Tenure: 113th–119th Congresses
Years of Service: 2013–Present
Rep. Raul Ruiz has maintained a consistently favorable record on animal protection issues throughout his time in Congress. While animal welfare has not been among the most visible aspects of his legislative portfolio, Ruiz has repeatedly supported major animal protection priorities, opposed efforts to weaken wildlife protections, and defended state authority to establish humane standards for farm animals. His record reflects a dependable ally whose support for animal protection has been demonstrated through both his votes and targeted legislative engagement.
One of the clearest examples of Ruiz’s commitment to animal protection is 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. The SAFE Act remains one of the most important federal horse protection measures before Congress and has long been a central priority for efforts to end the horse slaughter pipeline.
Ruiz has also engaged on farm-animal welfare issues beyond floor votes. He signed the Democratic congressional letter opposing the Save Our Bacon Act and related efforts to federally preempt state animal welfare laws. The letter defended the ability of states such as California and Massachusetts to establish humane standards governing the treatment of farm animals and opposed congressional efforts to nullify voter-approved animal welfare protections.
His voting record on recent benchmark animal protection issues has been consistently favorable. Ruiz voted against H.R. 845, the Pet and Livestock Protection Act, which would remove federal Endangered Species Act protections for gray wolves. He also voted against H.R. 556, the Protecting Access for Hunters and Anglers Act, preserving federal authority to regulate lead ammunition and lead fishing tackle on federal lands and waters. Because lead poisoning remains a significant source of mortality for condors, eagles, loons, swans, and other wildlife species, those votes aligned with wildlife conservation priorities and efforts to reduce preventable animal suffering.
Ruiz also voted against the Moore Amendment, which sought to create an exemption from the federal prohibition on commercial greyhound racing. His vote helped preserve protections that have contributed to the decline of commercial greyhound racing nationwide and aligned with broader efforts to eliminate exploitative animal entertainment industries.
On food-system innovation and farm-animal welfare, Ruiz likewise sided with animal protection priorities. He voted against the Greene Amendment, which sought to prohibit federal support for cultivated meat and related technologies. Cultivated meat has the potential to reduce reliance on conventional animal agriculture and decrease the number of animals raised and slaughtered for food. By opposing the amendment, Ruiz supported continued research and innovation in alternatives that could reduce animal suffering.
He also voted against the Farm, Food, and National Security Act, which included provisions that would preempt state farm-animal welfare laws such as California’s Proposition 12 and Massachusetts’ Question 3. That vote helped preserve states’ ability to establish stronger humane standards and protected one of the most significant farm-animal welfare laws enacted anywhere in the United States.
Ruiz’s record is characterized by consistency rather than high-profile leadership. Unlike some members who have built extensive portfolios of animal-focused legislation, his engagement has generally been concentrated in support of major legislative priorities and key votes. Nevertheless, his record demonstrates reliable support for animal protection across multiple issue areas, including horse protection, wildlife conservation, greyhound racing, farm-animal welfare, and food-system innovation.
Taken as a whole, Ruiz’s record places him in the Strong Leader category. His support for the SAFE Act, opposition to federal preemption of state animal welfare laws, and consistently favorable voting record make him a dependable ally on animal protection issues, even if he has not emerged as one of Congress’s most visible animal welfare champions.
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 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.
✅ 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.
✅ Voted “Nay” on the Northeast Lobster Protection Act, H.R. 9436 (House Roll Call Vote 291), which would extend a pause on new federal fishing gear regulations intended to protect critically endangered North Atlantic right whales from 2028 to 2035, delaying potential protections for an additional seven years. A “Nay” is a pro-animal position because it opposes repealing a leading delay in measures intended to prevent right whales from becoming entangled in fishing rope, a leading cause of injury and death.
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 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.
✅ Cosponsor of the Wild Horse and Burro Protection Act of 2023, H.R. 3656, to prohibit helicopter and fixed-wing aircraft roundups of wild horses and burros and require a federal report on humane alternatives and the effects of aircraft on wild herds.
✅ 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 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 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.
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.
115th Congress
✅ Cosponsor of the Dog and Cat Meat Trade Prohibition Act, H.R. 1406, bipartisan legislation to prohibit the slaughter of dogs and cats for human consumption and ban the sale, transport, possession, and trade of dogs, cats, and their parts for that purpose. The bill established federal criminal penalties to ensure the United States maintains a clear prohibition on the dog and cat meat trade.
✅ Cosponsor of the Prevent All Soring Tactics (PAST) Act, H.R. 1847, 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.”
✅ Voted “Nay” on H.J. Res. 69, a Congressional Review Act resolution (House Roll Call Vote 98) to overturn an Obama administration rule protecting wildlife on National Wildlife Refuges in Alaska. The rule prohibited inhumane predator-control practices, including killing bear cubs and wolf pups in their dens, baiting bears with food to shoot them at close range, and aerial shooting of wolves and other predators. The resolution passed Congress and was signed into law, eliminating these federal wildlife protections. A “Nay” vote is the pro-animal position because it sought to preserve safeguards against some of the cruelest and most unsporting predator-killing 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. An “Aye” vote is the pro-animal position because it strengthened federal protections against organized animal fighting.