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| The HSUS |
The 110th Congress took action after The HSUS's
undercover investigation of the Hallmark meat
processing plant |
With the 110th Congress now adjourned, The HSUS thanks federal legislators, and the hundreds of thousands of concerned citizens who encouraged them, for significant progress on animal protection legislation.
“Congress has made important strides on animal protection in the past two years,” said HSUS president and CEO Wayne Pacelle. “The 111th Congress and the Obama Administration hold even greater promise for real reform that will make ours a more humane nation.”
"The year of the farm animal"
Pacelle has called 2008 “the year of the farm animal,” in light of California’s historic landslide passage of its Proposition 2 to phase out cruel cages and crates so small the animals can barely move
On the federal front, important steps were taken toward reforming slaughter plant practices and protecting our nation’s food supply. Congress showed a new willingness to seek accountability from an industry that has gotten a regulatory free pass for too long.
The HSUS’s landmark undercover investigation of the Hallmark meat processing plant led to the largest beef recall in American history and prompted significant congressional attention. Eight hearings were held on food safety and inhumane treatment of animals at slaughter plants, and legislation to ban slaughter of downed cattle is poised for action when the 111th Congress revisits an economic stimulus package in 2009.
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| Huemer/The HSUS |
The 2008 Farm Bill included a
measure to halt puppy imports from
foreign puppy mills for commercial
sale |
Significant measures in the 2008 Farm Bill
With the U.S. Department of Agriculture overseeing the enforcement of the Animal Welfare Act, the massive multi-year Farm Bill presented an opportunity to improve our nation's animal protection policies and toughen the penalties for those who engage in cruelty and abuse.
Approved this past May after Congress overrode President Bush’s veto, the Farm Bill included important measures to stop the import of puppies for commercial sale from foreign puppy mills and strengthen the federal law against animal fighting, as well as to increase penalties for those who violate the AWA.
The final package fortunately did not include several provisions The HSUS opposed— which intended to (1) preempt state and local laws on animal welfare and food safety, (2) promote domestic sales of small turtles for the first time since the Food and Drug Administration banned such sales in 1975 to protect against Salmonella transmission, and (3) create a new $12 million subsidy for the veal industry.
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| The HSUS |
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The 110th Congress took a strong
stand against animal fighting |
Congress takes a stand against animal fighting
Culminating a 6-year effort, Congress finally passed the Animal Fighting Prohibition Enforcement Act in April 2007 to authorize felony-level penalties of up to 3 years’ jail time for interstate or foreign transport of animals for fighting purposes and outlaw the movement of cockfighting weapons across state or national borders.
This law upgraded the weak and ineffective misdemeanor penalties previously in place. Then just a few weeks after final congressional action on that bill, the cruel underworld of animal fighting was thrust into the national spotlight by the investigation of NFL star quarterback Michael Vick and the dogfighting complex at his home.
In the wake of that notorious case, Congress agreed to further strengthen federal law via the Farm Bill by making it a crime to knowingly possess or train animals for fighting, boosting the maximum penalty for animal fighting offenses to five years jail time, and making any animal fighting affecting interstate or foreign commerce a federal crime.
Congress reacts to 2007 pet food scandals
The Human and Pet Food Safety Act was introduced in response to scandals involving tainted ingredients in pet and human food in 2007. Key elements of this legislation were enacted as part of a Food and Drug Administration reauthorization bill, requiring the agency to set standards for pet food, strengthen labeling rules, establish an early warning system, post searchable online recall lists, require companies to report contaminated food and make key records available during investigations so contaminants can be traced quickly.
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| The HSUS |
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Congress provides permanent
retirement to chimpanzees
determined to be no longer
needed for research |
Animal protection issues making progress
The 110th Congress also passed a bill to bar the National Institutes of Health from reclaiming chimpanzees who had been sent to sanctuaries, and a provision to create a national War Dog Memorial. Also, the House passed a resolution condemning Canada’s brutal seal slaughter.
Included in the 2007 “omnibus” appropriations bill were measures or report language on several important animal protection issues: to bar federal spending on horse slaughter; promote adoption of horses retired from the U.S. Border Patrol or other federal agencies; instruct the U.S. Agency for International Development not to promote trophy hunting as a rural development or conservation strategy; call on the USDA to study Controlled Atmosphere Stunning as a more humane alternative for poultry slaughter; prevent federal authorities from directing that cats in federally subsidized housing be declawed; address overuse of antibiotics in factory farms; and encourage alternatives to animal testing.
The 2007 appropriations bill also provided record funding for USDA enforcement of the Animal Welfare Act and sustained funding for enforcement of the humane slaughter and animal fighting laws, emergency planning/response for animals in disasters, and a veterinary student loan forgiveness program to encourage new veterinarians to work in underserved areas. The appropriations bills for 2008 were not finalized before the close of the 110th Congress, but funding for animal welfare enforcement is on track for approval early in 2009.
Looking forward
Animal welfare issues that are ripe for consideration in the 111th Congress include: banning horse slaughter; cracking down on puppy mills selling directly to the public on the Internet to require compliance with basic animal welfare standards, and mandating regular exercise for dogs at all commercial facilities; requiring labeling of all fur products; prohibiting interstate commerce in primates for the pet trade; phasing out the use of chimpanzees in invasive research; barring the use in research of dogs and cats obtained by Class B dealers through random sources (which can include theft of family pets) restoring the prohibition on commercial sale and slaughter of wild horses; and improving oversight at slaughter plants and livestock auctions.
Make your voice heard by making sure to join our online community to receive our action alerts, and find out when to contact your federal legislators to urge support for animal protection legislation.
