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H.R. 1243: BEST Practices Act

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H.R. 1243: BEST Practices Act

115th Congress · introduced 2017-02-28 · Armed Forces and National Security · Latest: Referred to the Subcommittee on Emerging Threats and Capabilities.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

  1. Where it came from: introduced 2017-02-28 · official record
  2. Who proposed it: Rep. Johnson, Henry C. "Hank," Jr. [D-GA-4] · what a sponsor is
  3. What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
  4. Where it stands now: Referred to the Subcommittee on Emerging Threats and Capabilities. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
  5. If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

BEST Practices Act

Plain summary

Battlefield Excellence through Superior Training Practices Act or the BEST Practices Act This bill requires the Department of Defense (DOD), by no later than: (1) October 1, 2020, to complete the development, testing, and validation of human-based training methods for training members of the Armed Forces in the treatment of combat trauma injuries, with the goal of replacing live animal-based training methods; and (2) October 1, 2022, to use only use human-based training methods for such purposes. No animals may be used in such training after the latter date. DOD shall submit an annual report to Congress regarding the development and implementation of the human-based training methods.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).

What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

BEST Practices Act

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)

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The strongest published arguments

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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Rep. Johnson, Henry C. "Hank," Jr. [D-GA-4] · 150 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Ted Lieu (D-CA), Yvette D. Clarke (D-NY), Jamie Raskin (D-MD), James A. Himes (D-CT), Rosa L. DeLauro (D-CT), Steve Cohen (D-TN), Adam B. Schiff (D-CA), Mark Pocan (D-WI), Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL), Katherine M. Clark (D-MA), Nanette Diaz Barragán (D-CA), Scott H. Peters (D-CA), Janice D. Schakowsky (D-IL), Gwen Moore (D-WI), Brian K. Fitzpatrick (R-PA), Gregory W. Meeks (D-NY), Betty McCollum (D-MN), Chellie Pingree (D-ME), James P. McGovern (D-MA), Peter Welch (D-VT), Zoe Lofgren (D-CA), Mark DeSaulnier (D-CA), Christopher H. Smith (R-NJ), Brendan F. Boyle (D-PA), Dina Titus (D-NV), William R. Keating (D-MA), Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Judy Chu (D-CA) and 90 more.

Sponsor's campaign money: Rep. Johnson, Henry C. "Hank," Jr. [D-GA-4] reported raising $514,399 (2025–2026). Details. Shown for context only; it does not mean any donor supported this bill.

No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.

Words on this page, explained (1)
Bill
A proposed law. It becomes law only if it passes the legislature and is signed by the president or governor (or a veto is overridden).

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Record fed-us-cong115-hr1243 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong115 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong115