WATCH Act

House Bill

H.R. 7165

119th Congress

WATCH Act

In Committee

Introduced:Jan 20, 2026

Primary Sponsor

Sponsor information unavailable

Cosponsors

0

Quick Stats

Summary

This bill would require inspections of foreign laboratories that conduct biomedical and behavioral research to make sure they follow animal welfare rules. It changes existing law to add oversight of how animals are treated in research facilities located outside the United States.

Latest Action

Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.

Introduced1/20/2026

StatusReferred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.

ChamberHouse

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Vote Prediction

WATCH Act

This bill would require inspections of foreign laboratories that conduct biomedical and behavioral research to make sure they follow animal welfare rules. It changes existing law to add oversight of how animals are treated in research facilities located outsid

Community Breakdown

Pass

0%

Fail

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0 predictions

This bill would require inspections of foreign laboratories that conduct biomedical and behavioral research to make sure they follow animal welfare rules. It changes existing law to add oversight of how animals are treated in research facilities located outside the United States.

Bill Number: 7165
Introduced: 1/20/2026
Status: Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.

Data from Congress.gov

AI-generated summary

Fact Sheet

Title: WATCH Act
Bill Number: 7165
Sponsor: No sponsor
Status: Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
Introduced: 1/20/2026
Summary: This bill would require inspections of foreign laboratories that conduct biomedical and behavioral research to make sure they follow animal welfare rules. It changes existing law to add oversight of how animals are treated in research facilities located outside the United States.

Data from Congress.gov

AI Summary

Plain-English explanation of this bill

This bill would require inspections of foreign laboratories that conduct biomedical and behavioral research to make sure they follow animal welfare rules. It changes existing law to add oversight of how animals are treated in research facilities located outside the United States.

Last updated: 2/25/2026

Key Points

Main provisions of the bill

The bill would mandate inspections of foreign laboratories that perform biomedical and behavioral research involving animals.
These inspections would check whether foreign labs comply with animal welfare requirements that apply to research.
The bill amends section 495 of the Public Health Service Act, which governs research standards.
The legislation aims to extend animal welfare oversight to research facilities operating outside U.S. borders.

How This Impacts Americans

Potential effects on citizens and communities

This bill would affect foreign research laboratories that receive U.S. funding or collaborate with U.S. institutions on biomedical and behavioral studies using animals. It would also impact federal agencies responsible for conducting these inspections and enforcing animal welfare standards. Research institutions and scientists working internationally would need to demonstrate compliance with U.S. animal welfare requirements.

Policy Areas

No policy areas assigned yet.

Scope & Jurisdiction

Jurisdiction Level

federal

Congressional Session

119th Congress

Citation Reference

7165, 119th Congress (2026). "WATCH Act". Source: Voter's Right Platform. https://votersright.org/bills/119-hr-7165

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