NW Kentucky News

Subcommittee Chairwoman Nancy Mace of the Subcommittee on Cybersecurity, Information Technology, and Government Innovation delivered opening remarks at a hearing titled “Transgender Lab Rats and Poisoned Puppies: Oversight of Taxpayer Funded Animal Cruelty.” In her statement, she criticized the Biden-Harris Administration for spending taxpayer dollars on animal testing research deemed cruel and unnecessary. She highlighted that technological advancements exist that could more accurately model human biology, but federal bureaucracy has hindered their use.

Chairwoman Mace referenced a report by the White Coat Waste Project which revealed over $10 million in taxpayer funds were used for transgender experiments on lab animals. These experiments involved invasive procedures and hormone therapies at universities across the nation. She cited specific examples including $2.5 million spent to study fertility in transgender mice and $1.1 million to assess drug overdose risks in female rats undergoing testosterone therapy.

Mace argued that animal testing often fails to produce results applicable to humans due to biological differences. "In fact, 90 percent of novel drugs that are successful in animal tests fail in human clinical trials," she stated. She emphasized the need for investment in innovative alternatives rather than continuing with traditional animal experimentation methods.

The U.S. government reportedly spends over $20 billion annually on animal experiments, with multiple agencies conducting or supporting such testing. The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIH), formerly led by Anthony Fauci, was noted for its controversial spending on beagle puppies.

Mace expressed hope that discussions like this could prevent future funding for animal experimentation. Justin Goodman from the White Coat Waste Project attended the hearing with beagles rescued from an NIH lab supplier, serving as a poignant reminder of the impact of these practices.

The hearing aimed to address concerns about wasteful government spending related to animal cruelty and invited further dialogue with Ranking Member Brown providing her opening statement next.