Bills · HR 2161
IN COMMITTEE· 119TH CONGRESS
House BillHR 2161Crime and Law Enforcement
Human-Animal Chimera Prohibition Act of 2025
INTRO MAR 14· LAST ACTION MAR 14
READING
3MIN
COSPONSORS
3
READER REACTIONS0 TOTAL
NO VOTES YET · BE THE FIRST
- Introduced only
LEGISLATIVE PROGRESS
STEP 2 / 8Introduced
In Committee
Reported
Passed House
Passed Senate
Conference
To President
Became Law
WHAT THE BILL DOES
AI-writtenThis bill addresses a deeply complex and ethically charged area of scientific research: the creation of organisms that combine human and animal genetic material. If passed, it would draw a legal line, prohibiting certain types of these 'chimeras' that many find morally unsettling, particularly those that could blur the lines of species identity or involve human brains or reproductive cells in animals. Voters should care because it reflects societal values about human dignity, the boundaries of scientific experimentation, and what constitutes acceptable biological manipulation.
Without this law, researchers could potentially pursue a broader range of human-animal chimera research, which proponents argue could lead to significant medical advancements like new disease models or organ production. With this law, certain avenues of research would be closed off in the U.S., reflecting a preference for ethical safeguards over potential, but ethically challenging, scientific progress. It could spark ongoing debate about where to draw the line between beneficial research and morally questionable creation.
KEY PROVISIONS
5AI-extractedPROVISION 01
Establishes a new federal crime for creating, transferring, or transporting certain 'prohibited human-animal chimeras.'
This provision creates a clear legal ban on specific types of human-animal combinations, criminalizing actions that might otherwise be permissible under current law.
PROVISION 02
Defines 'prohibited human-animal chimera' to include embryos that mix human and nonhuman genetic material, and nonhuman animals engineered with human brains, human reproductive cells, or human-like features.
The specific definitions determine the scope of the ban, clarifying precisely which types of research and organisms are illegal.
PROVISION 03
Prohibits transferring human embryos into nonhuman wombs and nonhuman embryos into human wombs.
This directly bans cross-species gestation, addressing another ethically sensitive area of research.
PROVISION 04
Imposes criminal penalties of up to 10 years imprisonment and fines, along with civil penalties of at least $1 million for violations where pecuniary gain is involved.
These significant penalties are designed to strongly deter individuals and institutions from engaging in the prohibited activities.
PROVISION 05
Clarifies that the prohibition does not apply to research involving transgenic animals (animals with human genes) or the transplantation of human organs, tissues, or cells into animals, provided these activities do not create a prohibited chimera.
This rule of construction ensures that beneficial research involving human genetic material or cells in animals, which does not cross the defined ethical boundaries, is still allowed.
SPONSORSHIP
1 + 3
R· New Jersey
YRS IN OFFICE
45
BILLS LED
60
COSPONSOR BREAKDOWNBIPARTISAN · 0%
DEM 0 REP 3 IND 0
ACTION TIMELINE
2 EVENTSMAR 14
Introduced in House
MAR 14
Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
BILL INFO
TypeHouse Bill
NumberHR 2161
Congress119th
StatusIn Committee
IntroducedMar 14, 2025
Last actionMar 14, 2025
READER REACTIONS
OVERALL SENTIMENT
No reactions yet. Be the first to weigh in.
Discussion
Loading comments...
IN COMMITTEE· 119TH CONGRESS · JUDICIARY COMMITTEE · INTRODUCED MAR 14, 2025
House BillHR 2161Crime and Law Enforcement
Human-Animal Chimera Prohibition Act of 2025
INTRODUCED MAR 14, 2025· LAST ACTION MAR 14, 2025
PASSAGE CHANCES
—%
READING
3 min
COSPONSORS
3
COMPLEXITY
Moderate
