H.R. 5399 · 118th Congress

Bans most animal testing of cosmetics and sales of cosmetics developed with it

Official title: Humane Cosmetics Act of 20231

Never got a floor voteAnimal welfare laws

§1What it does

Why this matters: A plain-English description of the bill as it was voted on, written by us from the official summary and text.

Drafted by AI from the public sources cited. Each sentence links to its source.

This bill would generally ban testing cosmetic products on animals and ban selling or transporting cosmetics developed with animal testing, starting one year after enactment, with civil penalties for violations.2,3 Exceptions would include testing done abroad to meet a foreign regulator's rules, testing of drugs or medical devices regulated by the Food and Drug Administration, testing required for non-cosmetic purposes, and cases where officials find there is no non-animal way to test the safety of a product or ingredient that may pose a risk.2 Once the ban takes effect, evidence from animal testing generally could not be used to show that a cosmetic product or ingredient regulated by the FDA is safe.2

§2Status

StatusLatest action, September 15, 2023: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.1
IntroducedSeptember 12, 2023
SponsorRep. Beyer, Donald S., Jr. [D-VA-8]
Cosponsors227 cosponsors (33 Republican, 194 Democratic)
Official recordH.R. 5399 on Congress.gov

§3It never got a vote

Why this matters: This bill had wide support from both parties, but it never reached the House or Senate floor, so no member of Congress was ever recorded voting for or against it.

Latest action, September 15, 2023: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.1 How bills die without a vote.

2026 candidates who sponsored or cosponsored it (154)