What They are Saying: Leaders Across America Applauding EPA’s Action to Eliminate Animal Testing by 2035

What They are Saying: Leaders Across America Applauding EPA's Action to Eliminate Animal Testing by 2035

January 23, 2026

WASHINGTON - Yesterday, U.S. Environmental Protection Administration (EPA) Administrator Lee Zeldin announced that the agency is renewing its commitment to reducing mammalian animal testing, with the ambitious goal of eliminating the practice by 2035, a target first established during the first Trump Administration. After the Biden Administration canceled the agency's animal testing phase-out deadlines, EPA is now moving forward with developing alternatives that will spare animals from experimentation while advancing scientific progress. EPA will prioritize the development and implementation of high-quality alternatives to reduce testing on vertebrate mammals, like rabbits, mice, rats, and dogs, while maintaining regulatory compliance and rigorous gold standard science in support of EPA's Make America Healthy Again agenda.

Here's what people are saying:

EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin: "I'm absolutely committed to making sure EPA gets back on track with the historic goal set out during President Trump's first term in office. Unlike the previous administration, the Trump EPA will not delay scientific progress on developing alternatives to animal testing. We will pursue this goal while adhering to the law and the highest quality scientific standards."

EPA Deputy Administrator David Fotouhi on XExit EPA's website:"While the Biden EPA impeded the phaseout of testing on mammals by 2035- a date set by the Trump EPA in 2019- Administrator Zeldin is recommitting EPA's efforts to this historic goal. Today's announcement demonstrates the Trump EPA's dedication to following the law and using gold standard science, including New Approach Methods, to protect human health and the environment while working to eliminate the use of mammals in testing."

Former EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler on XExit EPA's website: "Thank you Administrator Zeldin for standing up for animals. Honored to join Administrator Zeldin and my friends at White Coat Waste as Administrator Zeldin reaffirmed the ban on animal testing at EPA. It is the correct and moral course of action."

Senator Joni Ernst (R-IA): "It's about time we cur-tail-ed the wasteful spending on silly science projects using animals that have no value for taxpayers. I've worked to cut off the Pentagon funding this research in the NDAA. Now, thanks to the paw-some leadership of Administrator Zeldin, folks can rest easy knowing their hard-earned tax dollars are protected throughout the Trump administration."

Senator John Kennedy (R-LA): "On a bad day in Washington, I like animals more than people. I believe the way we treat God's creatures says a lot about the character of our nation. I'm grateful for Administrator Zeldin's leadership at the EPA to show greater compassion for our animal friends and reduce unnecessary animal testing."

Senator Eric Schmitt (R-MO):"What the Biden administration did to animals during their experiments was cruel, inhumane, and wholly unnecessary, and the Biden EPA's decision to cancel animal testing phase-out deadlines was shameful. I applaud Administrator Zeldin's decision to recommit the EPA to the ambitious goal to develop alternative research methods that would end animal experimentation completely by 2035."

Congressional Animal Protection Caucus Co-Chair Vern Buchanan (R-FL-16): "As Co-Chair of the Congressional Animal Protection Caucus, I've worked for years to eliminate inhumane animal testing and advance modern, humane alternatives that strengthen science and protect animals from needless suffering. I applaud President Donald Trump and Administrator Lee Zeldin for getting the Environmental Protection Agency back on track and taking meaningful steps to eliminate mammalian animal testing. It's a commonsense step that protects animals and moves science in the right direction."

Congressional Animal Protection Caucus Co-Chair Nicole Malliotakis (R-NY-11): "I thank Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin for taking this important step to get America back on track to reduce-and ultimately end-all animal testing at the EPA. It was unfortunate that the Biden Administration canceled the agency's phase-out causing a terrible setback, but today's announcement is welcome news for the well-being of animals. I look forward to the day when these innocent animals no longer have to endure cruel, costly and unnecessary treatment in this country."

American Chemistry Council: "The American Chemistry Council (ACC) commends EPA's commitment to phase out animal testing and ongoing efforts to advance modern, science-based approaches for chemical safety assessment. . . As EPA moves forward, ACC remains committed to working with the Agency and the broader scientific community to expand the use of credible NAMs that enhance chemical safety evaluations while reducing reliance on animal testing."

Human World Action Fund President Sara Amundson: "EPA is back on track to end animal testing. Transforming a system based on outdated methods takes time, persistence and collaboration. The road to this moment hasn't been easy but we look forward to working with the EPA and other agencies to chart a new course, one that marries scientific advances with our conviction that no animal should suffer unnecessarily when better options are available."

Institute for In Vitro Sciences Vice President and COO Hans Raabe: "For nearly 30 years, the Institute for In Vitro Sciences has worked to demonstrate that non-animal methods are scientifically robust and often more predictive of human health than traditional animal tests. We applaud the EPA's commitment to expanding the use of New Approach Methodologies to protect human and environmental health. We look forward to helping to facilitate this transition by supporting agency and industry scientists to ensure the rapid adoption of reliable, human-relevant methods."

People for Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) on XExit EPA's website: "Today, the EPA announced its recommitment to eliminating animal tests by 2035, following years of collaboration between the EPA and PETA scientists. This commitment to increase reliance on non-animal testing will enable more relevant and reliable approaches to better protect humans, wildlife, and our environment."

PETA Managing Director of Regulatory Toxicology Dr. Amy Clippinger: "The EPA is a leader in advancing reliable and human-relevant non-animal testing, an urgent priority given the tens of thousands of animals used each year in toxicity tests for the agency. Today's commitment builds on that leadership and reflects scientific advances showing that modern non-animal methods are as predictive, or more predictive, of human health outcomes than decades-old animal tests. PETA scientists are proud to have contributed to this progress through collaborative research and training initiatives, and we look forward to continuing our work with the agency to accelerate the adoption of the best available science to protect people, animals, and the environment."

PETA Science Consortium on XExit EPA's website: "The EPA has recommitted to ending its reliance on toxicity tests on animals. This is the latest step in the agency's long-standing commitment to advancing reliable and relevant non-animal testing approaches."

Physicians Committee Acting Director of Research Policy Janine McCarthy: "Replacing animal tests with innovative, reliable, and more relevant methods and strategies has been a long time coming, reflecting growing scientific evidence that nonanimal methods help better predict human health outcomes. The EPA has been a leader in the development and implementation of nonanimal approaches, and today's announcement reflects the EPA's strong commitment to accelerating this work. The Physicians Committee has worked with the EPA to advance nonanimal testing through scientific partnerships and training, and we are proud to see this progress. This decision will accelerate the use of the best available science, protect people and the environment, and save animal lives."

National Institute of Health (NIH) Deputy Director for Program Coordination, Planning, and Strategic Initiatives Nicole Kleinstreuer: "I am enthusiastic about EPA's renewed commitment to advancing high-quality NAMs and reducing reliance on animal testing. NIH strongly supports this vision and looks forward to partnering closely with EPA, both directly and through ICCVAM, to accelerate the development, validation, and regulatory acceptance of scientifically robust alternatives. This collaboration is essential to ensuring that regulatory decisions continue to be grounded in gold-standard science while reflecting the significant advances in human-relevant methods."

White Coat Waste Project Senior Vice President Justin Goodman: "Reinstating the Trump EPA's animal testing phase-out deadline and lab animal retirement plan has been a top White Coat Waste priority since Day 1 of the new administration."

White Coat Waste Project on XExit EPA's website: "White Coat Waste just joined Trump's EPA to announce they are reinstating their historic plan to end all dog, rabbit, and mammal experiments by 2035. We're proud to have been instrumental in delivering this victory for taxpayers and innocent animals alongside EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin today."

Ann Coulter on XExit EPA's website: "Fauci funded the torture and killing of beagles. Trump's EPA head Lee Zeldin just reinstated a phaseout of animal testing begun in the first Trump admin, but killed by Biden."

Lauren Lee on XExit EPA's website: "The EPA Just Committed to ENDING All Animal Testing!! Trump originally instituted the phase-out in 2019, but Biden had it canceled. Now, Administrator Zeldin says "we are back on track and already reducing animal testing across the agency, getting the agency's animals adopted, and validating new non-animal methods." Tireless activism from White Coat Waste- the same group that exposed the Fauci beagle experiments - made reinstating the ban a priority. Pups like Oliver will now have a second chance at life."

Laura Loomer on XExit EPA's website: "Yesterday, at EPA Headquarters, EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin announced the EPA is getting back on track to phase out animal testing on dogs and other mammals, and recommit to the goal of eliminating it altogether by 2035. . . Lee Zeldin has been a leader on animal welfare for many years. As a Congressman, he received an award from White Coat Waste in 2018 for helping them end dog testing at the Department of Veterans Affairs. Now, thanks to President Trump and Lee Zeldin, the EPA is restoring the commonsense and compassionate plan to eliminate cruel, outdated and expensive taxpayer funded animal tests. Thank you President Trump and Administrator Zeldin! And congratulations to White Coat Waste on this huge victory!"