YourVoice.Now Summary
Transparency & AccountabilityFederally funded labs would publicly count the animals they use — and NIH would weigh animal-free methods first
Transparency & Accountability
Within two years, labs and federal agencies that use animals for federal research would post how many they use. They would list each kind of animal. They would update the counts every two years. A new NIH center would also share them.
Every two years, the same labs and agencies would write a plan to cut the number of animals they use. They would send it to the new NIH center and post it for the public.
More about this bill
Most people would see no direct change in daily life. The change is in how medical research paid for by taxpayers uses animals. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is the main federal medical research agency. Before NIH okays a study on animals, it would have to weigh every workable method that skips animals. People who ask NIH for a grant would have to state that no good method without animals exists. NIH would also have to set up rewards for researchers who skip animals. Within one year, NIH would open a new center to fund and teach ways to replace animal tests. Examples include lab-grown mini organs and computer models. The bill sets no dollar amount for the center. Within two years, labs that use animals in federally funded work would post how many they use, by species. Federal agencies that test on animals would post their counts too. Every two years after, they would update those counts. They would also post a plan to use fewer animals. Animals here means live animals with backbones, plus octopus and squid.
Congressional Summary
Humane and Existing Alternatives in Research and Testing Sciences Act of 2025 or the HEARTS Act of 2025 This bill establishes a center within the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and requires other activities to promote alternatives to using animals in research and testing. The duties of the center include developing nonanimal research models (e.g., advanced cell cultures, advanced imaging systems) and training scientists about the methods. Additionally, if an agency or other entity conducting federally funded research uses animals for research and testing, it must develop and update a plan for reducing such use and periodically report to the center the number and types of animals it uses. The NIH must also provide incentives for the use of nonanimal research and generally ensure that nonanimal alternatives are considered when reviewing research proposals. Further, applications for NIH research grants must include an assurance that nonanimal methods for carrying out the research are unavailable.
Legislative Subjects
Details
- Congress
- 119th
- Chamber
- House
- Status
- summarized
- Action
- Introduced in House
- Action Date
- 2025-02-13
- Date Added
- 2026-10-07
- Source
- Congress.gov →
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