Tenure: 119th Congress
Years of Service: 2025–Present
Rep. Dave Min is still building his congressional record, but his early actions suggest a meaningful interest in animal protection issues, particularly wildlife conservation and farm-animal welfare. While he has not yet assembled the extensive portfolio of animal-protection legislation associated with some of Congress’s most active advocates, he has taken several notable steps during his first term and has maintained a consistently favorable voting record on major animal welfare issues.
One of the most significant aspects of Min’s record is his support for wildlife conservation. He is a cosponsor of the LEAD Act, legislation designed to reduce wildlife exposure to toxic lead from ammunition and fishing tackle. Lead poisoning remains a serious threat to species such as California condors, bald eagles, loons, swans, and other wildlife, making the issue one of the most important conservation challenges facing vulnerable bird populations. By cosponsoring the LEAD Act early in his congressional tenure, Min aligned himself with a major wildlife-protection priority.
Min has also demonstrated support for horse protection through his cosponsorship of the SAFE Act (Safeguard American Food Exports Act), legislation that would permanently prohibit the slaughter of American horses for human consumption and ban the export of horses for slaughter abroad.
On farm-animal welfare, Min signed the Democratic congressional letter opposing the Save Our Bacon Act, legislation that sought to undermine state animal welfare laws such as California’s Proposition 12. By opposing the proposal, Min supported states’ authority to establish humane treatment standards and defended voter-approved animal welfare protections.
His voting record on major animal protection issues has likewise been consistently favorable. Min voted against H.R. 845, preserving federal Endangered Species Act protections for gray wolves. He voted against H.R. 556, preserving federal authority to regulate lead ammunition and lead fishing tackle on federal lands and waters. He voted against the Moore Amendment, opposing efforts to weaken federal restrictions on commercial greyhound racing. He also voted against the Greene Amendment, supporting continued federal engagement with cultivated meat and alternative food technologies. Finally, he voted against the Farm, Food, and National Security Act, including provisions that would have preempted state farm-animal welfare laws such as California’s Proposition 12 and Massachusetts’ Question 3.
What stands out about Min’s record is the quality of his engagement rather than the breadth of his portfolio. Unlike some freshman lawmakers who have little visible involvement in animal issues, Min has already aligned himself with significant wildlife-conservation, horse-protection, and farm-animal welfare priorities. At the same time, his legislative record remains relatively narrow compared with some of Congress’s most active animal-protection advocates.
Taken as a whole, Min’s record places him in the Strong Leader category. While he has not yet become a leading sponsor of a broad range of animal-protection legislation, his support for the LEAD Act and SAFE Act, opposition to Save Our Bacon, and consistently favorable voting record indicate that he is an important and promising ally on animal welfare issues.
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 Lead Endangers Animals Daily (LEAD) Act, H.R. 6268, requires the Secretary of the Interior, through the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Director, to issue final regulations within one year to ban the use of lead ammunition on National Wildlife Refuge lands and waters to protect and conserve wildlife.
✅ 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 Canyon’s Law, H.R. 4180, bipartisan legislation to ban the use of M–44 “cyanide bombs” on federal public lands. The bill would protect pets, wildlife, and people from these indiscriminate sodium cyanide devices and require their removal from lands managed by federal agencies.
✅ 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.
✅ 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.