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.
“COCKFIGHTING” mentioning the U.S. Dept of Agriculture was published in the House of Representatives section on pages H2475-H2476 on March 31, 2003.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
COCKFIGHTING
Mr. BLUMENAUER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today on an issue that I have addressed in this Chamber on a number of occasions, cockfighting. But today I am here not to reiterate the case against this despicable and barbaric practice but to draw attention to a gross misuse of tax dollars of hardworking Americans whose funds are being quietly handed off by the Department of Agriculture to illegal cockfighters.
In October, the Federal Government learned of an outbreak in southern California of Exotic Newcastle Disease which does not appear to threaten people but which is deadly to birds. Though not yet identified for certain, it appears that illegal cockfighters are responsible. Fighting roosters from Mexico, where there has been an outbreak of Exotic Newcastle, have moved illegally into California. The imprint of the disease in Mexico is nearly identical to the imprint of the disease now spreading throughout the American Southwest.
Since the outbreak occurred 6 months ago in the United States, the disease has spread rapidly. First discovered in Los Angeles County, it has spread throughout southern California and into Arizona and Nevada. There are now eight affected counties in California, and experts predict that more counties will soon be hit as the disease marches north. All movements of live birds have been halted in the quarantine area and all poultry shows have been canceled throughout the entire State. In an effort to contain the disease, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and State agriculture departments have ordered many bird flocks depopulated if any bird in a flock has been diagnosed with the infection. State and Federal authorities have killed more than 3.2 million birds, including pet birds, poultry and egg-laying hens from commercial flocks, fighting roosters and other birds. Thus far, Federal authorities have spent $65 million and cost estimates may climb to $250 to $500 million before the disease runs its course. The last time there was a major outbreak of Exotic Newcastle Disease in California, it cost taxpayers and agriculture an immense impact.
During the course of the containment exercise, agricultural officials have been staggered by the scope of the illegal cockfighting operations they have stumbled upon. There are some observers who say that there are 50,000 gamecock operations in southern California alone. USDA officials, according to news sources, have said that fully one-third of the flocks that they have depopulated are gamecock operations. Under California law, it is illegal to possess birds for fighting purposes. But the USDA is providing millions in compensation to illegal cockfighters whose birds have been ordered killed. According to the Bakersfield Californian and other newspapers, some individuals are being paid up to $1,800 per fighting rooster.
Mr. Speaker, this is a scandal, a gross and irresponsible use of tax dollars. Our Federal Government is paying top-dollar black-market prices for live contraband. If there was an outbreak of plant disease, would we be compensating marijuana growers for the destruction of their crops? Let me repeat, under State law it is illegal to possess birds for fighting. Under the provisions of an amendment I sponsored last year with the gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Tancredo), it will soon be illegal under Federal law to move any fighting birds to or from any State or territory in the United States. In short, there is no legitimate reason for individuals to possess birds for fighting purposes. But they are being remunerated. These people are organized criminals and we should not be squandering the tax dollars of hardworking Americans by making compensation payments to them. These people should not be paid off. They should be prosecuted under State and Federal law.
It is indeed ironic that the Federal Government is paying cockfighters more than it is paying pet owners, poultry growers, and other individuals who legitimately possess birds in southern California. At a time when we are making so many difficult choices with Federal expenditures, when we have a war to pay for, when we have a soaring deficit, when we are not funding critical environmental programs in agriculture, the farmland protection bill, wetland reserves program, wildlife habitat incentives program, the conservation security program, the environmental quality investment program, these critical programs to protect the environment and American agriculture, we do not have money to fund them adequately, but we are paying out millions to illegal cockfighters. This should not happen, and I want this body to join me for an accounting by the Department of Agriculture of what is happening on the ground in California, Arizona, Nevada, and throughout the Southwest.
Mr. Speaker, soon several colleagues and I will be introducing legislation to strengthen penalties for violations of Federal anti-
animal fighting law. These are the same provisions that were passed by both the House and the Senate last year in the ag bill but were inexplicably stripped away in the conference committee. Now is the time to restore the penalties already approved by both Chambers. I hope that the Secretary of Agriculture will actively support this change in law. Adequate enforcement of Federal anti-animal fighting provisions is not only needed to stop the cruelty associated with animal fighting, but it is needed to prevent future outbreaks of Exotic Newcastle Disease. I hope that even those who are unmoved by the cruelty of animal fighting will recognize the threat that this industry poses to mainstream agriculture and to the American taxpayer.
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