In only the first half of the 109 th Congress, the animals are winning lopsided votes in favor of their protection like never before. This momentum is due, in very large part, to Humane USA's work to support and elect candidates who fight for animal welfare, and to punish lawmakers who are hostile to animals. Animal protection champions in both the House and the Senate are leading the way for meaningful reforms, and anti-animal legislators (such as former Reps. Chris John and Charlie Stenholm) are watching the action on C-SPAN because Humane USA drummed them out of office. The last few months have yielded major victories for animals, including the following wins.
Ridding America of Animal Fighting : At the end of April, the U.S. Senate unanimously approved S. 382, the Animal Fighting Prohibition Enforcement Act , which strengthens the federal penalties to crack down on cruel and illegal dogfighting , cockfighting, and hog-dog fights. Many Senators recognized the impact that animal fighting had in defeating pro-cockfighting candidate Chris John in last year's Louisiana Senate race, thanks to Humane USA's work to educate voters in that state and to swing the balance in favor of now- Sen . David Vitter (R-LA).
The animal fighting bill was introduced by Sen. John Ensign (R-NV) with eleven original co-sponsors, including Sen. Vitter. Judiciary Committee Chairman Arlen Specter (R-PA), Ranking Democrat on the Judiciary Committee Patrick Leahy (D-VT), and Republican Conference Chair Rick Santorum (R-PA) played key roles in winning Senate passage. Sen. Ensign said, “As a veterinarian, I believe passage of this bill is a vital step in ending one of the most barbaric practices concerning animals that exists today.” An identical bill in the House, H.R. 817, sponsored by Rep. Mark Green (R-WI) and 121 co-sponsors, is awaiting passage. Click here to contact your Representative in support of the bill.
Restoring Federal Protections for Wild Horses and Burros : In May, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Rahall-Whitfield amendment to the Interior Appropriations bill in a landslide vote of 249-159 to restore the 34-year-old ban on the commercial sale and slaughter of wild free-roaming horses and burros. Stealth legislation introduced by Sen. Conrad Burns (R-MT) last December gutted federal protections of wild horses and passed with no hearing or debate as part of the Omnibus Appropriations bill in the closing days of the last Congressional session. The Burns amendment reversed longstanding federal policy that banned wild horses from being sold at auction and subsequently shipped to slaughter plants. Since its passage, 41 wild horses were sold at auction by the Bureau of Land Management and immediately sent to slaughter by the purchasers.
The new pro-horse amendment, sponsored by Reps. Nick Rahall (D-WV) and Ed Whitfield (R-KY), reverses the Burns rider and restores federal protections for wild horses and burros. The successful Rahall-Whitfield amendment closely mirrors their free-standing Wild Horse Act, H.R. 297, as well as a companion bill pending in the Senate, S. 576, introduced by Sen. Robert C. Byrd (D-WV). Click here to take action.
Ending All Slaughter of American Horses for Foreign Food : In early June, in another landslide vote to protect horses, the U.S. House of Representatives added domestic horses to the debate by voting 269-158 during consideration of the Agriculture Appropriations bill to halt the taxpayer support of the slaughter of nearly 90,000 companion horses, thoroughbreds, show horses, family ponies, and other horses each year for foreign consumption. The successful amendment by Reps. John Sweeney (R-NY) and John Spratt (D-SC), will defund inspections of horses at the three U.S. horse slaughterhouses and border inspections of slaughter-bound horses. The amendment eliminates the practice of slaughtering horses for human consumption, whether domestic or wild.
“Since our nation was founded, we as a country have shared a special relationship with the horse,” said Rep. Sweeney. “It is unconscionable that for decades, we have been using federal taxpayer dollars to support a practice that the American public is overwhelmingly opposed to. I'm pleased to see that my colleagues agree that this horrid inhumane treatment must end.” Sen. John Ensign (R-NV) has pledged to introduce a bill in the Senate to outlaw the slaughter of horses for human consumption. Click here to take action.
More Priorities Ahead : Animal fighting and horse slaughter bills are moving, but we have other key priorities for the 109 th Congress.
Sens . Rick Santorum (R-PA) and Richard Durbin (D-IL) and Reps. Jim Gerlach (R-PA) and Sam Farr (D-CA) have introduced the Pet Animal Welfare Statute (PAWS) , S. 1139 and H.R. 2669, to provide more humane standards of care at mass-breeding “puppy mills.”
Reps. Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX) and Rob Simmons (R-CT) are pushing H.R. 1329, the Captive Primate Safety Act , to ban the inhumane and dangerous interstate pet trade in apes and monkeys. A Senate bill is expected soon.
Rep. Tom Davis (R-VA) has introduced H.R. 1558, the Computer-Assisted Remote Hunting Act to ban the pay-per-view slaughter of captive animals over the Internet.
Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ) and Reps. Sam Farr (D-CA) and Chris Shays (R-CT) have authored the Sportsmanship in Hunting Act , S. 304 and H.R. 1688, to ban the shooting of captive, exotic animals trapped behind fences at “canned hunts.”
None of these animal protection victories would be possible without your support of Humane USA. The only way to pass humane laws is to elect humane lawmakers, and our work in elections across the country is paying off. We plan on achieving more wins for the animals this year, but we need your help. Please support our work by donating online today.
Thank you for helping animals, and for your support.
