The letter, jointly authored by the Association of American Universities (AAU), Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (APLU), Council on Governmental Relations (COGR), and the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC), is addressed to Senators Deborah Stabenow and Pat Roberts. It expresses support for policy reforms aimed at providing regulatory relief and greater flexibility regarding the timing of research facilities inspections mandated by the Animal Welfare Act (AWA). The organizations reference Section 2034 of the 21st Century Cures Act, which directs federal agencies to review and revise regulations governing laboratory animal care to lessen administrative burdens while safeguarding research integrity and animal welfare. They highlight a 2017 workshop and subsequent report recommending that Congress amend the AWA to allow the frequency of USDA inspections for research facilities to be based on compliance history, rather than requiring annual inspections, aligning with practices followed for other sectors such as dealers and exhibitors.
The signatories argue that such regulatory realignment would maintain animal welfare standards yet significantly reduce unnecessary administrative demands on federally funded researchers. They support a risk-based approach, supported by inspection data showing that the majority of compliance issues originate from a small proportion of facilities. By adopting a compliance-driven inspection schedule, they contend that agencies could improve efficiency and uphold high standards of animal care without compromising research quality. This request is positioned as consistent with the intent of the 21st Century Cures Act to advance both effective research oversight and scientific innovation. The letter also provides background on each organization’s mission and the scope of their memberships, underscoring their expertise and investment in responsible research practices.
