Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act
Public Law 109-374 · S. 3880 · 109th Congress · began in the Senate
Signed by George W. Bush (R) on Nov 27, 2006 · Crime and Law Enforcement
Sponsor: Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-OK)
Cosponsors (10): Sen. Dianne Feinstein, Sen. John Thune,
Passage votes
- HouseVoice vote
- SenateUnanimous consent
Data notes
The final version of the law, as each chamber passed it. A chamber that passed it by voice vote or unanimous consent has no count. “Method not stated” means the record does not say how the chamber voted. Where the record has a member-by-member vote, the “Who voted for it” section shows who voted yea.
Summary
The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.
Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act - Amends the federal criminal code to revise criminal prohibitions against damaging or interfering with the operations of an animal enterprise to include intentional damage or loss to any real or personal property and intentional threats of death or serious bodily injury against individuals (or their family members, spouses, or intimate partners) who are involved with animal enterprises. Expands such crime to include conspiracies and attempts. Revises and increases monetary and criminal penalties for such crime.
Modifies the definition of "animal enterprise" to include: (1) an enterprise that uses or sells animals or animal products for profit for educational purposes; and (2) an animal shelter, pet store, breeder, or furrier.
Provides that expressive conduct (including picketing or other peaceful demonstration) protected by the First Amendment is not prohibited by this Act.
Committees
The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.
Data notes
A committee links to its page only where it exists in the current Congress; older and renamed committees are named without a link.
Related bills
The record lists no related bills.
Data notes
Related bills are identified by the Congressional Research Service, the House and the Senate: companion and identical bills, bills with similar text, bills that were folded into this law, and rules that brought it to the floor. A bill that is itself a public law in this site’s data links here; the others link to Congress.gov.
Timeline
From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 17 actions.
- Nov 27, 2006Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 109-374.
- Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- Nov 21, 2006FloorFloor · Presented to President.
- Nov 13, 2006FloorFloor · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
- FloorFloor · On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by voice vote.
- FloorFloor · DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on S. 3880.
- FloorFloor · Considered under suspension of the rules.
- FloorFloor · Mr. Sensenbrenner moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill.
- CommitteeCommittee · Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
- Nov 9, 2006FloorFloor · Held at the desk.
- FloorFloor · Received in the House.
- Oct 2, 2006FloorFloor · Message on Senate action sent to the House.
- Sep 30, 2006FloorFloor · Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent.
- FloorFloor · Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent.
- CommitteeCommittee · Senate Committee on the Judiciary discharged by Unanimous Consent.
- Sep 8, 2006CommitteeCommittee · Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
- IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in Senate
Data notes
Every action the Library of Congress lists for the bill, from introduction to signing, plus the dated committee hearings. The source lists many steps twice (the chamber’s own entry and the Library of Congress copy, or a presidential and a became-law entry with the same words); those are shown once. Amendments are listed in their own section.
Amendments
1 amendment offered to the bill, with the last recorded step of each.
- Agreed to
S.Amdt. 5115SenateSen. Dianne FeinsteinD-CA· offered Sep 29, 2006Agreed to
To provide a complete substitute.
Sep 30, 2006: Amendment SA 5115 agreed to in Senate by Unanimous Consent.
Data notes
Amendments offered to this bill in either chamber, as the Library of Congress records them: each with a status read from its last recorded step: agreed to, rejected, withdrawn, ruled out of order, fell with another amendment, or offered with no vote recorded (most Senate amendments are only ever offered). The wording of each amendment is the source’s. Amendments to amendments and amendments to other bills are not listed.
Official record
The bill’s full text is on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.