FDA must rewrite drug-testing rules within one year without public input.

What it does

The bill tells the FDA to replace 'animal tests' with 'nonclinical tests' in drug approval rules. This must happen within one year. The new rule takes effect right away. The FDA skips the normal process where the public reads and comments on changes.

Who it affects

Drug companies and testing labs can use new testing methods faster and cheaper. Scientists and the public lose the chance to review whether these methods keep drugs safe. Parents and patients depend on the FDA to check drugs.

One thing to notice

The bill removes the step where citizens and experts can formally challenge the new rules before they start. The public cannot officially say whether the new testing methods are safe enough.

From the analysis of the bill text, linked under Primary records below.

Where it stands

41 cosponsors: 21 Democrats, 20 Republicans.

• Apr 10, 2025 — Introduced · Congress.gov: “Introduced in House”
• Apr 10, 2025 — Referred to House Committee on Energy and Commerce · Congress.gov: “Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce”
• May 13, 2026 — Markup held in committee · Congress.gov: “Subcommittee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held”
• May 21, 2026 — Reported out of committee · Congress.gov: “Ordered to be Reported by the Yeas and Nays: 44 - 0”
• Jul 20, 2026 — Passed the House · Congress.gov: “On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H4639)”
• Jul 20, 2026 — Floor vote scheduled · Congress.gov: “Mr. Guthrie moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill”

Dates and quoted wording are Congress.gov's action record; the timeline shows status changes, not every procedural step.

Money around this bill

6 groups reported lobbying about this bill. They filed 9 reports from Dec 2025 to Jun 2026.

Those reports show $1,065,234 in lobbying spending. Each report lists about 9 bills. So that money was not all for this bill.

More groups named this bill than 82% of bills with any report.

Buddy Carter, who sponsored the bill, received $1,018,325 from PACs for the 2026 election.

• Consumer Healthcare Products Association — $445,234 in 2 reports
• Public Access to Sunscreens (pass) Coalition — $280,000 in 3 reports
• Pharmaceutical Research & Manufacturers of America Inc — $170,000 in 1 report
• Personal Care Products Council — $140,000 in 1 report
• National Association for Biomedical Research — $30,000 in 1 report

Lobbying is legal. These reports show who lobbied about this bill, not what changed.

Words to know

• nonclinical tests — Tests done in labs or computers, not on animals or people.
• FDA — The Food and Drug Administration, the U.S. agency that approves new drugs.
• drug approval — The process the FDA uses to decide if a new medicine is safe and works.
• lobbying — Trying to influence lawmakers about a bill. Companies and groups pay people to do this.
• PACs — Groups that collect money and give it to candidates for office.
• sponsored — To sponsor a bill is to introduce it in Congress and put your name on it.