The CARGO Act of 2025 would prohibit the National Institutes of Health (NIH) from funding any animal research conducted outside the United States. The bill responds to concerns that between 2011 and 2021, the NIH provided approximately $2.2 billion to foreign organizations for animal research projects, but lacks the ability to inspect these overseas facilities or enforce animal welfare standards, relying instead on self-reporting from foreign organizations. The legislation affects researchers, universities, and medical institutions that currently receive NIH funding for international animal studies and would require them to relocate such research to the U.S. or lose federal funding. The bill establishes no new funding appropriations but would effectively redirect existing NIH research dollars away from overseas projects. The measure was introduced in February 2025 with bipartisan sponsorship and referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
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