The Southern Tier's representative in Congress is sponsoring a bipartisan bill he says would modernize federally funded biomedical research and end inhumane testing practices on dogs and cats. During a press conference in Washington on Wednesday, Republican Nick Langworthy joined Wisconsin Democrat Mark Pocan in announcing the introduction of the Companion Animal Protection Against Cruel Testing (COMPACT) Act. The bill would prohibit the use of federal public-health research funds for biomedical research involving live dogs and cats while protecting animals currently in research facilities and preserving flexibility for genuine national emergencies. The COMPACT Act, developed with input from the medical and bioscience community, comes as advances in biomedical science have created alternatives to traditional animal testing, including in vitro systems, computational modeling and other non-animal technologies.
Langworthy says, "The horrific abuse and barbaric treatment of beagles uncovered inside research facilities...has outraged Americans from every corner of the country and political spectrum. Dogs and cats are companion animals and part of the family for millions of Americans; they should never have to endure inhumane suffering, particularly at expense to taxpayers and when science has evolved to develop more effective research methods. This is the most comprehensive legislation to date that moves our federal research system forward to better outcomes, while protecting innocent animals. I'm proud to work with my colleague, Congressman Pocan, on this thoughtful, bipartisan legislation."
Photo by Congressman Nick Langworthy's Office
