Sustained by widespread public reactions, conservatives in Congress organized their opposition against a government initiative aimed at eradicating rats in impoverished neighborhoods. Their criticism was sharply focused and often satirical, reflecting skepticism about the effort and portraying it as unnecessary or misguided.

Conservatives also used humor and exaggeration, with one claiming it was a "civil rats bill," and another sarcastically recommending that the President should simply buy cats to handle the problem. These reactions highlight the political and cultural tensions surrounding public health initiatives during that period.