Republican Rep. Randy Fine is back in the spotlight after introducing the “Protecting Puppies from Sharia Act,” a bill that would block federal funding from any state or local government that bans dogs as pets. Yes, a puppy bill — welcome to modern politics.

Fine announced the legislation on X, saying Americans will always choose dogs over radical Islam. “I am proud to introduce the Protecting Puppies from Sharia Act,” Fine wrote, adding that Democrats “are losing their minds” over his stance. His post even featured a puppy alongside the famous “Don’t tread on me” slogan — subtlety clearly wasn’t the goal.

“In America, we will not allow anyone to tell us that we cannot have dogs,” Fine said. His bill would prevent federal funds from going to governments that label dogs as “haram,” an Arabic term meaning forbidden under Islamic law. Fine summed it up bluntly: “There are 57 countries that are Sharia compliant; the United States will not be the 58th.” Message received — loud and furry.

Democrats reacted with outrage over Fine’s earlier social media comments suggesting that if forced to choose, Americans would pick dogs over Muslims. They accused him of extreme rhetoric and demanded punishment. Fine, however, argued his remarks weren’t made in a vacuum.

The controversy started when Nerdeen Kiswani, a pro-Palestinian activist linked to New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, posted that New York was “coming to Islam” when it comes to dogs being considered unclean as indoor pets. She later said it was a joke. Fine wasn’t laughing.

“I didn’t have ‘Democrats want to ban dogs to appease radical Islam’ on my bingo card,” Fine quipped, before admitting — with heavy sarcasm — that it actually “totally tracks.”

In an interview with The Hill, Fine said he clearly distinguishes between “mainstream Islam” and “radical Islam,” and even joked about bringing a dog as a guest to the State of the Union.

“If a group of people says, ‘Dogs violate our religion, so you have to stop having them,’ my answer is simple: no,” Fine said. “These are our pets.”

Fine is expected to formally introduce the bill on Friday, with four co-sponsors already lined up. Whether the bill advances or not, one thing is certain: the debate has gone to the dogs — and Fine is betting Americans will keep their leashes in hand.

And in a country that still believes freedom includes a loyal companion on four legs, that’s a message plenty of voters understand loud and clear.