PRIMATE Act

119th Congress Introduced by André Carson and 6 co-sponsors

Bans importation of nonhuman primates into the United States by amending the Tariff Act of 1930.

Introduced in House

Title and purpose

Official title: To amend the Tariff Act of 1930 to prohibit the importation of nonhuman primates.

Objective: The bill seeks to modify U.S. tariff law to ban the importation of nonhuman primates (e.g., monkeys, apes) into the United States, reinforcing protections around wildlife and potentially addressing animal welfare, biosafety, and ethical concerns related to primate importation.

Key provisions and changes

Prohibition on importation: The core provision would add a prohibition within the Tariff Act of 1930 that specifically bans the importation of nonhuman primates into the United States. The intent is to prevent entry of such animals through formal tariff channels.

Enforcement and penalties (likely): While the specific text is not provided in the summary, such prohibitions typically include:

Penalties for importers who attempt or succeed in bringing nonhuman primates into the U.S.
Authorities for U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to enforce the ban at ports of entry.
Potential waivers or exemptions would be defined if included, though none are stated in the summary.

Regulatory alignment: The bill would modify the Tariff Act of 1930, aligning trade law with the new import prohibition rather than creating a standalone statute.

Who and what would be affected

Indirectly affected parties:

Importers of nonhuman primates (e.g., researchers, zoos, pharmaceutical and biotech entities, enthusiasts) who would be prohibited from legally importing primates.
U.S. customs brokers, importers, and supply chains involved in acquiring nonhuman primates.
Institutions that historically relied on imported primates for research, biomedical studies, or education.

Directly affected:

Nonhuman primates seeking entry into the United States would be barred from import under the amended Tariff Act.

Procedural and timeline aspects

Intro and referral:

Introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means (April 23, 2026).

Sponsor information:

Co-sponsors include Dina Titus, Greg Steube, Nicole Malliotakis, and André Carson.

Next steps (typical process):

The Ways and Means Committee would review, may hold hearings, and could draft a committee-passed version to advance to the full House for consideration.
If approved by the House, the bill would move to the Senate for consideration, potentially facing committee action there.

Notes and context

The bill’s impact will depend on the exact statutory language and any exemptions, definitions of “nonhuman primates,” and enforcement provisions.

The measure aligns with broader animal welfare, biosafety, and ethical concerns surrounding the trade and use of primates in research and captivity.

If you’d like, I can provide a line-by-line annotated outline once the full text is available, or compare this bill to existing wildlife trade or animal welfare statutes.

Bill