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PAW Act

Public Law 117-212 · S. 4205 · 117th Congress · began in the Senate

Signed by Joe Biden (D) on Oct 17, 2022 · Emergency Management

Sponsor: Sen. Gary Peters (D-MI)

Cosponsors (2): Sen. Rob Portman,

Passage votes

  • HouseMethod not stated
  • 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.

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Summary

The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.

This act directs the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to establish a working group relating to best practices and federal guidance for animals in emergencies and disasters.

Specifically, the working group shall (1) encourage and foster collaborative efforts among individuals and entities working to address the needs of household pets, service and assistance animals, and captive animals in emergency and disaster preparedness, response, and recovery; and (2) review best practices and federal guidance on sheltering and evacuation planning relating to the needs of such pets and animals.

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.

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Related bills

2 bills the Library of Congress relates to this one.

  • H.R. 7789Identical billRelated bill

    PAW Act

  • H.Res. 1339Related bill

    Providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 302) to impose limits on excepting competitive service positions from the competitive service, and for other purposes; providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 2988) to…

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.

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Timeline

From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 19 actions.

  1. Oct 17, 2022Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 117-212.
  2. Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
  3. FloorFloor · Presented to President.
  4. Sep 14, 2022FloorFloor · Pursuant to section 11 of H. Res. 1339, and the motion offered by Mr. Hoyer, the following bills passed under suspension of the rules: H.R. 1468, as amended; H.R. 5865; H.R. 5916, as amended; H.R. 7735, as amended; H.R. 7846; H.R. 7939, as amended; H.R. 8260, as amended; and S. …
  5. FloorFloor · Pursuant to section 11 of H. Res. 1339, and the motion offered by Mr. Hoyer, the following bills passed under suspension of the rules: H.R. 1468, as amended; H.R. 5865; H.R. 5916, as amended; H.R. 7735, as amended; H.R. 7846; H.R. 7939, as amended; H.R…
  6. FloorFloor · Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 1339, proceedings on S. 4205 are considered vacated.
  7. Sep 13, 2022FloorFloor · At the conclusion of debate, the Yeas and Nays were demanded and ordered. Pursuant to the provisions of clause 8, rule XX, the Chair announced that further proceedings on the motion would be postponed.
  8. FloorFloor · DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on S. 4205.
  9. FloorFloor · Considered under suspension of the rules.
  10. FloorFloor · Ms. Norton moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill.
  11. Aug 9, 2022FloorFloor · Held at the desk.
  12. FloorFloor · Received in the House.
  13. Aug 8, 2022FloorFloor · Message on Senate action sent to the House.
  14. Aug 6, 2022FloorFloor · Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent.
  15. Aug 3, 2022CalendarCalendar · Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 466.
  16. CommitteeCommittee · Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. Reported by Senator Peters with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. With written report No. 117-140.
  17. May 25, 2022CommitteeCommittee · Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
  18. May 12, 2022CommitteeCommittee · Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
  19. 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.

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Amendments

No amendments to this bill are on record.

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.

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Official record

The bill’s full text is on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.