[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 195 (Wednesday, November 19, 2025)]
[House]
[Page H4786]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        PROVIDING EMOTIONAL ASSISTANCE WITH RELIEF AND LOVE ACT

  Mr. GUEST. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill 
(H.R. 3965) to establish in U.S. Customs and Border Protection a pilot 
program to adopt dogs from local animal shelters to be trained as 
support dogs, and for other purposes.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 3965

       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 ``Providing Emotional 
     Assistance with Relief and Love Act'' or the ``PEARL Act''.

     SEC. 2. CBP SUPPORT DOG PILOT PROGRAM.

       (a) In General.--Not later than 60 days after the date of 
     the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Homeland 
     Security, acting through the Commissioner of U.S. Customs and 
     Border Protection (CBP), shall establish in CBP a pilot 
     program to adopt dogs from local animal shelters to be 
     trained as support dogs for CBP's Support Canine Program.
       (b) Duration.--The pilot program under subsection (a) shall 
     terminate three years after the date of its establishment.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Mississippi (Mr. Guest) and the gentleman from New York (Mr. Goldman) 
each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Mississippi.


                             General Leave

  Mr. GUEST. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may 
have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and 
include extraneous material on H.R. 3965.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Mississippi?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. GUEST. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 3965, the Providing Emotional 
Assistance with Relief and Love Act, or the PEARL Act.
  As the men and women of the United States Customs and Border 
Protection work under incredibly stressful conditions to protect our 
borders, providing a mechanism to boost their well-being will improve 
the mental health of our frontline officers and agents.
  This legislation would enhance CBP's Support Canine Program by 
creating a pilot program to adopt dogs from local animal shelters to 
serve as therapy dogs for CBP officers and agents.
  I thank the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Tony Gonzales) for his 
leadership on this legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. GOLDMAN of New York. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I 
may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, in my time serving on the Committee on Homeland 
Security, I have seen the importance of effective mental health 
services for the Department's workforce, and I thank Representative 
Gonzales for introducing this bill.
  Individuals within the U.S. Customs and Border Protection work in 
high-stress environments, protecting our air, land, and sea borders. 
One way to help address the stressors that they face and support their 
mental health needs is by using therapy dogs.
  That is why I do support this piece of legislation, which will create 
a pilot program to adopt dogs from local animal shelters to be trained 
as therapy dogs for the CBP workforce.
  Not only will this bill provide additional mental health services to 
CBP personnel, but it will help the dogs in need of homes in our 
communities, certainly something everyone can support.
  I know my colleagues and I are committed to improving the mental 
health services offered to the men and women who work on our front 
lines every day. I support this legislation, and I ask my colleagues to 
do the same.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. GUEST. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the 
gentleman from Texas (Mr. Tony Gonzales).
  Mr. TONY GONZALES of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of 
my bill, the PEARL Act.
  With over 800 miles of the Texas-Mexico border, I represent the 
largest border district in the country. From Eagle Pass to Del Rio to 
the Big Bend region to El Paso, many of America's hardworking Border 
Patrol agents call Texas 23 home.
  Protecting our Nation's border is no easy feat. It is long hours, 
late nights, and time away from home. The PEARL Act, named after a 
special canine that helped our Border Patrol agents through some tough 
times, gives our law enforcement one more tool to improve mental health 
outcomes at CBP.
  In 2023, CBP launched the Support Canine Program, which aims to 
improve mental health resources for CBP personnel.
  Here in Washington we have a saying: If you want a friend, get a dog. 
That is exactly what this bill is doing. My bill builds upon this goal 
by establishing a pilot program through the Department of Homeland 
Security to adopt dogs from local animal shelters to enhance the 
Support Canine Program.
  Mr. Speaker, I look forward to seeing this legislation to support the 
men and women who defend our borders every day in the United States 
pass.

                              {time}  1240

  Mr. GOLDMAN of New York. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of 
my time.
  Mr. Speaker, we should do all that we can to provide the men and 
women of U.S. Customs and Border Protection with effective mental 
health services, and this bill is a significant step in the right 
direction. I speak from personal experience.
  Mr. Speaker, I got my children a dog a couple of years ago after they 
were struggling from the aftereffects and trauma of being in Tel Aviv 
on October 7. It has done wonders for their mental health. I know 
personally how important therapy dogs can be.
  The fact that this bill also helps dogs in need by getting them out 
of shelters and finding them good homes is something that we can and 
should all get behind.
  Mr. Speaker, I support this bipartisan piece of legislation, and I 
yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. GUEST. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 3965, 
the PEARL Act.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Mississippi (Mr. Guest) that the House suspend the rules 
and pass the bill, H.R. 3965.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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