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H.R. TBD House Real Bill Not Yet Introduced 119th Congress

Protecting Puppies from Sharia Act

A Bill to Solve a Problem That Doesn't Exist

Legislative Progress Introduced Feb 20, 2026
House Origin → Both Chambers → President
House (origin)
Introduced
2
Committee
3
Passed House
Senate
4
Received in Senate
5
Committee
6
Passed Senate
President
President
Absurdity Index
10/10
9-10Fish on Meth
The Gist
Fish on Meth

After posting on X that he'd choose dogs over Muslims, Rep. Randy Fine doubled down by drafting a bill to protect Americans' right to own dogs from a threat that doesn't exist. The bill would strip federal funds from any government that bans dog ownership—something no state, county, city, or township in the United States has ever done. It's a legislative solution to a social media controversy, dressed up as animal welfare.

Why It Matters

It doesn't—at least not as policy. No U.S. jurisdiction prohibits dog ownership, making the bill's operative provision a solution without a problem. The Animal Welfare Act (1966), state anti-cruelty statutes in all 50 states, and breed-specific local ordinances already form a comprehensive framework for animal protection in America. The bill's real function is political messaging: it reframes a controversy about anti-Muslim rhetoric as a debate about dog rights, and it gives the newly formed 'Sharia-Free America Caucus' a legislative vehicle to rally around. As governance, it's a press release with a bill number.

Sponsor
Randy Fine [R-FL-6] R
Committee
Unknown — Not Yet Referred
Introduced
Feb 20, 2026
Category
Civil Rights

Party Balance

R
Primary Sponsor Randy Fine [R-FL-6]
Republican
Cosponsors (4 total)
R:4

Key Milestones

0 total actions

Expected to be introduced in House

Estimated Taxpayer Cost

$158,316

~2 hours of congressional session time at $79,158/hour

(535 members × $174k salary ÷ 147 session days ÷ 8 hours)

Simplified estimate based on salary costs only. Actual costs include staff, facilities, and lost productivity.

Satire notice: Spending figures, pork tracking, and editorial commentary below are satirical estimates for entertainment purposes. They are not official government cost analyses. Legislative history and vote records are real — verify at Congress.gov .

Pork Barrel Meter
$0
$0$100B$1T+
"Squeaky Clean"

Satirical estimate for entertainment purposes

Watch the Sausage Get Made

See how this bill transformed through 1 stages of the legislative process.

Deep Dive

Related Bills 3
H.R. 5512

No Shari'a Act

Related
H.R. 5722

Preserving a Sharia-Free America Act

Related
S. 3009

Preserving a Sharia-Free America Act

Related

What This Bill Actually Does

The Protecting Puppies from Sharia Act does two things:

  1. Operative provision: Blocks federal funds from flowing to any state or local government that prohibits residents from owning dogs.
  2. Nonbinding provision: A “sense of Congress” declaring that “Sharia law is a foreign concept that is against the pursuit of happiness” and that “it is a right of all Americans to own a dog.”

That’s it. The entire bill.

The Problem It Solves

None. There is no state, county, city, township, borough, parish, or unincorporated territory in the United States that bans dog ownership. Some localities have breed-specific legislation (pit bull restrictions, for example), but no jurisdiction prohibits owning dogs outright.

The bill’s operative provision—cutting federal funds to governments that ban dogs—is a remedy for a situation that has never existed in American history.

The United States already has an extensive legal framework for animal welfare:

  • Animal Welfare Act (1966): The primary federal animal protection law, covering housing, handling, sanitation, veterinary care, and transportation standards.
  • State anti-cruelty statutes: All 50 states have felony-level animal cruelty laws on the books.
  • PAWS Act: Federal grants providing emergency shelter for domestic violence survivors with pets.
  • Local ordinances: Thousands of municipal and county ordinances governing pet ownership, licensing, leash laws, and breed restrictions.

None of these laws are under threat from Sharia law or any other legal framework.

The Real Context

The bill traces directly to a social media controversy. On February 15, 2026, Rep. Fine posted on X: “If they force us to choose, the choice between dogs and Muslims is not a difficult one.” He was responding to activist Nerdeen Kiswani’s comments about dog owners not cleaning up after their pets on New York City streets.

The post generated immediate backlash:

Worth noting: Kiswani’s original post about dogs was, by her own account to NBC News, satirical — aimed at New York dog owners not picking up after their pets. The full post read: “Finally, NYC is coming to Islam. Dogs definitely have a place in society, just not as indoor pets.”

Fine’s response was to double down. He accused CAIR of wanting America to be “sharia-compliant” and claimed they oppose dog ownership. He then drafted this bill, with the backing of the Sharia-Free America Caucus—a congressional caucus he co-founded with Reps. Chip Roy, Eric Burlison, Keith Self, and Mark Harris.

The bill is a legislative instrument of damage control: it reframes a controversy about anti-Muslim rhetoric as a fight to protect dogs.

The Cosponsors

All four cosponsors are members of the Sharia-Free America Caucus:

  • Rep. Brandon Gill (R-TX)
  • Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX)
  • Rep. Mary Miller (R-IL)
  • Rep. Keith Self (R-TX)

No Democratic cosponsors.

Fine has introduced two other anti-Sharia bills in the 119th Congress:

  • H.R. 5512 — No Shari’a Act: Bars U.S. courts from enforcing judgments based on Sharia law.
  • H.R. 5722 — Preserving a Sharia-Free America Act: Denies immigration benefits to anyone who “adheres to Sharia law.”

The Supremacy Clause of the Constitution (Article VI) already establishes that the Constitution is the supreme law of the land, making foreign legal systems unenforceable in U.S. courts without this legislation.

Source: This bill has been announced but not yet formally filed with the 119th Congress. Details are based on reporting from The Hill, The Floridian, and Florida Politics.

Disclaimer: The absurdity score and editorial commentary above represent this site’s opinion. Bill details should be verified at Congress.gov once the bill is formally introduced.

This page is satirical commentary by AbsurdityIndex.org. Legislative history comes from public congressional records; spending estimates and "pork" figures are editorial and may not reflect official cost analyses. Absurdity scores are subjective editorial ratings. Verify all claims at Congress.gov