U.S. House of Representatives, representing animals in PACT Act

According to Congress.gov, the 116th Congress House Bill 724 from the U.S. House of Representatives, representing animals in PACT Act (the bipartisan Preventing Animal Cruelty and Torture Act) was passed in the House Tuesday. The Bill would make malicious animal cruelty a Federal felony. It covers crushing, burning, drowning and impaling animals, among other things.

It also gives officials the authority to go after suspected animal abusers who cross state lines.

The so-called PACT Act bans animal cruelty recorded on video.

Violations of the PACT Act could result in prison time of up to seven years.

It provides additional exceptions for conduct, or a video of conduct, including conduct that is (1) medical or scientific research, (2) necessary to protect the life or property of a person, (3) performed as part of euthanizing an animal, or (4) unintentional.