The Congressional Record is a unique source of public documentation. It started in 1873, documenting nearly all the major and minor policies being discussed and debated.
“PETITIONS AND MEMORIALS” mentioning the U.S. Dept of Agriculture was published in the Senate section on pages S3035-S3036 on May 3, 2010.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
PETITIONS AND MEMORIALS
The following petition or memorial was laid before the Senate and was referred or ordered to lie on the table as indicated:
POM-98. A concurrent resolution adopted by the Senate of the Legislature of the State of Missouri relative to urging the Untied States Congress to strongly support the continuation of horse processing in the United States and to offer incentives that help create horse processing plants throughout the United States; to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.
Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 8
Whereas, horse processing is the most tightly regulated of any animal harvest, and the horse is the only animal that has its transportation to processing regulated. If horse processing plants are forced to close and export options are eliminated, the Horse Welfare Coalition estimates that 90,000 to 100,000 unwanted horses annually would be exposed to potential abandonment and neglect; and
Whereas, the 90,000 to 100,000 additional unwanted horses each year would compete for adoption with the 32,000 wild horses that United States taxpayers are already paying $40 million to shelter and feed; and
Whereas, the nation's inadequate, overburdened, and unregulated horse rescue and adoption facilities cannot handle the influx of the approximately 60,000 or more additional horses each year that would result from a harvesting ban, according to the Congressional Research Service; and
Whereas, many zoo animal diets rely on equine protein because it mimics what the animal would receive in the wild. Veterinarians and animal nutritionists say it is the healthiest diet for big cats and rare birds. If legislation shuts down horse processing facilities, the only source for this meat that is inspected by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will be eliminated: Now therefore be it
Resolved, That the members of the Missouri Senate, Ninety-fifth General Assembly, First Regular Session, the House of Representatives concurring therein, hereby urge the United States Congress to strongly support the continuation of horse processing in the United States and to offer incentives that help create horse processing plants throughout the United States, such as state-inspected horse harvest for export; and be it further
Resolved, That the members of the Missouri General Assembly strongly encourage Congress to support new horse processing facilities and the continuation of existing facilities on both the state and national level; and be it further
Resolved, That the members of the Missouri General Assembly urge Congress to oppose any legislation introduced in the 111th Congress that would restrict the transportation and processing of horses in the United States and internationally; and be it further
Resolved, That the members of the Missouri General Assembly support the location of USDA-approved horse processing facilities on state, tribal, or private lands under mutually-acceptable and market-driven land leases and, if necessary, a mutually-acceptable assignment of revenues that meet the needs of all parties involved with the facility; and be it further
Resolved, That the Secretary of the Missouri Senate be instructed to prepare properly inscribed copies of this resolution for the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives and the members of the Missouri Congressional delegation.
____________________
