Today Chairman Bob Goodlatte convened a hearing to review H.R. 503, a bill to amend the Horse Protection Act. H.R. 503 would prohibit the shipping, transporting, moving, delivering, receiving, possessing, purchasing, selling, or donation of horses and other equines to be slaughtered for human consumption. Immediately following the hearing, the Committee convened a business meeting to consider H.R. 503.
H.R. 503 was ordered to be reported, as amended, “unfavorably to the House with a recommendation that it not be agreed upon" by a 37-3 vote. Six amendments were offered and agreed to by voice vote. A copy of H.R. 503 and the amendments agreed to by the Committee are posted on the Committee’s website: http://democrats-agriculture.house.gov/inside/legislation.html.
Chairman Goodlatte opposes the legislation, saying that it left too many unanswered questions that would detrimentally affect the welfare of America’s horses. “Why is Congress rushing to enact legislation that causes many problems and solves none, especially when there is no consensus in the livestock community?" said Chairman Goodlatte in his opening statement. “Even if the goal of this legislation was desirable, and I do not accept the premise, this is not a bill that will improve the treatment of horses. Too little has been done to deal with the consequences of destroying a legitimate industry by government fiat. If anything, H.R.503 in its current form will lead to more suffering for the horses it purports to help."
The Ranking Minority Member, Collin Peterson, offered an amendment that would make H.R. 503 a pilot program for the states of Kentucky and New York. “Preventing the slaughter of horses does nothing but increase the economic strain on families who can no longer afford to care for them, stretch already thin budgets at rescue facilities, and increase the chances that horses will suffer as they become unwanted or old," said Ranking Minority Member Peterson.
“As a public policy matter this issue should be about what is the best approach for the humane treatment of horses. If the true purpose of this legislation is to provide for the humane treatment of horses, as its proponents say, then the bill would address the issue of the fate of hundreds of thousands of unwanted horses it would create," said Chairman Goodlatte.
More than 144 reputable horse organizations, animal health organizations and agricultural organizations, including the American Veterinary Medical Association, the American Association of Equine Practitioners, the American Quarter Horse Association and every state Horse Council that has taken a position on H.R. 503, oppose this legislation.
“This legislation is woefully inadequate, emotionally misguided, and fails to serve the best interest of the American horse, and horse owner, despite what the proponents would have you to believe. That’s why every major horse owner organization in the country that has taken a stand on this issue is against H.R. 503," said Chairman Goodlatte.
During the hearing, the Committee heard from two panels of witnesses including the Honorable Don Sherwood, former Agriculture Committee Ranking Minority Member Charlie Stenholm as well as witnesses representing organizations that oppose the bill.
Witness testimony from today’s hearing is available on the Committee website: http://democrats-agriculture.house.gov/hearings/index.html. A full transcript of the hearing will be available on the Committee website 4-6 weeks following the hearing.
Witness List
Panel I
The Honorable Don Sherwood, Member of Congress from Pennsylvania
Panel II
Dr. Thomas R. Lenz, Past President and Chairman of the Equine Welfare Committee, American Association of Equine Practitioners, Louisburg, Kansas
Dr. Bonnie V. Beaver, Past President, American Veterinary Medical Association, College Station, Texas
Mrs. Tammy Pate, Member, American Quarter Horse Association, Horse Owner and Trainer, Helena, Montana
Mr. Frank S. Bowman, President, Horsemen's Council of Illinois, Pleasant Plains, Illinois
Mr. Paxton Ramsey, Young Cattlemen's Committee Chairman and Agriculture Policy Committee Member, National Cattlemen's Beef Association, Devers, Texas
The Honorable Charles W. Stenholm, Former Ranking Member on the House Committee on Agriculture, Washington, D.C.
http://democrats-agriculture.house.gov
Source: House Committee on Agriculture
