August 22, 2025
Ms. Escobar (for herself, Ms. Garcia of Texas, and Mr. Krishnamoorthi) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Agriculture
To amend the Animal Welfare Act to direct the Secretary of Agriculture to establish a program under which the Secretary will award grants to entities for purposes of supporting the capability of such entities to provide care to animals in their care, and for other purposes.
Section 1. Short title
This Act may be cited as the Supporting Our Shelters Act
.
Sec. 2. Grants to support animal shelters
Section 28 of the Animal Welfare Act (7 U.S.C. 2158) is amended by striking subsection (d) and inserting the following:
(d) Grants To support animal shelters
(1) In general
The Secretary shall establish a program under which the Secretary will award grants to entities described in subsection (a)(2) for purposes of supporting the capability of such entities to provide care to animals in their care, including feeding, sheltering, veterinary care, recreational activities, and the hiring, training, and retention of staff to provide such care.
(2) Term
The term of a grant under this subsection shall not exceed 3 years. Such term is renewable if the grantee submits a report to the Secretary under paragraph (4) prior to the expiration of the respective term.
(3) Report to Secretary
Beginning not later than 180 days after the date on which the first grant is awarded under this subsection and each year thereafter, each recipient of a grant under this subsection shall submit to the Secretary a detailed accounting of—
(A)
the number of each species taken into the shelter and the outcome for each species during the period covered by the report; and
(B)
how the recipient of the grant used grant funds during the period covered by the report.
(4) Report to Congress
Beginning not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this subsection and each year thereafter, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Agriculture of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry of the Senate a report on the program under paragraph (1), including an accounting of how the funds made available to carry out this subsection were used by recipients of grants under this subsection to improve animal care.
(e) Regulations
The Secretary shall promulgate regulations to carry out this section. Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of subsection (d), the Secretary shall promulgate regulations to carry out such subsection.