The worst sin toward our fellow creatures is not to hate them, but to be indifferent to them: that's the essence of inhumanity. -George Bernard Shaw

Monday, October 31, 2005

Working for a permanent ban on HORSE SLAUGHTER

CONGRESSMEN SWEENEY AND WHITFIELD – GOOD FOR HORSES AND DEMOCRACY

October 29, 2005 (Washington, D.C.) - First introduced by Representatives John Sweeney (R-NY), John Spratt (D-SC), Ed Whitfield (R-KY) and Nick Rahall (D-WV) in June, the “Horse Slaughter Amendment” passed the US House of Representatives by a sweeping vote of 269-158. It later passed the US Senate by 69-28 thanks to the leadership of its sponsors Senator John Ensign (R-NV) and Senator Robert C. Byrd (D-WV). The amendment is intended to temporarily end horse slaughter through a prohibition on funding for regulatory duties associated with horse slaughter.

Despite these overwhelming votes and strong public opposition to horse slaughter, the “Horse Slaughter Amendment” was assaulted earlier this week when certain higher-ups in Congress, including Agriculture Appropriations Conference Committee Chairman Henry Bonilla (R-TX), vowed to axe the language as it went through its final stages on Capitol Hill.

"The House and Senate overwhelmingly voted for my amendment. Yet isolated, special interests ruled the day by allowing the will of Congress to be disregarded. I am deeply disappointed that our Leadership allowed a backroom provision to be included after the voice of Congress was clearly heard,” Congressman Sweeney said. “This type of blatant disregard for the rule of order in Congress and the will of the people is unconscionable. I am committed to ending the gruesome slaughter of horses and resolve to keep up the fight until we achieve victory."

More than 65,000 horses were slaughtered in America last year at three foreign-owned plants. Tens of thousands more were exported and slaughtered abroad. Meat processed in the United States is shipped to Europe and Asia for human consumption.

“The Horse Slaughter Amendment will come into effect in March 2006, but it is temporary and was manipulated from its original intent by underhanded political tactics. Congress should be ashamed at the behavior exhibited by a few over this important measure. Thankfully, we have leaders such as the sponsors of this amendment and the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act fighting for our issues and defending the political process,” said New York Thoroughbred owner John Hettinger, chairman of the National Horse Protection Coalition.

A permanent ban on horse slaughter can only be provided through passage of the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act, H.R. 503 in the House of Representatives and S. 1915 in the Senate. Everyone concerned about the welfare of America's horses should call their Representative and both Senators today urging cosponsorship and immediate action on these important bills.

We cannot allow the underhanded political actions of a few to destroy the will of the American people on this very important bill.

To find your Representative and Senators please visit www.horse-protection.org

Thank you,
Chris Heyde
Executive Director

Thursday, October 27, 2005

ANOTHER SUCCESS!

American Horse Defense Fund: US Horse Slaughter Will Halt
PR Newswire (press release) - New York,NY,USA
27 /PRNewswire/ -- The brutal horse slaughter industry in the US was dealt an appropriate and overdue blow on Wednesday, October 26 when the US House and ...
See all stories on this topic

Horses Win Reprieve from Slaughter
U.S. Newswire (press release) - Washington,DC,USA
... 26 /US Newswire/ -- Horse slaughter will finally stop next year following approval of the Horse Slaughter Amendment in the Agriculture Appropriations ...
See all stories on this topic

Anti-slaughter bill introduced in US Senate
Thoroughbred Times - Lexington,KY,USA
A measure introduced in the United States Senate on Monday would permanently ban horse slaughter for human consumption as well as the international transport ...

Thursday, October 20, 2005

Horse Slaughter Amendment Threatened

The “Horse Slaughter Amendment”, which would end horse slaughter by denying federal funding for regulatory duties associated with horse slaughter during this next fiscal year, is under serious attack. Although it passed by wide majorities in both the House of Representatives and Senate, the amendment may be axed behind closed doors. The Agriculture Appropriations bill to which the amendment was attached is now before the Conference Committee to reconcile any differences between the House and Senate version before going to the President for signature, and it is here that the language could be stripped.

Although the House and Senate passed identical horse slaughter amendments (to stop horse slaughter in the US and prevent the export of horses for slaughter abroad) and shouldn’t be altered or omitted according to Congressional rules, it appears these rules may be ignored and the language may be removed. If this happens, horses will continue to be slaughtered in this country despite overwhelming public and Congressional support to end the practice.

What You Can Do:

If your Representative or Senators are among the select group of conferees that will consider this bill (see below for list), your voice is especially important now. Please contact and urge him/her to “Keep the Horse Slaughter amendment intact.” If your Representative or Senators don’t serve on the Conference Committee, you may still contact the conferees and ask them to “Keep the Horse Slaughter amendment in!”

We have never been this close to ending horse slaughter. Please act now before the will of the American public and the full Congress is subverted. Tens of thousands of horses will be spared from brutal butchery if we can maintain the current amendments. To get the facts on horse slaughter and to see a list of the Conference Committee members, please visit: http://www.saplonline.org/horses.htm.

******************************
Christopher J. Heyde
Policy Analyst
Society for Animal Protective Legislation
(A Division of the Animal Welfare Institute)
PO Box 3719
Washington, DC 20027
www.saplonline.org


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Members of the FY06 Agriculture Appropriations Bill
Conference Committee

Capitol Hill Switchboard: (202) 224-3121

HOUSE AGRICULTURE APPROPRIATIONS SUBCOMMITTEE

Representative Henry Bonilla, (R-TX) Chairman – (202) 225-4511

Representative Rosa L. DeLauro, (D-CT) Ranking Member – (202) 225-3661

Representative Jerry Lewis, (R-CA) Chairman, Full Committee - (202) 225-2771

Representative David Obey, (D-WI), Ranking Member, Full Committee - (202) 225-3365

Representative Rodney Alexander, (R-LA) – (202) 225-8490

Representative Allen Boyd, (D-FL) – (202) 225-5235

Representative John Doolittle, (R-CA) – (202) 225-6511

Representative Jo Ann Emerson, (R-MO) – (202) 225-4404

Representative Sam Farr, (D-CA) – (202) 225-2861

Representative Virgil Goode, (R-VA) – (202) 225-4711

Representative Jack Kingston, (R-GA) – (202) 225-5831

Representative Tom Latham, (R-IA) – (202) 225-5476

Representative Ray LaHood, (R–IL) Vice Chair– (202) 225-6201

Representative Marcy Kaptur, (D-OH) – (202) 225-4146

Representative Maurice D. Hinchey, (D-NY) – (202) 225-6335



SENATE AGRICULTURE APPROPRIATIONS SUBCOMMITTEE

Senator Robert Bennett, (R-UT) Chairman – (202) 224-5444

Senator Herb Kohl, (D-WI) Ranking Member – (202) 224-5653

Senator Ted Stevens, (R-AK) - (202) 224-3004

Senator Robert C. Byrd, (D-WV) - (202) 224-3945

Senator Christopher Bond, (R-MO) – (202) 224-5721

Senator Sam Brownback, (R-KS) – (202) 224-6521

Senator Conrad Burns, (R-MT) – (202) 224-2644

Senator Thad Cochran, (R-MS) – (202) 224-5054

Senator Larry Craig, (R-ID) – (202) 224-2752

Senator Byron Dorgan, (D-ND) – (202) 224-2551

Senator Richard Durbin, (D-IL) – (202) 224-2152

Senator Dianne Feinstein, (D-CA) – (202) 224-3841

Senator Tom Harkin, (D-IA) – (202) 224-3254

Senator Tim Johnson, (D-SD) – (202) 224-5842

Senator Mary Landrieu, (D-LA) – (202) 224-5824

Senator Mitch McConnell, (R-KY) – (202) 224-2541

Senator Arlen Specter, (R-PA) – (202) 224-4254