HR 4638 United States House · 119th Congress

Federal Working Animal Protection Act

Summary

Bill to Outlaw Wounding of Official Working Animals Act or the BOWOW Act This bill establishes that a non-U.S. national ( alien under federal law) convicted of, or who admits to having committed, an offense related to harming animals used in law enforcement is inadmissible and deportable.

Issues: ✗ Immigration

Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Jul 2025

Committee Review

Mar 2026

House Passage

Mar 2026

Senate Passage

President

Introduced Jul 23, 2025 Last action Mar 19, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

Introduced in House → Engrossed in House · 1 edit · Mar 19, 2026

MINOR

The bill's short title was changed from 'Bill to Outlaw Wounding of Official Working Animals Act or the BOWOW Act' to 'Federal Working Animal Protection Act.' This is a renaming that shifts the tone from a punitive framing (outlawing wounding) to a protective one, and drops the informal acronym. No substantive policy changes are visible in this diff.

TECHNICAL

The short title was changed from 'Bill to Outlaw Wounding of Official Working Animals Act or the BOWOW Act' to 'Federal Working Animal Protection Act,' reflecting a more formal and protective framing rather than a punitive one.

Floor votes · House Mar 19, 2026

How they voted

228–190

Passed · 14 other

Total votes 432

Mar 19, 2026

D Democratic214

15 Yea 190 Nay 9

88% Nay

I Independent1

1 Yea

100% Yea

R Republican217

212 Yea 5

97% Yea

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Amendments

Mar 19, 2026

Committee

Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

upper

Mar 19, 2026

Lower · Passed

On passage Passed by the Yeas and Nays: 228 - 190 (Roll no. 96). (text of amendment in the nature of a substitute: CR H2600)

lower

Mar 19, 2026

Lower · Passed

Passed/agreed to in House: On passage Passed by the Yeas and Nays: 228 - 190 (Roll no. 96). (text of amendment in the nature of a substitute: CR H2600)

lower

Mar 17, 2026

Lower · Passed

Rule H. Res. 1115 passed House.

lower

Mar 16, 2026

Lower · Passed

Rules Committee Resolution H. Res. 1115 Reported to House. Rule provides for consideration of H.R. 556, H.R. 1958 and H.R. 4638. The resolution provides for consideration of H.R. 556, H.R. 1958, and H.R. 4638 under a closed rule. The resolution provides for one hour of general debate and one motion to recommit on each bill.

lower

Dec 12, 2025

Lower · Passed

Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Judiciary. H. Rept. 119-407.

lower

Nov 20, 2025

Introduced

Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by the Yeas and Nays: 18 - 12.

lower

Nov 20, 2025

Lower · Passed

Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held

lower

Nov 18, 2025

Lower · Passed

Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held

lower

Jul 23, 2025

Committee

Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.

lower

Jul 23, 2025

Introduced

Introduced in House

lower

1 primary · 19 co-sponsors