WATCH Act
Sponsored By: Senator Schmitt, Eric [R-MO]
Introduced
Summary
Mandatory quarterly inspections and certifications for foreign labs that receive NIH funds would tie grant eligibility to verified compliance with U.S. animal‑welfare rules for biomedical and behavioral research. The law would require visible proof that foreign facilities meet standards before they can keep federally funded animal research.
Show full summary
- Foreign laboratories would face quarterly inspections that assess animal care committees, reviews of animal treatment, and recordkeeping. Inspecting authorities would issue certificates of compliance after each inspection.
- The National Institutes of Health and its Office of Laboratory Animal Welfare would maintain and publish certificates alongside Animal Welfare Assurances. Labs that fail inspections would get a chance to fix problems and could have grants suspended or revoked if they do not.
- The Secretary would coordinate with foreign regulators and may enter agreements with foreign governments to carry out inspections while respecting foreign laws. The inspection and certification process would begin 180 days after enactment.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
1 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
Quarterly inspections for foreign labs
If enacted, the bill would require foreign laboratories that get NIH funds or hold an Animal Welfare Assurance to be inspected every three months. Inspections would check animal care committees, review of animal treatment, and record-keeping. A designated authority would issue a certificate after each inspection when a lab meets the rules. Certificates would be posted by the Office of Laboratory Animal Welfare and be publicly available. Labs would get a reasonable chance to fix problems. If a lab fails to fix serious problems, NIH could suspend or revoke the related grant, contract, or cooperative agreement. The rule would take effect 180 days after enactment.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Schmitt, Eric [R-MO]
MO • R
Cosponsors
Sen. Merkley, Jeff [D-OR]
OR • D
Sponsored 3/25/2025
Sen. Ricketts, Pete [R-NE]
NE • R
Sponsored 3/25/2025
Sen. Fetterman, John [D-PA]
PA • D
Sponsored 3/25/2025
Sen. Scott, Rick [R-FL]
FL • R
Sponsored 3/25/2025
Gary Peters
MI • D
Sponsored 3/25/2025
Sen. Ernst, Joni [R-IA]
IA • R
Sponsored 3/25/2025
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
View on Congress.gov