Congresswoman Nicole Malliotakis, who represents New York’s 11th district in the U.S. Congress, has called on the Secretary of Health and Human Services, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., to review and immediately halt the importation of nonhuman primates for research purposes.
In a letter addressed to Secretary Kennedy, Malliotakis highlighted concerns about the use of monkeys in laboratory experiments. She referenced a young macaque named Punch, stating: “Recently, we’ve all seen little Punch, a 7-month-old macaque monkey, steal the hearts of animal lovers across the world. Yet the reality is that these adorable creatures are often used for inhumane animal experiments. It’s past time we end this importation of these beautiful monkeys for cruel and unnecessary testing. Continuing to import primates is unjustifiable from public health, scientific, and fiscal perspectives. We cannot claim to protect workers, communities, agriculture, or the integrity of federally funded science while importing pathogen-carrying primates through a system that repeatedly fails at basic custody, containment, and disease control.”
Malliotakis has served as a member of Congress since 2021 after replacing Max Rose. Before her tenure in Congress, she was part of the New York State Assembly from 2011 to 2021. Born in New York City in 1980 and currently residing in Staten Island, Malliotakis holds degrees from Seton Hall University and Wagner College.
