HR3946119th Congress

FIGHT Act of 2025

Sponsored By: Representative Bacon

Introduced

Summary

The FIGHT Act of 2025 would amend the Animal Welfare Act to ban gambling on animal fighting and broaden enforcement tools against those who sponsor, exhibit, transport, or profit from animal fights. It also sets a legal definition of "rooster" and blocks minors from attending these events.

Show full summary
  • Families and children: Stops anyone from causing a person under 16 to attend an animal fighting venture and makes attendance by minors unlawful.
  • Rooster owners and shippers: Defines a rooster as any male Gallus domesticus older than 6 months and bars transport of roosters through the mail or other interstate instruments.
  • Law enforcement and private enforcers: Prohibits sponsorship, exhibition, and gambling (including broadcasts) on animal fighting ventures and creates a civil citizen-suit path with fines up to $5,000 per violation and a required 60-day notice. Courts can order seizures of property used to facilitate violations and may award costs and fees when appropriate.

Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

4 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 0 costs, 2 mixed.

New bans on fights, betting, minors

If enacted, it would be illegal to sponsor or show an animal in a fight. It would also be illegal to attend a fight, or to cause anyone under 16 to attend. Betting on animal fights would be banned, including bets placed by broadcast. If investigators find a violation, real property used to commit or help the offense could be seized.

Stronger enforcement and citizen lawsuits

If enacted, the Secretary and authorized people could investigate violations, with help from other federal agencies. Courts could issue search warrants, and the government could seek forfeiture and recover costs in civil or forfeiture cases. Any person could sue in federal court to stop violations after giving at least 60 days’ notice to the Secretary and local law enforcement. In those suits, courts could fine up to $5,000 per violation and may award attorney and expert fees when appropriate. You could not bring a suit if the Secretary has started a civil case or the United States is already pursuing a criminal case for the same conduct.

State and local rules preserved

The bill would keep state and local animal-fighting laws in place unless they directly conflict with this federal act. Local rules would remain valid unless they cannot be reconciled with the federal standard.

No mailing or transport of roosters

The bill would add animal-fighting matter to the Postal Service’s nonmailable list. It would also ban using the mail or other interstate carriers to move a “rooster,” defined as a male chicken over 6 months old. These changes would mainly affect people who breed, sell, or ship roosters.

Sponsors & CoSponsors

Sponsor

Bacon

NE • R

Cosponsors

  • Chu

    CA • D

    Sponsored 7/2/2025

  • Lieu

    CA • D

    Sponsored 7/2/2025

  • Pingree

    ME • D

    Sponsored 7/2/2025

  • Smith (NJ)

    NJ • R

    Sponsored 7/2/2025

  • Harder (CA)

    CA • D

    Sponsored 7/2/2025

  • DeGette

    CO • D

    Sponsored 7/2/2025

  • Soto

    FL • D

    Sponsored 7/2/2025

  • Vasquez

    NM • D

    Sponsored 7/2/2025

  • Bishop

    GA • D

    Sponsored 7/2/2025

  • Budzinski

    IL • D

    Sponsored 7/2/2025

  • Franklin, Scott

    FL • R

    Sponsored 7/2/2025

  • Bonamici

    OR • D

    Sponsored 7/17/2025

  • Friedman

    CA • D

    Sponsored 7/22/2025

  • Peters

    CA • D

    Sponsored 7/22/2025

  • Scott, David

    GA • D

    Sponsored 7/22/2025

  • Goodlander

    NH • D

    Sponsored 7/22/2025

  • Kiggans (VA)

    VA • R

    Sponsored 7/22/2025

  • Johnson (GA)

    GA • D

    Sponsored 7/22/2025

  • Moran

    TX • R

    Sponsored 7/22/2025

  • Vindman

    VA • D

    Sponsored 7/22/2025

  • Raskin

    MD • D

    Sponsored 7/22/2025

  • Meuser

    PA • R

    Sponsored 7/29/2025

  • Joyce (OH)

    OH • R

    Sponsored 7/29/2025

  • Carbajal

    CA • D

    Sponsored 9/2/2025

  • LaLota

    NY • R

    Sponsored 9/2/2025

  • Mullin

    CA • D

    Sponsored 9/2/2025

  • Valadao

    CA • R

    Sponsored 9/2/2025

  • Grothman

    WI • R

    Sponsored 6/12/2025

  • Zinke

    MT • R

    Sponsored 6/12/2025

  • Garbarino

    NY • R

    Sponsored 6/12/2025

  • Bergman

    MI • R

    Sponsored 6/12/2025

  • Fitzpatrick

    PA • R

    Sponsored 6/12/2025

  • Ciscomani

    AZ • R

    Sponsored 6/12/2025

  • Bentz

    OR • R

    Sponsored 6/12/2025

  • Van Drew

    NJ • R

    Sponsored 6/12/2025

  • Malliotakis

    NY • R

    Sponsored 6/12/2025

  • Webster (FL)

    FL • R

    Sponsored 6/12/2025

  • Amodei (NV)

    NV • R

    Sponsored 6/12/2025

  • Fitzgerald

    WI • R

    Sponsored 6/12/2025

  • Carey

    OH • R

    Sponsored 6/12/2025

  • Burchett

    TN • R

    Sponsored 6/12/2025

  • Wittman

    VA • R

    Sponsored 6/12/2025

  • Haridopolos

    FL • R

    Sponsored 6/12/2025

  • Bean (FL)

    FL • R

    Sponsored 6/12/2025

  • Buchanan

    FL • R

    Sponsored 6/12/2025

  • Salinas

    OR • D

    Sponsored 6/12/2025

  • Titus

    NV • D

    Sponsored 6/12/2025

  • Quigley

    IL • D

    Sponsored 6/12/2025

  • Doggett

    TX • D

    Sponsored 6/12/2025

  • Davis (NC)

    NC • D

    Sponsored 6/12/2025

  • Gottheimer

    NJ • D

    Sponsored 6/12/2025

  • Carter (LA)

    LA • D

    Sponsored 6/12/2025

  • Lee (PA)

    PA • D

    Sponsored 6/12/2025

  • Perez

    WA • D

    Sponsored 6/12/2025

  • McGarvey

    KY • D

    Sponsored 6/12/2025

  • Pettersen

    CO • D

    Sponsored 6/12/2025

  • Casten

    IL • D

    Sponsored 6/12/2025

  • Goldman (NY)

    NY • D

    Sponsored 6/12/2025

  • Hoyle (OR)

    OR • D

    Sponsored 6/12/2025

  • Harshbarger

    TN • R

    Sponsored 6/12/2025

  • Barragan

    CA • D

    Sponsored 6/12/2025

  • Cherfilus-McCormick

    FL • D

    Sponsored 6/12/2025

  • Krishnamoorthi

    IL • D

    Sponsored 6/12/2025

  • Scanlon

    PA • D

    Sponsored 6/12/2025

  • Thanedar

    MI • D

    Sponsored 6/12/2025

  • Sorensen

    IL • D

    Sponsored 6/12/2025

  • Evans (PA)

    PA • D

    Sponsored 6/12/2025

  • Del. Norton, Eleanor Holmes [D-DC-At Large]

    DC • D

    Sponsored 6/12/2025

  • Mace

    SC • R

    Sponsored 6/12/2025

  • Gooden

    TX • R

    Sponsored 6/12/2025

  • Nehls

    TX • R

    Sponsored 6/12/2025

  • Tenney

    NY • R

    Sponsored 6/12/2025

  • Luna

    FL • R

    Sponsored 6/12/2025

  • Schakowsky

    IL • D

    Sponsored 6/12/2025

  • Van Orden

    WI • R

    Sponsored 7/2/2025

  • Calvert

    CA • R

    Sponsored 7/2/2025

  • Bilirakis

    FL • R

    Sponsored 9/3/2025

  • Crow

    CO • D

    Sponsored 9/3/2025

  • Lee (NV)

    NV • D

    Sponsored 9/10/2025

  • Fletcher

    TX • D

    Sponsored 9/10/2025

  • Stanton

    AZ • D

    Sponsored 9/10/2025

  • Houlahan

    PA • D

    Sponsored 9/10/2025

  • Watson Coleman

    NJ • D

    Sponsored 9/30/2025

  • Evans (CO)

    CO • R

    Sponsored 9/30/2025

  • McClain Delaney

    MD • D

    Sponsored 9/30/2025

  • Huffman

    CA • D

    Sponsored 9/30/2025

  • Kean

    NJ • R

    Sponsored 9/30/2025

  • Deluzio

    PA • D

    Sponsored 9/30/2025

  • Golden (ME)

    ME • D

    Sponsored 9/30/2025

  • Lynch

    MA • D

    Sponsored 9/30/2025

  • Conaway

    NJ • D

    Sponsored 9/30/2025

  • Morelle

    NY • D

    Sponsored 10/24/2025

  • McBride

    DE • D

    Sponsored 10/24/2025

  • Gillen

    NY • D

    Sponsored 10/24/2025

  • Langworthy

    NY • R

    Sponsored 10/24/2025

  • Davids (KS)

    KS • D

    Sponsored 10/24/2025

  • McIver

    NJ • D

    Sponsored 11/4/2025

  • Pocan

    WI • D

    Sponsored 11/4/2025

  • Gray

    CA • D

    Sponsored 11/4/2025

  • Stevens

    MI • D

    Sponsored 11/12/2025

  • Crawford

    AR • R

    Sponsored 11/12/2025

  • Cisneros

    CA • D

    Sponsored 11/12/2025

  • Gimenez

    FL • R

    Sponsored 11/17/2025

  • Salazar

    FL • R

    Sponsored 11/18/2025

  • Dean (PA)

    PA • D

    Sponsored 11/18/2025

  • Kennedy (UT)

    UT • R

    Sponsored 11/20/2025

  • Schweikert

    AZ • R

    Sponsored 11/25/2025

  • Kim

    CA • R

    Sponsored 11/25/2025

  • Hayes

    CT • D

    Sponsored 12/1/2025

  • Rivas

    CA • D

    Sponsored 12/9/2025

  • Mackenzie

    PA • R

    Sponsored 12/9/2025

  • Mast

    FL • R

    Sponsored 12/10/2025

  • Craig

    MN • D

    Sponsored 12/10/2025

  • Perry

    PA • R

    Sponsored 12/17/2025

  • Shreve

    IN • R

    Sponsored 12/17/2025

  • Landsman

    OH • D

    Sponsored 12/17/2025

  • Stefanik

    NY • R

    Sponsored 12/17/2025

  • Boyle (PA)

    PA • D

    Sponsored 12/17/2025

  • Lee (FL)

    FL • R

    Sponsored 12/17/2025

  • Bynum

    OR • D

    Sponsored 12/17/2025

  • Neguse

    CO • D

    Sponsored 12/18/2025

  • Pappas

    NH • D

    Sponsored 12/18/2025

  • Patronis

    FL • R

    Sponsored 12/19/2025

  • Rutherford

    FL • R

    Sponsored 12/19/2025

  • McDonald Rivet

    MI • D

    Sponsored 12/19/2025

  • Cline

    VA • R

    Sponsored 1/7/2026

  • Reschenthaler

    PA • R

    Sponsored 1/7/2026

  • Joyce (PA)

    PA • R

    Sponsored 1/20/2026

  • Fine

    FL • R

    Sponsored 1/22/2026

  • Cohen

    TN • D

    Sponsored 2/2/2026

  • Garcia (TX)

    TX • D

    Sponsored 2/2/2026

  • Simon

    CA • D

    Sponsored 2/2/2026

  • Wilson (SC)

    SC • R

    Sponsored 2/2/2026

  • Meng

    NY • D

    Sponsored 2/9/2026

  • Johnson (TX)

    TX • D

    Sponsored 2/9/2026

  • Wasserman Schultz

    FL • D

    Sponsored 2/20/2026

  • Miller (OH)

    OH • R

    Sponsored 2/20/2026

  • Dunn (FL)

    FL • R

    Sponsored 2/20/2026

  • Bresnahan

    PA • R

    Sponsored 2/20/2026

  • Nunn (IA)

    IA • R

    Sponsored 2/20/2026

  • Kiley (CA)

    CA • R

    Sponsored 2/20/2026

  • Yakym

    IN • R

    Sponsored 2/11/2026

Roll Call Votes

No roll call votes available for this bill.

View on Congress.gov

Related Bills

Back to Legislation

Take It Personal

Get Your Personalized Policy View

Create a free account to save research, track policy impacts, and unlock your personalized versions of these pages.

Already have an account? Sign in