Tenure: 116th–119th Congresses
Years of Service: 2019–Present
First elected to the U.S. House in 2018, Rep. Chris Pappas has compiled a strong and remarkably consistent record on animal protection during his four terms representing New Hampshire’s 1st Congressional District, in what has traditionally been a swing district. Across a very wide array of animal protection and wellness topics in Congress, Pappas has been an extremely strong and reliable ally of the animal wellness community.
Based on his record, Animal Wellness Action endorsed Rep. Pappas in 2026 for the Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate in New Hampshire. Pappas has been especially consistent in supporting federal efforts to combat organized animal fighting. In the 119th Congress, he is a cosponsor of the Fighting Inhumane Gambling and High-Risk Trafficking (FIGHT) Act, H.R. 3946, to strengthen federal enforcement against dogfighting and cockfighting and associated criminal activity. He backed the FIGHT Act in the 118th Congress as well. In 2026, he expanded that work by cosponsoring the No Flight, No Fight Act, H.R. 7371, to stop the smuggling of fighting birds on commercial airlines—an illicit trade that has persisted despite Congress prohibiting interstate and foreign transport of fighting animals more than two decades ago.
In the 116th Congress, Pappas cosponsored the Preventing Animal Cruelty and Torture (PACT) Act, H.R. 724, landmark legislation establishing a federal felony for certain acts of extreme animal cruelty. The legislation was signed into law as Public Law 116-72 in November 2019. That same year, Pappas voted for an amendment to the Fiscal Year 2020 Commerce, Justice, Science appropriations bill allocating $2 million to establish an Animal Cruelty section within the Department of Justice. This new section would have a team of dedicated federal prosecutors working to step up federal enforcement of animal protection laws. That provision was, unfortunately, not retained in the final spending bill, but his work in this space signaled his commitment to enhanced enforcement of our anti-cruelty laws.
Over his four terms in Congress, Pappas has assembled an equally strong record on horses. In the 119th Congress, he is a cosponsor of the Save America’s Forgotten Equines (SAFE) Act, H.R. 1661, to ban U.S.-based horse slaughter and the export of American horses to foreign slaughter plants, continuing his support for the SAFE Act from the 117th and 118th Congresses. In the 119th Congress, as a member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, he voted for the bipartisan Van Drew–Titus amendment to the Build America 250 Act, H.R. 8870. The amendment, adopted 34–30, would permanently prohibit the export of American horses to Canada, Mexico, and other countries for slaughter for human consumption and ban the use of dangerous double-decker trailers to transport horses.
He is a cosponsor of the Prevent All Soring Tactics (PAST) Act, H.R. 1684, to crack down on the intentional soring of Tennessee Walking Horses and other breeds, another policy he has backed over multiple Congresses. In 2020, that policy reform, with Pappas’s support, cleared the House by an overwhelming margin.
During the 116th Congress, Pappas cosponsored the Horseracing Integrity and Safety (HISA) Act, H.R. 1754, to establish uniform national standards for anti-doping, medication control, and racetrack safety in American horse racing. The core HISA reforms were ultimately enacted into federal law in 2020.
Pappas has also been a dependable advocate for dogs and for stronger enforcement of the federal Animal Welfare Act. In the 119th Congress, he cosponsored the Puppy Protection Act, H.R. 2253, to establish stronger standards of care for dogs kept by commercial breeders, and Goldie’s Act, H.R. 349, to strengthen federal inspections and enforcement when animals are suffering at facilities regulated under the Animal Welfare Act. He is a cosponsor of the Better CARE for Animals Act, H.R. 3112, to improve federal enforcement and coordination between the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Department of Justice. His support for the Puppy Protection Act, Goldie’s Act, and Better CARE for Animals Act stretches across multiple Congresses, demonstrating sustained—rather than episodic—engagement on these issues.
His concern for companion animals has extended to the known connection between animal abuse and domestic violence. In 2020, Pappas joined a bipartisan congressional effort seeking an additional $4 million for the Department of Justice’s Emergency and Transitional Pet Shelter and Housing Assistance grant program. Created by the Pet and Women Safety (PAWS) Act, the program helps domestic violence survivors obtain emergency and transitional shelter for their companion animals, addressing a significant obstacle facing victims who may otherwise delay leaving an abusive situation because they fear for the safety of their pets.
Pappas has been equally consistent in defending the rights of states to establish farm animal welfare standards. In the 118th Congress, he joined a bipartisan congressional letter opposing the Ending Agricultural Trade Suppression (EATS) Act, H.R. 4417, warning that the legislation could nullify state agriculture and animal welfare laws. In the 119th Congress, he signed congressional letters opposing renewed versions of that policy, including the Save Our Bacon (SOB) Act. These proposals threaten state laws establishing animal welfare standards and would undermine the traditional authority of states to regulate agricultural products sold within their borders.
He carried that position onto the House floor in 2026, voting against final passage of the Farm, Food, and National Security Act, H.R. 7567, which contained language aimed at overriding state laws in California and Massachusetts establishing minimum housing requirements for pregnant pigs whose pork is sold in those states. His opposition placed him on the side of preserving the authority of states to maintain their own animal welfare standards.
Wildlife protection has been another consistent feature of Pappas’s record. In the 118th Congress, he voted against H.R. 764, legislation to remove federal Endangered Species Act protections for gray wolves across much of the United States. He took the same position in the 119th Congress, voting against the Pet and Livestock Protection Act, H.R. 845, another attempt to legislatively delist gray wolves and restrict judicial review of future wolf-management decisions.
His votes to protect wildlife from toxic lead have been equally consistent. Pappas opposed H.R. 615 in the 118th Congress and H.R. 556 in the 119th Congress, measures designed to restrict federal land-management agencies from regulating toxic lead ammunition and fishing tackle on public lands and waters. Spent lead ammunition and fishing tackle can poison eagles, loons, condors, and other wildlife that ingest lead fragments or lost fishing gear.
In 2019, Pappas voted for the Buchanan amendment to the FY2020 Interior appropriations legislation to prohibit the Department of the Interior from issuing import permits for trophies of threatened elephants and lions from Tanzania, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. In the 119th Congress, he voted against an amendment to H.R. 3838 that would have broadly exempted defense-related activities from Endangered Species Act requirements, weakening protections for endangered and threatened species and their critical habitat on military lands and during defense operations.
Pappas has supported major reforms involving captive and commercially exploited wildlife. During his first term, he cosponsored the Big Cat Public Safety Act, H.R. 1380, and voted for House passage of the legislation in 2020. He again voted for the Big Cat Public Safety Act in the 117th Congress, helping advance the landmark measure that ultimately became federal law and curtailed the private possession and commercial exploitation of lions, tigers, and other big cats. In the 117th Congress, he cosponsored the Captive Primate Safety Act, H.R. 3135, to address the private trade and possession of nonhuman primates.
His work to protect wildlife from commercial exploitation includes a sustained effort to combat the shark-fin trade. During his freshman term, Pappas cosponsored the Shark Fin Sales Elimination Act, H.R. 737, and voted for the legislation when the House passed it 310–107 in November 2019. He renewed his support in the 117th Congress as a cosponsor of the Shark Fin Sales Elimination Act, H.R. 2811, to prohibit the commercial trade in shark fins. The prohibition was ultimately enacted into federal law in 2022, striking at the U.S. market that helped fuel shark finning around the world.
On greyhound racing, Pappas voted in 2026 to defeat the Riley Moore amendment to the Farm Bill, which sought to weaken the Greyhound Protection Act provisions by creating a special exemption allowing commercial greyhound racing to continue indefinitely in West Virginia. The House rejected the amendment, preserving the broader greyhound provisions in the legislation.
Pappas has been a strong supporter of efforts to replace outdated animal testing with modern, human-relevant technologies. In the 117th Congress, he cosponsored the FDA Modernization Act, H.R. 2565, which helped lay the groundwork for the landmark reforms enacted in 2022 allowing the FDA to accept scientifically valid non-animal methods in drug development. In the 119th Congress, he supported House passage of the FDA Modernization Act 3.0, H.R. 2821, which directs the FDA to update its regulations to fully implement those reforms.
In addition, in the 118th Congress, Pappas introduced bipartisan animal testing reform legislation. His measure, the Humane and Existing Alternatives in Research and Testing Sciences Act, H.R. 1024, required the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to prioritize non-animal research methods, where applicable and feasible, and established a National Center for Alternatives to Animals in Research and Testing. In short, it was clearly designed to reduce the historic reliance on animals in federally supported biomedical research and testing by requiring greater use of non-animal alternatives.
His concern for animals used in research extends beyond testing reform. Pappas cosponsored the AFTER Act, H.R. 5244, in the 117th Congress and Violet’s Law in both the 118th and 119th Congresses, supporting a policy to give dogs, cats, rabbits, guinea pigs, hamsters, and nonhuman primates used in federally funded research an opportunity for adoption or sanctuary placement rather than being routinely killed when research ends. Violet’s Law was incorporated into the House-passed Farm, Food, and National Security Act in 2026.
Taken together, Pappas’s record places him among the strongest and most consistent animal protection advocates in the House. From his freshman-term support for the PACT Act, the Big Cat Public Safety Act, HISA, and legislation to end the shark-fin trade to his current work on the FIGHT Act, No Flight, No Fight Act, SAFE Act, PAST Act, Puppy Protection Act, Goldie’s Act, and Better CARE for Animals Act, he has maintained a broad and consistent commitment to animal protection. Just as importantly, he has repeatedly translated those positions into consequential floor and committee votes—combating animal fighting and horse slaughter, defending wildlife, protecting dogs, supporting survivors and their pets, defending states’ rights to establish animal welfare standards, strengthening federal anti-cruelty enforcement, and advancing modern alternatives to animal testing.
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Notable Actions
119th Congress
✅ Cosponsor of the Save America’s Forgotten Equines (SAFE) Act, H.R. 1661, to ban U.S.-based horse slaughter and the export of horses for slaughter for human consumption.
✅ Cosponsor of the Fighting Inhumane Gambling and High-Risk Trafficking (FIGHT) Act, H.R. 3946, to strengthen federal enforcement against animal fighting and related criminal activity.
✅ Cosponsor of the No Flight, No Fight Act, H.R. 7371, to stop the smuggling of fighting birds via commercial airlines—an illicit practice that has gone largely unenforced since Congress prohibited the interstate and foreign transport of fighting birds in 2002.
✅ Cosponsor of Violet’s Law, H.R. 3246, to provide a second chance for dogs, cats, rabbits, guinea pigs, hamsters, and nonhuman primates used in federally funded research by requiring facilities to pursue adoption or sanctuary placement whenever feasible. The measure was later incorporated into the House-passed Farm, Food, and National Security Act.
✅ Cosponsor of the Prevent All Soring Tactics (PAST) Act, H.R. 1684, to strengthen enforcement against the cruel practice of soring horses. The bill would ban devices associated with soring, require independent USDA-trained inspectors, increase penalties for violations, and strengthen the Horse Protection Act to better protect Tennessee Walking Horses and other affected breeds from intentional abuse.
✅ Cosponsor of the Puppy Protection Act, H.R. 2253, bipartisan legislation to strengthen federal standards of care for dogs kept by commercial breeders by improving requirements for housing, veterinary care, exercise, socialization, and humane breeding practices.
✅ Cosponsor of the Better CARE for Animals Act, H.R. 3112, to strengthen enforcement of the Animal Welfare Act by expanding federal authority to investigate and prosecute animal cruelty violations and improve coordination between the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Department of Justice.
✅ Cosponsor of Goldie’s Act, H.R. 349, bipartisan legislation to strengthen enforcement of the Animal Welfare Act by requiring more frequent inspections, faster reporting of violations, and improved protections for animals suffering abuse or neglect.
✅ Signed congressional letter opposing the SOB Act that would erode states’ rights, undermine family farmers, and expand foreign influence over U.S. food production.
✅ Signed a congressional letter opposing the EATS/SOB Act that would erode states’ rights, undermine family farmers, and expand foreign influence over U.S. food production.
✅ Voted “Aye” on the Van Drew–Titus Amendment (Recorded Vote No. 98-pg. 46) to H.R. 8870 (Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Vote), to incorporate key provisions of the Save America’s Forgotten Equines (SAFE) Act into the Build America 250 Act. The bipartisan amendment would permanently prohibit the export of American horses to Canada, Mexico, or other countries for slaughter for human consumption and ban the use of dangerous double-decker trailers to transport horses. The amendment was adopted by a 34–30 vote. An “Aye” vote is the pro-animal position because it advanced legislation to end the slaughter pipeline for American horses.
✅ Supported House passage of the FDA Modernization Act 3.0, H.R. 2821, which passed by voice vote under suspension of the rules on July 20, 2026. The bipartisan legislation directs the FDA to update its regulations to fully implement the 2022 law allowing scientifically valid non-animal methods to be used instead of animal testing in drug development.
✅ Voted “Nay” 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 vote.
✅ Voted “Nay” 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.
✅ Voted “Nay” on the Riley Moore Amendment to H.R. 7567 (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 187–237. A “Nay” vote is the pro-animal position.
✅ Voted “Nay” on H.R. 7567, the Farm, Food, and National Security Act (House Roll Call Vote 154), 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.
✅ Voted “Nay” 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 200–228. A “Nay” vote is the pro-animal position.
✅ Voted “Nay” 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
✅ Cosponsor of the Fighting Inhumane Gambling and High-Risk Trafficking (FIGHT) Act, H.R. 2742, to strengthen federal enforcement against animal fighting and related criminal activity.
✅ Cosponsor of the Save America’s Forgotten Equines (SAFE) Act, H.R. 3475, to ban U.S.-based horse slaughter and the export of horses for slaughter for human consumption.
✅ Cosponsor of MINKS Are Superspreaders Act, H.R. 7670, to end mink farming in the U.S.
✅ Cosponsor of Violet’s Law, H.R. 1465, to provide a second chance for dogs, cats, rabbits, guinea pigs, hamsters, and nonhuman primates used in federally funded research by requiring facilities to pursue adoption or sanctuary placement whenever feasible.
✅ Cosponsor of Goldie’s Act, H.R. 1788, bipartisan legislation to strengthen enforcement of the Animal Welfare Act by requiring more frequent inspections, faster reporting of violations, and improved protections for animals suffering abuse or neglect.
✅ Cosponsor of the Puppy Protection Act, H.R. 1624, bipartisan legislation to strengthen federal standards of care for dogs kept by commercial breeders by improving requirements for housing, veterinary care, exercise, socialization, and humane breeding practices.
✅ Cosponsor of the Prevent All Soring Tactics (PAST) Act, H.R. 3090, bipartisan legislation to strengthen enforcement against the cruel practice of soring horses. The bill would ban devices associated with soring, require independent USDA-trained inspectors, increase penalties for violations, and strengthen the Horse Protection Act to better protect Tennessee Walking Horses and other affected breeds from intentional abuse.
✅ Cosponsor of the Better CARE for Animals Act, H.R. 5041, to strengthen enforcement of the Animal Welfare Act by expanding federal authority to investigate and prosecute animal cruelty violations and improve coordination between the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Department of Justice.
✅ Signed a bipartisan letter opposing the Ending Agricultural Trade Suppression (EATS) Act, H.R. 4417. The lawmakers warned that the bill would nullify state agriculture and animal-welfare laws, including California’s Prop 12 and Massachusetts’ Question 3, and could broadly undermine more than 1,000 state laws while targeting modest consumer demand for more humanely raised pork.
✅ Voted “Nay” 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 “Nay” 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
✅ Cosponsor of the Save America’s Forgotten Equines (SAFE) Act, H.R. 3355, to ban U.S.-based horse slaughter and the export of horses for slaughter for human consumption.
✅ Cosponsor of the FDA Modernization Act, H.R. 2565, bipartisan legislation to end the outdated federal presumption that new drugs must rely on animal testing before human clinical trials. The measure authorized the FDA to accept scientifically valid non-animal testing methods—including organ-on-a-chip technology, cell-based assays, and computer modeling—when appropriate. Core provisions of this legislation were later enacted as part of the FDA Modernization Act 2.0, signed into law in December 2022, marking a landmark reform that advanced more human-relevant research methods while reducing unnecessary animal testing.
✅ Cosponsor of the Prevent All Soring Tactics (PAST) Act, H.R. 5441, to strengthen enforcement of the Horse Protection Act and help 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.”
✅ Cosponsor of the Bear Protection Act, H.R. 2325, to prohibit the import, export, and interstate commercial trade in bear gallbladders, bile, and other bear viscera, helping reduce the global market that fuels poaching and the cruel exploitation of bears for traditional medicine.
✅ Cosponsor of the Shark Fin Sales Elimination Act, H.R. 2811, to end the U.S. commercial trade in shark fins by prohibiting their sale, purchase, and transport, helping reduce the global demand that drives the cruel practice of shark finning. Core provisions of the bill were later incorporated into the James M. Inhofe National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023, which was signed into law in December 2022, making the United States one of the world’s largest nations to ban the domestic shark fin trade.
✅ Cosponsor of the Animal Freedom from Testing, Experiments, and Research (AFTER) Act, H.R. 5244, to provide a second chance for dogs, cats, rabbits, guinea pigs, hamsters, and nonhuman primates used in federally funded research by requiring facilities to pursue adoption or sanctuary placement whenever feasible.
✅ Cosponsor of the Puppy Protection Act, H.R. 2840, bipartisan legislation to strengthen federal standards of care for dogs kept by commercial breeders by improving requirements for housing, veterinary care, exercise, socialization, and humane breeding practices.
✅ Cosponsor of the Captive Primate Safety Act, H.R. 3135, to prohibit the private ownership, breeding, sale, transport, and other commercial activities involving nonhuman primates by amending the Lacey Act, while exempting accredited zoos, sanctuaries, research facilities, and certain other qualified entities. The legislation is designed to protect both public safety and the welfare of highly intelligent primates by ending the commercial pet trade in these animals.
✅ Voted “Aye” on the motion to suspend the rules and pass the Prevent All Soring Tactics (PAST) Act, H.R. 5441 (House Roll Call Vote 478). The bill would strengthen enforcement of the Horse Protection Act and help 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 motion was agreed to by a vote of 304–111, exceeding the two-thirds majority required under the suspension of the rules procedure. An “Aye” vote is the pro-animal position.
✅ Voted “Aye” Big Cat Public Safety Act, H.R. 263 (House Roll Call Vote 415), to end the private possession and commercial breeding of lions, tigers, leopards, cheetahs, jaguars, cougars, and other big cats while prohibiting public contact with these animals. The legislation targeted the exploitative cub-petting industry and roadside zoos, where big cats are repeatedly bred, handled, and discarded, while strengthening protections for both animals and public safety. An “Aye” vote is the pro-animal position.
116th Congress
✅ Cosponsor of the Horseracing Integrity and Safety (HISA) Act, H.R. 1754, to improve the integrity and safety of horse racing in the United States by creating uniform national standards for anti-doping, medication control, and racetrack safety.
✅ Cosponsor of the Big Cat Public Safety Act, H.R. 1380, 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.
✅ Voted “Aye” on the H.R. 1380 – Big Cat Public Safety Act (House Roll Call Vote 232), 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.
✅ Voted “Aye” on the Stevens Amendment (House Roll Call Vote 373) to the FY2020 Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, allocating $2 million to create an Animal Cruelty section within the Department of Justice. An “Aye” vote is the pro-animal position because it supports stronger federal enforcement of existing animal protection laws.
✅ Voted “Aye” on the Buchanan Amendment (House Roll Call Vote 380) to the FY2020 Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, prohibiting the Department of the Interior from issuing import permits for trophies of threatened elephant and lions from Tanzania, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. An “Aye” vote is the pro-animal position because it supports stronger protections for threatened wildlife by restricting the import of hunting trophies.