Oregon Sen. Jeff Merkley (D) introduced a Senate bill Wednesday that he hopes would save a whole lot of kittens, according to CNN.

"The USDA breeds up to 100 kittens a year, feeds them parasite-infected meat in order to have the parasite's eggs harvested for use in other experiments, and then kills the kittens," Merkley told the news channel. "This bill would essentially stop this process."

His bill, the "Kittens in Traumatic Testing Ends Now Act of 2018,” (yes it spells “KITTEN”), would allow the kittens used in research to be adopted after research is concluded.

While the USDA's Agricultural Research Service did not immediately respond to CNN’s request for comment, a spokesperson called the use of cats "essential" when speaking to the station in May, adding that the USDA "makes every effort to minimize the number of cats used," while calling the cited 100 kittens a "serious over-estimation."

The department told CNN they cannot adopt out the cats because of the risk to humans who might adopt them.

Merkley disputed this, telling CNN that he has spoken to veterinarians who say that the cats can be treated for the parasites, come out "very healthy," and be safe to adopt.

"There's absolutely little cost and no reason not to treat them and adopt them out to American families," he told the station.

The effort to stop the euthanizations is a bipartisan one. Republican Rep. Mike Bishop, who recently lost his reelection bid, introduced a House version of the bill which now has 61 co-sponsors.

Merkley himself will not be adopting one of the kittens if his bill passes.

“My wife is allergic to cat hair,” he told CNN. “We’re going to stay a dog family, but I certainly empathize with the kittens.”