Rep. Nick Langworthy · R-NY 23
A Republican federal voice
on ending the breeding of dogs
for laboratories.
On April 24, 2026, Rep. Langworthy wrote to HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and NIH Director Jayanta Bhattacharya, calling for the end of federal funding streams that support research using dogs from Ridglan Farms — and a clear timeline to phase out all federal support for breeding dogs and cats for experimentation.
From the letter · April 24, 2026
The American people expect their tax dollars to reflect both fiscal responsibility and basic standards of humane treatment. Ending support for facilities that breed beagles for painful experimentation prior to euthanasia is consistent with those values — and with the reform efforts your agencies have already begun.
— Rep. Nicholas A. Langworthy, Member of Congress
What he asked for
Three concrete requests to HHS and NIH.
Rep. Langworthy’s letter is not symbolic. It asks Secretary Kennedy and Director Bhattacharya for three concrete actions — the third of which goes well beyond Ridglan and applies to every commercial breeder of dogs for laboratories in the country, Marshall BioResources included.
- 1
List the federal grants.
Provide a detailed list of active NIH-funded grants and contracts involving dogs sourced from Ridglan Farms and other commercial dog breeders.
- 2
Suspend the funding now.
Immediately suspend funding for any projects that rely on Ridglan beagles.
- 3
Phase out the practice entirely.
Develop a clear timeline for phasing out all federal support for invasive research that uses dogs and cats bred for experimentation and euthanasia.
Why it matters
A Republican congressman, writing to a Republican administration, on Ridglan.
Rep. Mark Pocan (D-WI 2) took Ridglan to the U.S. House floor and put the cruelty into the Congressional Record. Now Rep. Nick Langworthy (R-NY 23) is taking the same case to HHS and NIH — asking the Trump administration to stop the federal funds that flow to laboratories using Ridglan dogs.
This is the bipartisan story made concrete. One Democratic congressman in the district that contains Ridglan. One Republican congressman from upstate New York. Two parties, two regions, one ask: end the federal practice of breeding dogs for laboratories.
The third request in the letter — develop a timeline to phase out all federal support for breeding dogs and cats for experimentation — reaches every laboratory-dog breeder in the country, Marshall BioResources included. Langworthy’s letter is the federal pivot from Ridglan to the broader supply chain.
Date
April 24, 2026
Issued from the U.S. House.
Recipients
HHS & NIH
Sec. Kennedy & Dir. Bhattacharya.
Posture
Confirmed endorser
Public, on-the-record, federal.
Take action
Thank Rep. Langworthy. Then ask your reps to follow.
If you live in NY-23, your contact carries the most weight. Anywhere else — ask your own House representative and your two senators to back the same asks Langworthy made of HHS and NIH.