Requires U.S. Customs and Border Protection to start a three-year pilot program that adopts shelter dogs and trains them as support dogs, without new funding.

Official title: PEARL Act

Next stop Senate: awaiting action

Timeline each lane is a chamber; dates pull from congress.gov actions

House

Introduced 18-JUN-2026

Referred 18-JUN-2026

Approved by committee 24-JUN-2026

Reported 10-SEP-2026

On the calendar 10-SEP-2026

Passed 16-SEP-2026

Senate

Received 16-SEP-2026

Key points

Requires the Secretary of Homeland Security, through the CBP Commissioner, to establish the pilot program within 60 days of enactment
Directs CBP to adopt dogs from local animal shelters and train them for CBP's Support Canine Program
Ends the pilot program three years after it is established
Authorizes no additional funds to carry out the program

AI-generated from the Engrossed in House text of 16-SEP-2026 · verify · report an error

Official CRS summary

Covers an older version. The newest CRS summary describes the bill as of "Introduced in House" (18-JUN-2026); the text has changed since (Engrossed in House, 16-SEP-2026).

CRS is the Library of Congress's nonpartisan research office. Read it on congress.gov

Committee referrals (1)

Homeland Security Committee (House)

Policy area

Immigration

Sponsor David P. Joyce (R-OH) Cosponsors · 7

■ 4 D■ 3 R

4 Democrats

3 Republicans

congress.gov page Engrossed in House (16-SEP-2026) Reported in House (10-SEP-2026) Introduced in House (18-JUN-2026)