[Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 55 (Tuesday, March 24, 2026)]
[Senate]
[Pages S1581-S1582]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Ms. COLLINS (for herself and Mr. Peters):
  S. 4172. A bill to amend the Animal Welfare Act to allow for the 
retirement of certain animals used in Federal research, and for other 
purposes; to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.
  Ms. Collins. Mr. President, I am pleased to join my colleague from 
Michigan Senator Peters in introducing the Animal Freedom from Testing, 
Experiments, and Research Act, known as the AFTER Act, to promote the 
adoption or retirement of animals used for research by Federal 
Agencies.
  In fiscal year 2024, the Federal Government experimented on 
approximately 775,000 animals for research purposes. These experiments 
occurred across 12 different Federal Agencies. the animals used were 
mainly cats, dogs, monkeys, and rabbits. Tracking these animals 
following experimentation is challenging. In many instances, animals no 
longer needed for research are killed since many Agencies lack formal 
retirement or adoption policies. Peer-reviewed studies indicate that 
research animals that are adopted, however, often thrive in their new 
environments.
  In 2013, led by Senators Harkin, Alexander, Cantwell and myself, the 
Senate passed the CHIMP Act, which allowed for the retirement of 
hundreds of primates that were formerly used in National Institute of 
Health, NIH, experiments. In addition, the Departments of Defense, 
Veterans Affairs,

[[Page S1582]]

FDA, and NIH have already enacted successful animal retirement 
policies.
  While I am encouraged by the Senate's past work on primates and the 
policies developed by a few Federal Agencies, there are many other 
Federal Agencies, including the Agriculture Department, NASA, and the 
Environmental Protection Agency, that lack formal policies for animals 
used in experiments. Given the recent efforts at the Food and Drug 
Administration and the National Institutes of Health to phase out 
animal testing for certain research, we should make sure that every 
Federal Agency that utilizes laboratory animals establishes policies to 
ensure that such animals, whenever possible, are retired and not killed 
when they are no longer needed for research.
  The AFTER Act builds on successful policies at DOD, VA, and NIH by 
directing all Federal Agencies to promulgate regulations that would 
facilitate the retirement of laboratory animals. Additionally, the 
AFTER Act requires that animals be evaluated by a licensed veterinarian 
and pronounced both mentally and physically healthy before leaving an 
Agency. This will help ensure a smooth transition to a new environment.
  Our legislation also encourages Federal Agencies to work with 
nonprofit organizations to help place retired animals in sanctuaries 
and shelters across the country, not just those closest to the research 
facility. This would allow a State like Maine, which does not have 
Federal research labs that use animals, to play a role in retiring 
these animals and providing homes for them.
  Mr. President, animals that are suitable for adoption or retirement 
should not be killed by our Federal Government. The AFTER Act would 
provide the necessary direction Federal Agencies need in order to move 
forward with developing retirement policies. I urge all of my 
colleagues to join in support of this important bipartisan legislation, 
the Animal Freedom from Testing, Experiments, and Research Act.
                                 ______