Original Intent of the CHIMP Act Finally Realized

As Project R&R reported to you last week, the House and Senate passed the “Chimp Haven is Home Act.” (See below.)  The bill was signed into law yesterday by President Bush, prohibiting all “retired” chimpanzees in federal sanctuary from ever being returned to research.  Thus, the original intent of the 2000 CHIMP Act—to provide permanent protection from research—has been secured.

---

Thursday - December 20, 2007Project R&R received wonderful news last night—the Chimp Haven is Home Act passed! We reported to you earlier that it passed the Senate. Though it took a bit of last minute work by Congressman McCrery’s and Senator Burr’s staff, it gained approval in the House as well.  Linda Brent, Ph.D., President and Director of Chimp Haven, the national chimpanzee sanctuary, thanked Dr. Jane Goodall, NEAVS, Arcus, NAVS, HSUS and everyone who “work[ed] so hard on behalf of the chimpanzees!” The bill now awaits President Bush’s signature to become law.Theodora Capaldo, Ed.D, President and Director of NEAVS/Project R&R noted that “Most significantly, passage of this amendment reinstates the original intent of the CHIMP Act which is to provide permanent sanctuary for chimpanzees ‘retired’ from research.”

Most of the chimpanzees who are “retired” from research are elderly, in ill-health or simply too compromised from past research to be used in future research and therefore unlikely to have ever been called back. However, passage of this amendment is a moral victory in that it acknowledges not only the right to retirement but the right to have that rescue from research be permanently guaranteed. Such permanent protection has been afforded chimpanzees rescued from research and welcomed at privately funded sanctuaries like Fauna Foundation and Save the Chimps. It is important that those retired into Chimp Haven, the national sanctuary system, funded in large part by the government, be afforded the same protection.

Project R&R commends Congressman McCrery and Senator Burr for their leadership and compassion in helping to realize the true and original intent of the CHIMP Act by securing passage of the Chimp Haven is Home Act 2007. We extend a special thanks to all of our supporters who wrote letters and made calls to their own legislators asking for their support of this important legislation.