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H.R. 4638

U.S. House•In Senate Committee

Summary

H.R. 4638, the Federal Working Animal Protection Act, was introduced in the House on Jul 23, 2025 by Rep. Ken Calvert (R) with 19 co-sponsors. It was referred to Judiciary, and last saw action on Mar 19, 2026: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

Record

Text

H.R. 4638 has 19 co-sponsors, 1 roll call and 1 amendment.

hb4638/engrossed-in-house.txt
119 HR 4638 EH: Federal Working Animal Protection Act
 U.S. House of Representatives
 text/xml
 EN
 Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.
 IB
 119th CONGRESS  2d Session
 H. R. 4638
 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
 AN ACT
To amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to provide that an alien who has been convicted of harming animals used in law enforcement is inadmissible and deportable, and for other purposes.
1.
Short title
This Act may be cited as the   Federal Working Animal Protection Act  .
2.
Inadmissibility and deportability related to harming animals used in law enforcement
(a)
Inadmissibility
Section 212(a)(2) of the Immigration and Nationality Act ( 8 U.S.C. 1182(a)(2) ) is amended by adding at the end the following:
(J)
Harming animals used in law enforcement
Any alien who has been convicted of, who admits having committed, or who admits committing acts which constitute the essential elements of an offense under section 1368 of title 18, United States Code (relating to harming animals used in law enforcement), is inadmissible.
 .
(b)
Deportability
Section 237(a)(2) of the Immigration and Nationality Act ( 8 U.S.C. 1227(a)(2) ) is amended by adding at the end the following:
(G)
Harming animals used in law enforcement
Any alien who has been convicted of, who admits having committed, or who admits committing acts which constitute the essential elements of an offense under section 1368 of title 18, United States Code (relating to harming animals used in law enforcement), is deportable.
 .
     Passed the House of Representatives March 19, 2026.  Kevin F. McCumber,  Clerk.

Tracker

The tracker indicates the progress of this legislation as it moves through the legislative process.

  1. Introduced2025-07-23
  2. Passed House2026-03-19
  3. Passed Senate
  4. Conference
  5. To President
  6. Became Law

CRS Summary

The summaries are the Congressional Research Service’s, one per stage. Read them in full.

Introduced in House Jul 23, 2025

hb4638/introduced-in-house.md

Shown Here:
Introduced in House (07/23/2025)

Bill to Outlaw Wounding of Official Working Animals Act or the BOWOW Act

This bill establishes that a non-U.S. national (alien under federal law) convicted of, or who admits to having committed, an offense related to harming animals used in law enforcement is inadmissible and deportable.

Sponsors

Rep. Ken Calvert (R) sponsors H.R. 4638, and 19 members have co-sponsored it, 14 of them from the day it was introduced.

Committees

H.R. 4638 went before 2 committees: Judiciary and Judiciary.

Judiciary
Judiciary
Referred To · Mar 19, 2026
Judiciary
Judiciary
Reported By · Dec 12, 2025 · 2,181 Bills

Reports

1 committee report has been filed on H.R. 4638, the latest H. Rept. 119-407.

  • H. Rept. 119-407 — BILL TO OUTLAW WOUNDING OF OFFICIAL WORKING ANIMALS ACT OF 2025

Actions

H.R. 4638 has taken 17 actions since Jul 23, 2025, the latest on Mar 19, 2026.

ChamberAction
Mar 19, 202609:09
House
Considered under the provisions of rule H. Res. 1115. (consideration: CR H2600-2606)
Mar 19, 202609:09
House
Rule provides for consideration of H.R. 556, H.R. 1958 and H.R. 4638. The resolution provides for consideration of H.R. 556, H.R. 1958, and H.R. 4638 under a closed rule. The resolution provides for one hour of general debate and one motion to recommit on each bill.
Mar 19, 202609:11
House
DEBATE - The House proceeded with one hour of debate on H.R. 4638.
Mar 19, 202609:54
House
The previous question was ordered pursuant to the rule.
Mar 19, 202610:31
House
On passage Passed by the Yeas and Nays: 228 - 190 (Roll no. 96). (text of amendment in the nature of a substitute: CR H2600)House roll call 96 228–190

Votes

H.R. 4638 went to 1 roll call in the House, the latest on Mar 19, 2026 at 228–190.

ChamberQuestion
Yea
Nay
Mar 19, 2026
House
On Passage
228
190

Amendments

1 amendment has been offered to H.R. 4638, the latest acted on Mar 19, 2026.

1 bill is related to H.R. 4638, as Procedurally related.

HRES 1115Providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 556) to prohibit the Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of Agriculture from prohibiting the use of lead ammunition or tackle on certain Federal land or water under the jurisdiction of the Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of Agriculture, and for other purposes; providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 1958) to amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to clarify that aliens who have been convicted of defrauding the United States Government or the unlawful receipt of public benefits are inadmissible and deportable; providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 4638) to amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to provide that an alien who has been convicted of harming animals used in law enforcement is inadmissible and deportable, and for other purposes; and relating to consideration of motions to suspend the rules.Mar 17, 2026 · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection. · Procedurally related

Titles

H.R. 4638 goes by 9 titles, 6 of them short titles.

  • To amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to provide that an alien who has been convicted of harming animals used in law enforcement is inadmissible and deportable, and for other purposes. — Official Title as Introduced
  • Federal Working Animal Protection Act — Display Title
  • Federal Working Animal Protection Act — Short Titles from RFS (Referred to Senate) bill text
  • Federal Working Animal Protection Act — Short Title(s) as Passed House
  • To amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to provide that an alien who has been convicted of harming animals used in law enforcement is inadmissible and deportable, and for other purposes. — Official Titles from EH (Engrossed in House) bill text
  • Bill to Outlaw Wounding of Official Working Animals Act of 2025 — Short Title(s) as Reported to House
  • BOWOW Act of 2025 — Short Title(s) as Reported to House
  • BOWOW Act — Short Title(s) as Introduced
  • Bill to Outlaw Wounding of Official Working Animals Act — Short Title(s) as Introduced

Cost estimate

The Congressional Budget Office has filed 1 estimate for H.R. 4638, the latest on Dec 15, 2025.

Lobbying

5 clients hired 5 firms and 11 registered lobbyists who named H.R. 4638 in 6 quarterly filings, 2025 to 2026. Reported under the Lobbying Disclosure Act; a filing’s income covers everything its registrant worked that quarter, so the amounts below are the filings’, not this bill’s.

Filed under Immigration, Budget/Appropriations, Civil Rights/Civil Liberties, Law Enforcement/Crime/Criminal Justice, Education, Health Issues, Labor Issues/Antitrust/Workplace, Medicare/Medicaid.

Clients

Who paid to be heard, by how many filings named the bill.

ClientBusinessStateFirmsFilingsReported
SOUTHERN POVERTY LAW CENTER, INC.501c3 NFP focusing on civil rightsAlabama12—
FEDERATION FOR AMERICAN IMMIGRATION REFORM—District of Columbia11—
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF SOCIAL WORKERS—District of Columbia11—
NATIONAL IMMIGRATION LAW CENTER (NILC)Nonprofit organizationCalifornia11—
SERVICE EMPLOYEES INTERNATIONAL UNION CTW-CLC—District of Columbia11—

Firms

Registrants who filed on the bill, by filings.

RegistrantClientsFilingsReported
SOUTHERN POVERTY LAW CENTER, INC.12—
FEDERATION FOR AMERICAN IMMIGRATION REFORM11—
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF SOCIAL WORKERS11—
NATIONAL IMMIGRATION LAW CENTER (NILC)11—
SERVICE EMPLOYEES INTERNATIONAL UNION CTW-CLC11—

Lobbyists

Named on the filings that cite the bill.

LobbyistFirmsClientsFilings
SAKIRA COOK112
ALISA FARLEY111
BENJAMIN D'AVANZO111
DALEN HARRIS111
DINA KASTNER111
ISAIAH WILSON111
JA'BREE HARRIS111
JOE CHATHAM111
JOHN GRAY111
JOSH BERNSTEIN111
SARAH HEYDEMANN111

Filings

The documents themselves, on the Senate’s Lobbying Disclosure site, largest reported first.

ClientRegistrantPeriodReportedDocument
SOUTHERN POVERTY LAW CENTER, INC.SOUTHERN POVERTY LAW CENTER, INC.2026 second_quarter$480K2nd Quarter - Report
SOUTHERN POVERTY LAW CENTER, INC.SOUTHERN POVERTY LAW CENTER, INC.2026 first_quarter$450K1st Quarter - Report
SERVICE EMPLOYEES INTERNATIONAL UNION CTW-CLCSERVICE EMPLOYEES INTERNATIONAL UNION CTW-CLC2026 second_quarter$300K2nd Quarter - Report
FEDERATION FOR AMERICAN IMMIGRATION REFORMFEDERATION FOR AMERICAN IMMIGRATION REFORM2026 first_quarter$44K1st Quarter - Report
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF SOCIAL WORKERSNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF SOCIAL WORKERS2025 first_quarter$17K1st Quarter - Report
NATIONAL IMMIGRATION LAW CENTER (NILC)NATIONAL IMMIGRATION LAW CENTER (NILC)2025 fourth_quarter$10K4th Quarter - Report

Classification

The Congressional Research Service files H.R. 4638 under Immigration, one of its 31 policy areas, and gives it 4 legislative subjects.

CRS Subjects

CRS assigns every bill one policy area from its 31; H.R. 4638’s is Immigration.

hr4638/policy-areas.txt
ImmigrationAgriculture and FoodAnimalsArmed Forces and National SecurityArts, Culture, ReligionCivil Rights and Liberties, Minority IssuesCommerceCongressCrime and Law EnforcementEconomics and Public FinanceEducationEmergency ManagementEnergyEnvironmental ProtectionFamiliesFinance and Financial SectorForeign Trade and International FinanceGovernment Operations and PoliticsHealthHousing and Community DevelopmentInternational AffairsLabor and EmploymentLawNative AmericansPublic Lands and Natural ResourcesScience, Technology, CommunicationsSocial WelfareSports and RecreationTaxationTransportation and Public WorksWater Resources Development

Legislative Subjects

H.R. 4638 carries 4 of CRS’s legislative subjects, from Animal protection and human-animal relationships to Immigration status and procedures.

hr4638/subjects.txt
Animal protection and human-animal relationshipsBorder security and unlawful immigrationCrimes against animals and natural resourcesImmigration status and procedures

Constitutional authority

The clause the sponsor cites as Congress’s power to enact H.R. 4638, as entered in the Congressional Record.

[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 126 (Wednesday, July 23, 2025)][House]From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]By Mr. CALVERT:H.R. 4638.Congress has the power to enact this legislation pursuantto the following:The constitutional authority of Congress to enact thislegislation is provided by Article 1, Section 8 of the UnitedStates Constitution, specifically clause 1 and clause 18.[Page H3647]

Source: congress.gov · legiscan.com