PAW Act

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (S. 4205) to require the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency to establish a working group relating to best practices and Federal guidance for animals in emergencies and disasters, and for other purposes.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on S. 4205.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of S. 4205, the Planning for Animal Wellness Act. The Transportation and Infrastructure Committee marked up the companion bill, H.R. 7789, introduced by Representative Titus earlier this summer.

This bill requires the Federal Emergency Management Agency to establish a working group of experts to review and, if necessary, update its guidance for addressing the needs of animals and pets before, during, and after disasters.

Animals are among the most vulnerable when disaster strikes. Like people, they may be displaced or require evacuation and sheltering. However, disaster shelters are often unable or unwilling to accommodate animals. Pets are beloved members of the family, and owners should not have to choose between abandoning their animals and getting to safety. When individuals are forced to make this terrible decision, they often refuse to evacuate before a natural disaster.

This bill will remove barriers to ensure animal welfare is properly considered in emergency planning so that all members of the family-- human and pet--are safe during disasters.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to support this legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as she may consume to the gentlewoman from Nevada (Ms. Titus).

Mr. Speaker, in closing, I urge my colleagues as well to support the legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

S. 4205, the Planning for Animal Wellness, or PAW Act, establishes a FEMA working group to determine Federal guidance on animal care during emergencies and natural disasters.

We have seen citizens impacted by disasters reluctant to evacuate if they can't bring their pets with them. This can greatly affect the ability of emergency managers and local first responders to keep individuals safe.

Whether it is service animals, household pets, or farm animals, we have made improvements to address this issue; however, problems still persist.

Given this fact, the bill establishes a working group to review FEMA's policies, determine best practices, and make recommendations to help better prepare and respond to disasters.

Mr. Speaker, I urge support of this legislation and reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume to close.

Mr. Speaker, the PAW Act will help identify persistent problem areas and best practices when it comes to dealing with pets and animals in disasters and ultimately improve our response to disasters to save more lives.

Mr. Speaker, I urge support of this legislation and yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, as a member of the Congressional Animal Protection Caucus, I rise in support of S. 4205, the Planning for Animal Wellness, or PAW Act. This is the Senate companion to legislation I introduced along with Chairman DeFazio to help protect our beloved pets during disasters.

When preparing for and responding to disasters, animal welfare often is not taken into consideration. Sadly, some owners make the risky decision of refusing to evacuate in order to stay with their pets. We have seen heartbreaking pictures of people on their roofs during floods clinging to their animals, along with their children and a few household possessions.

The PAW Act establishes a FEMA advisory group to align agency guidance with current best practices in animal welfare for emergency preparedness. This will ensure first responders and Federal disaster response workers can help pet owners plan to keep every member of their family, even the furry and feathered ones, safe during a disaster.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to support this bipartisan legislation. I also thank Senators Peters and Johnson for their leadership on this in the other Chamber. I urge your vote in support.

Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.