the United States and...

AWI has been working with members of the House of Representatives and Senate to raise the profile of animal welfare issues and to secure members’ support for stand-alone animal welfare bills as well as for...

The 118 th Congress is gearing up to tackle the Farm Bill, a massive omnibus bill that must be reauthorized every five years or so and is a key driver of food and agriculture policy...

After 20-plus years and multiple lawsuits, the protections afforded by the Animal Welfare Act will apply to birds in the pet trade and in exhibitions. The final rule is long and complicated, but our initial...

An outpouring of opposition helped defeat a bill in the Virginia General Assembly that would have impeded the confiscation of animals found suffering in inhumane conditions at poorly run zoos. HB 2331 would have required...

Two animal welfare bills championed by AWI were among the first introduced in the 118 th Congress. HR 208, the Pet Safety and Protection Act (PSPA), was introduced by long-time sponsor Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ)...

Two of the 117 th Congress’s final pieces of legislation that made it into law included many provisions affecting animals—both positively and negatively. The National Defense Authorization Act included provisions banning the domestic sale of...