By Sara Amundson and Kitty Block

There’s some good news for animals in the funding packages for the U.S. Department of Interior and the U.S. Department of Justice that passed the Senate last week and were just signed into law.

These wins are the result of animal advocates—both us and our allies—who never wavered in the view that the protection of animals matters, and that it’s something that the American people want. Here are the animal welfare wins in the FY2026 funding packages:

Gray wolves and grizzly bears saved

By Sara Amundson and Kitty Block

Note: This blog is part of a series on ways we tackle the root causes of animal cruelty to create a more humane world for animals. For this post, Sara Amundson, president of Humane World Action Fund, joins me to tell the story of how we confront animal cruelty and suffering at the roots by changing laws and government regulations.

“Why isn’t this illegal?”

We have posted the preview version of our annual Humane Scorecard to help you assess the position of federal legislators on our priority measures. If you do not see your senators and your representative listed as co-sponsors of key bills, we hope you’ll reach out, asking them to promptly co-sponsor them. In addition to holding elected officials accountable for their votes, the scorecard creates incentives for federal legislators to assert leadership on humane issues and take the pro-animal position on a range of actions.

By Sara Amundson and Kitty Block

The longest federal shutdown in American history has ended. The funding package that was passed by the U.S. House and Senate earlier this week has now been signed into law.

By Sara Amundson and Kitty Block

At midnight last night, the U.S. federal government shut down because Congress failed to pass funding legislation for the government in the new fiscal year, which begins October 1. When a shutdown occurs, “non-essential” federal workers are furloughed, which means they are placed on temporary leave in accordance with agency contingency plans. Some workers remain to continue operations deemed “essential,” typically working without pay until the federal government reopens.

Before the U.S. Senate adjourned on August 2, members advanced several key federal funding bills with significant implications for animals. We’ve been working hard to ensure the best possible outcomes – and we want to share some of the results with you, since we’re going to need your help to lock in the important gains we’ve secured.

Update August 1, 2025: The Senate passed the FY 2026 federal funding bill for the U.S. Department of Agriculture and Food and Drug Administration with a bipartisan vote of 87-9. The bill awaits further action in the U.S. House of Representatives.