Years of Service: 2017-Present
Tenure: 115th – 119th Congresses
Rep. Andy Biggs has emerged as one of the more notable conservative voices in Congress on issues affecting agriculture, federalism, and state authority. He’s not been consistent in applying those principles, however, to matters related to animal protection, sidestepping active engagement on measures to cut spending for government funded animal tests and predator control.
In March 2024, Biggs joined a group of ten conservative House Republicans who publicly urged House Agriculture Committee leadership to exclude the EATS Act from the Farm Bill. The lawmakers argued that the proposal would override state laws governing the production and sale of agricultural products, undermine states’ rights, and benefit large foreign-owned agricultural interests at the expense of American farmers. Biggs’ participation in the effort placed him among a relatively small group of conservative Republicans willing to break with agricultural industry interests and defend state-level animal welfare laws.
Biggs though was absent for the vote on the Farm, Food, and National Security Act, generally known as the “farm bill,” in April 2026. In addition to including major subsidies for big agriculture, and a new subsidy for the mink industry, it also included the EATS Act provision, now known as the SOB Act. Historically the farm bill has been widely recognized among conservatives as a welfare bill for big agriculture. General opposition to the farm bill from members of the Freedom Caucus has waned during the Trump era, with the President influencing conservative voting patterns and dragging them into supporting subsidies for the farm lobby. .
Biggs has not cosponsored any of the 70 or so animal welfare bills in the congress, apparently unmoved by the moral case alone for action. He did, however, vote “aye” on a critical animal welfare amendment on the 2018 farm bill: the Roskam amendment to apply all federal prohibitions against animal fighting to the U.S. territories. That measure was included in the final farm bill in 2018.That vote notwithstanding, his past favorable actions on animal welfare – which are few and far between – may be a product of an intersection with his more top-of-mind concerns about federal spending or states’ rights..
Subsequent to his favorable vote on anti-animal-fighting legislation, he voted against reform efforts to stop the trade in big cats as pets and separately against legislation to stop the barbaric practice of horse soring, where trainers injured the feet and lower forelimbs of Tennessee Walking horses to exaggerate their gait to win plaudits from judges in horse shows.
Overall, Biggs’ record reflects a lawmaker who is not deeply engaged in animal welfare policy but who may look favorably on animal protection outcomes if they ride along with fiscal conservativism and federalism concerns. His willingness to oppose the EATS Act when many agricultural interests were lobbying aggressively for its inclusion distinguishes him from many conservative colleagues. He has been an active leader in efforts to narrow protections afforded for threatened and endangered species under the Endangered Species Act, introducing an amendment to exempt Department of Defense-related activities from the requirements of the Endangered Species Act, eliminating protections for endangered and threatened species and their critical habitat on military lands and during defense operations.
Notable Actions and Cosponsorships
119th Congress
❌ Voted “Aye” on H.R. 556, the Protecting Access for Hunters and Anglers Act (House Roll Call Vote 93), to prohibit federal land management agencies from restricting the use of toxic lead ammunition and fishing tackle on public lands and waters to protect wildlife from poisoning. The bill passed the House 215–202. A “Nay” vote is the pro-animal position.
❌ Voted “Aye” on H.R. 845, the Pet and Livestock Protection Act (House Roll Call Vote 360), to remove federal Endangered Species Act protections for gray wolves across much of the United States and restricted judicial review of future wolf management decisions. The bill passed the House 211–204. A “Nay” vote is the pro-animal position.
➖ No vote recorded on H.R. 7567, the Farm, Food, and National Security Act (House Roll Call Vote 151), to pass the Farm Bill, which included a provision to overturn state laws in California and Massachusetts restricting in-state sales of fresh pork sourced from farms that do not provide minimum space requirements for the housing of pregnant pigs. The bill passed the House 224–200. A “Nay” vote is the pro-animal position.
➖ No vote recorded on the Riley Moore Amendment (House Roll Call Vote 149), to weaken the Farm Bill’s Greyhound Protection Act provisions by creating a special exemption allowing commercial greyhound racing to continue in West Virginia indefinitely. The House rejected the amendment 237–178. A “Nay” vote is the pro-animal position.
❌ Voted “Aye” on the Biggs Amendment to H.R. 3838(House Roll Call Vote 259), to exempt defense-related activities from the requirements of the Endangered Species Act, eliminating protections for endangered and threatened species and their critical habitat on military lands and during defense operations. The House rejected the amendment 228–200. A “Nay” vote is the pro-animal position.
❌ Voted “Aye” on the Greene Amendment to H.R. 3838 (House Roll Call Vote 254), to prohibit the Department of Defense from using FY2026 funds for the research, development, procurement, or promotion of cell-cultured meat, an emerging alternative to conventional slaughter-based meat production. The House rejected the amendment 194–236, with 1 voting present. A “Nay” vote is the pro-animal position.
118th Congress
❌ Voted “YAY” on H.R. 764 (House Roll Call Vote 169), legislation to remove federal protections for gray wolves under the Endangered Species Act across most of the United States and return management authority to the states. Wildlife advocates warned that the bill would undermine science-based wildlife management and threaten the long-term recovery of gray wolf populations. The House passed the bill 209–205. A “Nay” vote is the pro-animal position.
❌ Voted “YAY” on H.R. 615 (House Roll Call Vote 167), legislation to bar the Department of the Interior and the Department of Agriculture from prohibiting or regulating the use of toxic lead ammunition and fishing tackle on federal lands and waters made available for hunting or fishing. Lead ammunition and tackle poison wildlife, including eagles, loons, condors, and other animals that ingest spent lead fragments or lost fishing gear. The House passed the bill 214–201. A “Nay” vote is the pro-animal position.
117th Congress
❌ Voted “Nay” on the Prevent All Soring Tactics (PAST) Act (House Roll Call Vote 478), legislation to strengthen enforcement of the Horse Protection Act and finally end the cruel practice of “soring” Tennessee Walking Horses, Racking Horses, and Spotted Saddle Horses. Soring involves intentionally inflicting severe pain on horses’ legs and hooves through caustic chemicals, chains, pressure devices, or other abusive methods to force an exaggerated, high-stepping gait known as the “Big Lick.” The House passed the bill 333–96. An “Aye” vote is the pro-animal position.
116th Congress
❌ Voted “Nay”on the Big Cat Public Safety Act (House Roll Call Vote 478), legislation to prohibit private ownership and breeding of lions, tigers, and other big cats while restricting public contact with these dangerous wild animals. The bill was designed to curb the exploitation of big cats in roadside zoos and cub-petting operations, improve animal welfare, and enhance public safety by limiting private possession of these species. The House passed the bill 272–114. An “Aye” vote is the pro-animal position.
115th Congress
❌ Voted “Aye”on H.J.Res. 69, a Congressional Review Act (House Roll Call Vote 98) resolution to overturn an Obama administration rule protecting wildlife on National Wildlife Refuges in Alaska. The rule prohibited controversial predator-control practices, including killing bear cubs and wolf pups in their dens, baiting bears with food to shoot them at close range, and targeting predators solely to increase populations of game animals for hunters. The resolution passed Congress and was signed into law, eliminating these federal wildlife protections. An “Aye” vote is the anti-animal position because it removed safeguards against some of the cruelest predator hunting practices on federal refuge lands.
✅ Voted “Aye” on the Roskam–Blumenauer Amendment (House Roll Call Vote 202) to H.R. 2, the Agriculture and Nutrition Act of 2018, to strengthen the federal animal fighting law by clarifying that its prohibitions apply throughout all U.S. territories. The amendment closed a legal loophole that had allowed organized dogfighting and cockfighting to continue in certain U.S. territories despite being illegal elsewhere in the United States. The House adopted the amendment by voice vote. An “Aye” vote is the pro-animal position because it strengthened federal protections against organized animal fighting.