I 
118TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 2939 
To amend the Animal Welfare Act to prohibit the confinement of pregnant 
pigs, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
APRIL 27, 2023 
Ms. ESCOBAR (for herself, Ms. BARRAGA´N, Ms. NORTON, and Mr. NEGUSE) 
introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Ag-
riculture 
A BILL 
To amend the Animal Welfare Act to prohibit the 
confinement of pregnant pigs, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Pigs In Gestation 
Stalls Act of 2023’’ or the ‘‘PIGS Act of 2023’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
Congress makes the following findings: 
(1) Intensive confinement of pigs is a signifi-
cant animal welfare issue, causing physical problems 
and psychological anguish for the animals. 
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(2) Dozens of major food retailers and more 
than 10 States have taken action to phase out the 
use of intensive confinement for pigs, reflecting the 
will and concerns of the public. 
(3) At least two States have adopted policies to 
forbid the sale of pork from factory farms that use 
gestation crates, with that policy predicated on 
human health and animal welfare concerns. 
(4) As more consumers turn away from pur-
chasing pork products derived from intensive con-
finement practices, the pork industry will be better 
aligned with its customers by ending these unpopu-
lar and inhumane housing methods. 
SEC. 3. PROHIBITION ON CONFINING BREEDING PIGS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Animal Welfare Act (7 
U.S.C. 2131 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end 
the following: 
‘‘SEC. 30. PROHIBITION ON CONFINING BREEDING PIGS. 
‘‘(a) PROHIBITION.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—It shall be unlawful for a 
person to cause any breeding pig to be confined in— 
‘‘(A) such a manner that prevents the pig 
from lying down, standing up, or turning 
around— 
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‘‘(i) in a complete circle without any 
impediment, including a tether; and 
‘‘(ii) without touching the side of an 
enclosure or another animal; and 
‘‘(B) beginning on December 31, 2023, a 
space with less than 24 square feet of usable 
floorspace per pig, as calculated under para-
graph (3). 
‘‘(2) EXCEPTIONS.—The Secretary shall not, in 
applying paragraph (1), consider a breeding pig to 
be confined in a cruel manner if such confinement 
occurs during— 
‘‘(A) transportation; 
‘‘(B) examination, testing, treatment, or 
an operation conducted for veterinary purposes, 
but only if performed by or under the direct su-
pervision of a licensed veterinarian; 
‘‘(C) the five-day period before the pig’s 
expected date of farrowing; and 
‘‘(D) slaughter conducted in accordance 
with the Humane Methods of Slaughter Act (7 
U.S.C. 1901 et seq.). 
‘‘(3) CALCULATION OF USABLE FLOORSPACE.— 
For purposes of paragraph (1)(B), the total square 
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footage of floorspace provided to each breeding pig 
in an enclosure shall be determined by dividing— 
‘‘(A) the total square footage of floorspace 
provided to all the animals in such enclosure; by 
‘‘(B) the number of animals in that enclo-
sure. 
‘‘(b) PENALTIES.—For the purpose of administering 
and enforcing this section, the authorities provided under 
sections 10414 and 10415 of the Animal Health Protec-
tion Act (7 U.S.C. 8313 and 8314) shall apply to this sec-
tion in a similar manner as those sections apply to the 
Animal Health Protection Act (7 U.S.C. 8301 et seq.). 
Any person that violates the prohibition under subsection 
(a) shall be subject to penalties provided in such section 
10414. 
‘‘(c) NO PREEMPTION.—Nothing in this section pre-
empts any State or local laws, regulations, orders, or other 
requirements with respect to animal welfare that are iden-
tical to or are in addition to the requirements of this sec-
tion. 
‘‘(d) RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.—Nothing in this sec-
tion shall be construed as limiting the authority of the Sec-
retary under this Act or another Federal law to protect 
animal welfare. 
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‘‘(e) SEVERABILITY.—If this section is held unconsti-
tutional as to some provisions or circumstances, it shall 
remain in force as to the remaining provisions and other 
circumstances. 
‘‘(f) FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall estab-
lish a program under which the Secretary will pro-
vide financial assistance to pig producers to assist 
such producers in complying with the requirements 
of this section. 
‘‘(2) PRIORITY.—The Secretary shall allocate 
funds made available under paragraph (3) among 
pig producers in a manner that prioritizes inde-
pendent pig producers. 
‘‘(3) FUNDING.—The Secretary shall amend the 
order in effect as of the date of the enactment of 
this section under section 1616(c) of the Pork Pro-
motion, Research, and Consumer Information Act of 
1985 (7 U.S.C. 4805(c)), to direct the National 
Pork Board, notwithstanding section 1620(c) of 
such Act (7 U.S.C. 4809(c)), to set aside not less 
than $10,000,000 of the funds collected from assess-
ments made under such Act for the first fiscal year 
that begins after the date of the enactment of this 
section and the following fiscal year to provide as-
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