Yesterday (10/04/01), in a series of extraordinary
victories for animals, the U.S. House of Representatives passed four
animal protection amendments to H.R. 2646, The Farm Security Act of 2001
(also known as the Farm Bill):
1. Downed Animals amendment:
The Downed Animal Protection amendment, introduced by Reps. Gary
Ackerman (D-NY) and Amo Houghton (R-NY), will prohibit stockyards and
other intermediate markets from transferring or selling farm animals who
cannot walk because of illness or injury. The passage of this amendment
is especially heartening after over a decade of work toward its passage
by animal protectionists.
2. Anti-Cockfighting amendment:
The Anti-Cockfighting amendment, introduced by Reps. Earl Blumenauer
(D-OR) and Tom Tancredo (R-CO), closes the loophole that allows
interstate shipment of fighting birds from states where the activity is
illegal to one of the three states (OK, LA and NM) where the practice is
still legal. The loophole creates a smokescreen for cockfighters and has
allowed the cruel and barbaric practice to thrive as an underground,
and, in some places, above-ground industry for years.
3. Animal Fighting amendment:
Also offered by Reps. Blumenauer and Tancredo, the Animal Fighting
amendment will ban exports of fighting birds or dogs and increase
penalties for any violation of the anti-animal fighting section of the
Animal Welfare Act to two years in prison and a $15,000 fine from one
year and a $5,000 fine.
4. Humane Slaughter amendment:
The Humane Slaughter amendment, introduced by Rep. Connie Morella
(R-MD), addresses the gross cruelties inflicted upon animals in
slaughterhouses nationwide, as they are often skinned and dismembered
while still alive and conscious. The amendment calls upon the U.S.
Department of Agriculture (USDA) to strongly enforce the Humane
Slaughter Act of 1958, which requires that animals be rendered
insensible to pain before they are slaughtered. A similar measure has
already passed the Senate.
The passage of these amendments to the Farm Bill marks
the most productive single day of action ever in the House. All of your
phone calls to your members of Congress in support of these amendments
have really paid off. Stay tuned for upcoming information on downed
animals and animal fighting in the Senate!
HUMANElines
A project of The Humane Society of the United States
and The Fund for Animals (202)955-3666
[email protected]
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