Committee Can "Undo" Work to Prevent Horse Slaughter...
ACTION ALERT: YOUR HELP IS URGENTLY NEEDED! Fate of three humane measures in hands of Conference Committee
September 23, 2005
Dear Humanitarian:
GREAT NEWS! This week, the Senate showed strong support for animals by voting in favor of three amendments to the Agriculture Appropriations bill for the upcoming fiscal year.
Following the example of their colleagues in the House of Representatives, the Senate voted 69 to 28 in favor of an amendment to bar federal funds from being used to facilitate the slaughter of horses during the upcoming fiscal year. The amendment, introduced by Senator John Ensign (R-NV) and Senator Robert C. Byrd (D-WV), will stop the slaughter of horses in the United States and prevent export of live horses for slaughter in other countries as well.
Senator Byrd told his colleagues of the horror that victims of this trade currently endure. "Horses can be shipped for more than 24 hours without food, water, or rest. They can be transported with broken legs, missing eyes, or while heavily pregnant. The horses are kept in cramped conditions, in trucks with ceilings so low that they prevent the horses from holding their heads in a normal, upright position. The cramped nature of their transport often results in trampling, with some horses
arriving at the slaughterhouses seriously injured or dead," he said. Improper use of stunning equipment at the slaughter plant "can result in the animal having to endure repeated blows" to the head, leaving the horse conscious for the slaughter process. Senator Ensign pronounced, "The time has come to put an end to the practice of slaughtering horses in America. As a senator and a veterinarian I am committed to doing what I can for these magnificent animals."
Two other amendments, offered by Senator Daniel K. Akaka (D-HI), were approved by the Senate. Though not voted on in the House of Representatives, they will be considered by an upcoming conference committee. The first measure will stop the slaughter of downed livestock, and the second will halt the supply of dogs and cats to laboratories by random source (Class B) dealers.
Within the next few weeks, all three amendments will be considered by a conference committee before going to the President, so your immediate assistance is vital to the success of these key amendments. We must ensure that members of the conference committee, comprised of members of both the House of Representatives and the Senate, will fight to keep these amendments in the appropriations bill. Opponents will be working to have all three removed.
WHAT YOU CAN DO - Your immediate help is needed TODAY:
Please call as many members of the conference committee listed below as you can to urge their support for the three separate Agriculture Appropriations amendments to:
The names of conferees have not been announced yet, but below is a list of those who are likely to serve. If you are a constituent of any of these individuals, please be sure to emphasize this when you call.
In addition, please contact your Senators and Representative even if they're not on the conference committee, urging them to contact the conferees as well.
All Members of Congress can be reached by calling the Capitol Hill Switchboard at (202) 224-3121.
If you would like additional facts or need to find the name of your legislators, call us at 703-836-4300 or visit our website at http://www.saplonline.org. Your immediate action is essential to ensure Congress hears from an outpouring of concerned constituents. Please share our "Dear Humanitarian" eAlert with family, friends and coworkers, and encourage them to make phone calls.
Thank you so much for your help!
Sincerely,
Chris Heyde
SAPL Policy Analyst
Likely members of the FY06 Agriculture Appropriations Bill Conference Committee
Capitol Hill Switchboard: (202) 224-3121
HOUSE AGRICULTURE APPROPRIATIONS SUBCOMMITTEE
SENATE AGRICULTURE APPROPRIATIONS SUBCOMMITTEE
posted by teresa at 9/23/2005
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