Tenure: 117th–119th Congresses
Years of Service: 2021–Present
Rep. Nicole Malliotakis has emerged as one of the more engaged Republican lawmakers on animal-protection issues in the 119th Congress. While her earlier record reflected selective participation in bipartisan animal-welfare initiatives, her recent legislative activity demonstrates a more proactive and substantive commitment, particularly in the areas of animal testing reform, animal cruelty enforcement, and farm animal welfare.
Unlike many lawmakers who limit their involvement to cosponsorships or favorable votes, Malliotakis has increasingly taken a leadership role in advancing animal-protection legislation and appropriations measures. Most notably, she successfully secured House passage of two amendments to the Fiscal Year 2027 Agriculture-FDA Appropriations Act designed to reduce and ultimately eliminate painful animal testing. One amendment would prohibit federal funds from being used to require testing on dogs through the Food and Drug Administration, while another would restrict U.S. Department of Agriculture funding for painful research involving dogs and cats. These successful amendments place her among a small group of lawmakers actively driving policy changes aimed at replacing outdated animal testing methods with modern, humane alternatives.
Malliotakis has also demonstrated leadership in addressing industrial animal welfare concerns. She introduced the bipartisan EGG SAVE Act (H.R. 5776), legislation intended to accelerate the adoption of in-ovo sexing technology and end the routine mass killing of male chicks in the egg industry. The measure reflects a willingness to tackle difficult agricultural welfare issues through market-based innovation rather than traditional regulatory mandates.
Her work on animal cruelty enforcement has likewise become increasingly significant. As a co-lead of the FBI Animal Cruelty Taskforce Act (H.R. 3683), Malliotakis has championed the creation of a specialized FBI unit dedicated to investigating severe forms of animal cruelty, including dogfighting, cockfighting, and animal crush videos. The legislation recognizes the documented links between animal cruelty, organized crime, violence, and other public-safety threats, an area where Malliotakis has consistently shown interest.
In addition to her legislative leadership, Malliotakis maintains a strong record of support for major animal-protection measures. She is a cosponsor of the FIGHT Act, SAFE Act, Greyhound Protection Act, CARGO Act, and FDA Modernization Act 3.0. She also opposed Rep. Riley Moore’s amendment that would have weakened the Greyhound Protection Act, demonstrating a willingness to defend existing animal-protection initiatives when challenged.
Her voting record continues to reflect the pragmatic and bipartisan approach that has characterized much of her congressional tenure. Malliotakis is particularly supportive of measures focused on animal cruelty enforcement, public safety, scientific modernization, and targeted welfare reforms. While she generally remains aligned with Republican positions on broader questions involving agricultural regulation and federal authority, she has repeatedly demonstrated a willingness to depart from traditional industry preferences when pursuing practical reforms that improve animal welfare.
What distinguishes Malliotakis today is that her involvement is no longer limited to supporting legislation developed by others. Through her appropriations amendments, bill introductions, and leadership on major enforcement initiatives, she has become an active participant in shaping the congressional animal-protection agenda. Her work reflects an understanding that animal welfare intersects with public safety, scientific advancement, and responsible agricultural practices.
Within the Republican conference, Malliotakis now stands out as one of the more constructive and engaged voices on animal-protection issues. While she is not yet among the small cadre of lawmakers whose legislative portfolios are dominated by animal-welfare advocacy, she has moved well beyond the category of occasional supporter. Her growing record of leadership, successful legislative initiatives, and willingness to champion reforms places her firmly among the stronger congressional allies for animal protection.
Taken together, Malliotakis’s record reflects a lawmaker whose engagement has evolved from selective support to meaningful leadership. Her efforts on animal testing reform, cruelty enforcement, and farm animal welfare demonstrate a sustained commitment that has made her an increasingly important contributor to bipartisan animal-protection efforts in Congress.
Read our press release here.
Read our endorsement letter here.
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 FBI Animal Cruelty Task Force (FBI ACT) Act, H.R. 3683, to establish an Animal Cruelty Crimes Task Force within the Federal Bureau of Investigation to investigate and enforce federal animal cruelty laws, including those involving dogfighting, cockfighting, crush videos, and related offenses.
✅ Cosponsor of the Greyhound Protection Act, H.R. 5017, to phase out U.S. greyhound racing, a practice long in decline and operational at just two tracks.
✅ Cosponsor of the FDA Modernization Act 3.0, H.R. 2821, to direct the FDA to update its regulations consistent with a law passed by Congress in 2022 that made animal testing optional in new drug development.
✅ Cosponsor of the EGG SAVE Act, H.R. 5776, to modernize egg production by accelerating the voluntary adoption of in-ovo sexing technology to end the wasteful and inhumane culling of male chicks in hatcheries.
✅ 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 the Captive Primate Safety Act, H.R. 3199, 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.
✅ 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 a bipartisan congressional letter to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Director, urging the agency to redirect federal funds currently allocated for non-human primate (NHP) research centers toward more ethical and cost-effective uses.
✅ Signed a congressional letter to President Donald J. Trump urging him to permanently prohibit the export of American horses to Mexico for slaughter.
✅ 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.
➖ Did Not Vote 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 “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. An “Aye” vote is the anti-animal position because it removed Endangered Species Act protections for gray wolves and limited judicial review of future wolf management decisions.
✅ 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 “Aye” 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. An “Aye” vote is the anti-animal position because it supported overturning state farm animal welfare laws that require more humane housing standards for pregnant pigs.
✅ 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 Greyhound Protection Act, H.R. 3894, to phase out U.S. greyhound racing, a practice long in decline and operational at just two tracks.
✅ Cosponsor of the FDA Modernization Act 3.0, H.R. 7248, to direct the FDA to update its regulations consistent with a law passed by Congress in 2022 that made animal testing optional in new drug development.
✅ 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.
❌ Voted “Aye” 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. An “Aye” vote is the anti-animal position because it removed Endangered Species Act protections for gray wolves across much of the United States, despite concerns that doing so would undermine their long-term recovery and science-based wildlife management.
❌ Voted “Aye” 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. An “Aye” vote is the anti-animal position because it blocked federal agencies from restricting toxic lead ammunition and fishing tackle that poison eagles, loons, condors, and other wildlife.
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 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.
✅ 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.