Congressional Information

This is a place to list any upcoming congressional equine related events (i.e. call days, visits to Washington, etc).  

For more information on the Bills Currently being watched in Congress, please click here.

For information on legislation for the state levels, please click here.

Senate Reintroduces Bill to Permanently Ban Horse Slaughter

Thursday, June 9, 2011

Washington, D.C. -- A bill to ban horse slaughter was reintroduced in the United States Senate today. Sponsored by Senator Mary Landrieu (D-LA) and Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC), the "American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act of 2011" will end the slaughter of American horses here and, most urgently, will stop these horses from being exported abroad for slaughter. The sponsors, who have long championed the cause, have the bipartisan support of 14 colleagues who are co-sponsoring the bill.

"As a lifelong horse lover and rider, this practice is appalling to me, and more importantly, the majority of Americans oppose it. We raise and train horses to trust us, perform for us, and allow us on their backs, and as such, they deserve to be treated with human compassion. When horse owners are faced with the sad reality of having to put their animals down, it should be by humane euthanasia," said Senator Landrieu. "I intend to work with Senator Lindsey Graham from South Carolina and my other colleagues to get this bill passed and permanently end the slaughter of our American horses."

The legislation comes at a time when horse slaughter no longer occurs on U.S. soil, but each year approximately 100,000 American horses are hauled to Canada, Mexico and beyond. Reports show that horses regularly travel for hundreds or even thousands of miles to the slaughterhouses on double-deck cattle trucks without food, water or rest. At some Mexican slaughterhouses horses are stabbed repeatedly in the spine until they are paralyzed, after which they are butchered while still fully conscious. This country’s three remaining horse slaughter plants - two in Texas and one in Illinois - were shut down in 2007 under state law.

"The slaughter of horses is not a substitute for humane euthanasia though it is often mischaracterized as such by opponents who are more concerned with wringing a few bucks from a suffering animal than doing what is right," said Chris Heyde, deputy director of government and legal affairs for the Animal Welfare Institute. "AWI commends Senator Landrieu and Senator Graham for their continued leadership and for reintroducing this very important measure."

For years, the pro-slaughter camp has led a concerted and disingenuous effort to resurrect the industry domestically and has used scare tactics in an attempt to defeat the federal ban. The federal legislation is desperately needed to stop the slaughter of American horses, irrespective of where the killing takes place. 

##30##

Media Contact:
Chris Heyde, (202) 446-2142, chris@awionline.org

CHRIS HEYDE

Deputy Director

Government and Legal Affairs

ANIMAL WELFARE INSTITUTE

900 Pennsylvania Ave., SE

Washington, DC 20003

T: (202) 446-2142 ~ F: (202) 446-2131

www.awionline.org ~ www.compassionindex.org

Facebook ~ Twitter 

The Animal Welfare Institute has been working to alleviate the suffering inflicted on animals by humans since 1951.

Please join us in our work to protect animals – visit our website to find out more and to sign up for AWI eAlerts: www.awionline.org.  

The Animal Welfare Institute's Congressional directory for the 112th US Congress is now available. This small, color booklet provides information on how to contact every Member of Congress, as well as House and Senate committees and relevant government officials. It is a valuable and convenient tool to have when helping us contact Members of Congress on important animal protection measures.
Each booklet costs only $8 (includes S&H). To get your own copy, please click here to order online or send a check or money order to:

Animal Welfare Institute
Attn: Congressional Directory Order
900 Pennsylvania Ave., S.E.
Washington, D.C. 20003

Also, be sure to visit AWI’s Compassion Index (www.compassionindex.org) to see how your legislator stands on important animal protection measures currently before Congress.

Thanks,

Chris Heyde

--

CHRIS HEYDE

Deputy Director

Government and Legal Affairs

--

ANIMAL WELFARE INSTITUTE

900 Pennsylvania Ave., SE

Washington, DC 20003

www.awionline.org ~ www.compassionindex.org

Facebook ~ Twitter

The Animal Welfare Institute has been working to alleviate the suffering inflicted on animals by humans since 1951.

Please join us in our work to protect animals – visit our website to find out more and to sign up for AWI eAlerts: www.awionline.org.  

P  Please consider the animals and their habitat before printing.

Good News out of Washington,DC:

Good news this week from Washington!
Freshman Congressman Bill Owens (D-23) - just won the tight special election in NY's 23rd Congressional District -  co-sponsored HR.503 The Prevention of Equine Cruelty Act (federal horse slaughter ban) this week.
We love to see a district turn pro-horse. The 23rd district had been pro-slaughter w/ former Rep McHugh. Heartfelt thanks to Congressman Bill Owens and to all who advocated for the horses. 

Plus, we've also added 4 additional new co-sponsors for NY. 

·  We now have 25 out of 31 NY Congressional Districts co-sponsoring, and both NY Senators, too.

ACTION: Can you call and thank our 5 new NY co-sponsors?  Time: About 7 minutes.
Let them know we appreciate and support legislators who support the horses.
When you call... please let the aide know if you are a constituent, and say the number of the Bill - HR 503 - The Prevention of Equine Cruelty Act, the Federal horse slaughter ban.  Thank them for co-sponsoring HR 503, and ask for support to move to the House floor for a vote. Be polite and make friends. 

1) **Bill Owens (D-23) co-sponsored 01/12/10   DC: 202-225-4611   Fax:  202-226-0621**
2) Paul Tonko (D-29) co-sponsored 10/27/09   DC: 202-225-5076    Fax: 202-225-5077 
3) Louise Slaughter (D-28) 11/18/09    DC: 202-225-3615     Fax: 202-225-7822
(Rep Slaughter has a masters degree in public health, you may want to mention environmental pollution from the plants, health risks from drugs banned from food supply in horses)
4) Nydia Velázquez (D-12) 12/16/09    DC: 202-225-2361    Fax:  202-226-0327
5) Edolphus Towns (D-10) 12/16/09    DC:  202-225-5936    Fax: 202-225-1018 
People have been asking about getting back to work passing the Federal horse slaughter ban. You got it! We're working on both issues, mustangs and domestic horse protection. Helping one will help the other. 
Thank you - Susan

new sign ons for hr503

Posted by: "Tommy Lee" phazzii@yahoo.com   phazzii

Thu Jan 14, 2010 6:08 pm (PST)
We are now moving to 178 co/sponsors.. What is even better one supporter
is from Ohio home of Sugarcreek Auction home of Baker.. new ones are
below
Rep LaTourette, Steven C. [OH-14] - 1/12/2010

Rep Owens, William L. [NY-23] - 1/12/2010

Good News for Dec

Posted by: "Tommy Lee" phazzii@yahoo.com   phazzii

Sun Dec 20, 2009 8:29 am (PST)
Evening All''
First let me say Im so sorry Im not so active on the group, but will
always at least try to update the group on our horse bills etc.
Now for the Month of Dec we have 9 new co/sponsors for our horse bill HR
503 which now makes us at 176 Please Please dont stop calling the
officals.
Pro slaughter are getting burned out they know our support is growing
and officals are growing as well.
Do note we are all Non Paid supporters and the Pro slaughter get paid
one way or another either by Overbreeding or supporting breeders for
profits or Pro slaughter vets in the field that get paid at the auction
houses. Not to mention the haulers and buyers. New supporters are...
Rep Frelinghuysen, Rodney P. [NJ-11] - 12/11/2009

Rep Himes, James A. [CT-4] - 12/15/2009

Rep Ortiz, Solomon P. [TX-27] - 12/16/2009

Rep Quigley, Mike [IL-5] - 12/16/2009

Rep Velazquez, Nydia M. [NY-12] - 12/16/2009

Rep Hare, Phil [IL-17] - 12/16/2009

Rep Adler, John H. [NJ-3] - 12/16/2009

Rep Towns, Edolphus [NY-10] - 12/16/2009

Rep Inslee, Jay [WA-1] - 12/16/2009
Kudos everyone
Sincerely Tommy Lee

6 new sign on's for HR503

Posted by: "Tommy Lee" phazzii@yahoo.com   phazzii

Fri Nov 20, 2009 12:16 am (PST)
This is great news please continue to make your calls. The new sign on's
are.
Rep Polis, Jared [CO-2] - 11/18/2009

Rep Grayson, Alan [FL-8] - 11/18/2009 

Rep Slaughter, Louise McIntosh [NY-28] - 11/18/2009

Rep Altmire, Jason [PA-4] - 11/18/2009

Rep Jackson, Jesse L., Jr.  [IL-2] - 11/18/2009

Rep Buchanan, Vern [FL-13] - 11/18/2009
This puts us at 167 co/sponsors

3 more sign ons for HR503

Posted by: "Tommy Lee" phazzii@yahoo.com   phazzii

Thu Oct 29, 2009 3:03 am (PDT)
From 158 to 161 for our horse bill hr503 they are..
Rep Tsongas, Niki [MA-5] - 10/27/2009

Rep Tonko, Paul D. [NY-21] - 10/27/2009

Rep Kildee, Dale E. [MI-5] - 10/27/2009

Fw: [NewEnglandEquineRescues] Good News''

Posted by: "Marge" redmm97@cox.net   redmm97

Wed Oct 14, 2009 3:47 am (PDT)
----- Original Message -----
From: Tommy Lee
To: NewEnglandEquineRescues@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Wednesday, October 14, 2009 6:06 AM
Subject: [NewEnglandEquineRescues] Good News''
Good News''
Yesterday the 13th we had three new co/sponsors for hr503.

They are:

Rep Heinrich, Martin [NM-1] - 10/13/2009
Rep Chu, Judy [CA-32] - 10/13/2009

Rep Spratt, John M., Jr. [SC-5] - 10/13/2009
Please do not stop calling we are now up to 156 co/sponsors for hr 503 Thanks all Tommy Lee

Take Action Today on Wild Horse bill

The Restore Our American Mustangs (ROAM) Act (S. 1579), recently introduced by Senator Robert C. Byrd (D-WV), will restore protections for our country's wild horses and burros that were stripped away in recent years.   

Not only will the ROAM Act ensure that our mustangs and burros are once again protected from slaughter, but it seeks to reclaim land - some 19 million acres - taken away from these magnificent animals.  Please take a moment to contact your U.S. Senators today and ask them to cosponsor this vital legislation. 

To take action visit AWI’s Compassion Index and contact your US Senator’s today!  Please forward this eAlert to everyone you know asking them to help protect America’s wild horses and burros.  http://capwiz.com/compassionindex/issues/alert/?alertid=14082831 

Thank you,

Chris

CHRIS HEYDE

Deputy Director

Government and Legal Affairs

ANIMAL WELFARE INSTITUTE

900 Pennsylvania Ave., SE

Washington, DC 20003

www.awionline.org ~ www.compassionindex.org 

The Animal Welfare Institute has been working to alleviate the suffering inflicted on animals by humans since 1951.

Please join us in our work to protect animals – visit our website to find out more and to sign up for AWI eAlerts: www.awionline.org.  

Please consider the animals and their habitat before printing.

2 more sign ons for HR 503

Posted by: "Marge" redmm97@cox.net   redmm97

New Legislation for make pet care tax deductible.  Review, Forward E

Posted by: "Karen Lewandowski" 1speciallady@bellsouth.net   jayspcldy

Mon Aug 10, 2009 2:54 pm (PDT)
Pet care expenses may soon be tax deductible
<http://feedproxy.google.com/%7Er/ThePetsitusacomBlog/%7E3/2y8JORaFVL0/>
Posted: 08 Aug 2009 03:14 PM PDT
<http://api.tweetmeme.com/share?url=http://petsitusa.com/blog/?p%3D2351>
Based on the fact that more than 60% of households have pets, and
because those pets contribute to our well-being, Congressman Thaddeus
McCotter <http://mccotter.house.gov/HoR/MI11/Home/>, of Michigan,
introduced the Humanity and Pets Partnered Through the Years (HAPPY) Act
<http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c111:H.R.3501:>. If passed, it
would allow pet owners to take a tax decuction for up to $3500 in pet
care expenses. The wording on the bill states that...
qualified pet care expenses means amounts paid in connection with
providing care (including veterinary care) for a qualified pet other
than any expense in connection with the acquisition of the qualified
pet.
The fact that it says "includes veterinary care" pet care services such
as pet sitting, dog walking, dog daycare, grooming, and other services
may be included in the allowable deductions. If this is the case, I can
see this bill as beneficial to pets as well as the pet care industry. If
pet owners know they´ll be able to deduct some of their expenses, they
may be more apt to get necessary medical care for their pets, but they
may also be more likely to pay for other beneficial pet care.
The Pet Industry Joint Advisory Council
<http://www.pijac.org/_documents/us_hr_3501_happy_act.pdf> is asking
people to contact their representative and encourage them to consider
the bill favorably. See their website to read more, including
information on how to contact your representative.

Please cross post wherever appropriate.

Senator Robert Byrd has sponsored a Senate version of the Restore Our American Mustangs (ROAM) Act, formerly known as HR.1018.  The Senate version is numbered S.1579.

Here's a link to the bill. Nothing shows up on it yet-but I think it will eventually.

http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/C?c111:./temp/~c1111CYIwn

After giving it a cursory reading the language appears to match the version of the bill passed by the House.

We're working on generating support for the bill along with encouraging a few minor improvements, such as making the bill applicable to all free-roaming horses and burros on Federal lands and fixing a couple of minor technicalities.  More info will follow.

Aside from fixing those troublesome issues caused by the Burns stealth rider, S.1579 should:

1.  Provide a more concise definition of "thriving ecological balance" and it reasserts relevant Federal land use policies.

2.  Convert some "authorized" activities and methods into "required" activities and methods with respect to taking inventory, making determinations and application of peer reviewed scientific methods as the basis for developing management strategies, and it requires consistent evaluation and management practices across all public lands.

3.  Permit BLM to establish sanctuaries and exclusive use areas, however the Secretary is required to assess and report on a number of conditions specifically listed in the bill prior to establishing those areas.

4.  Authorize BLM to identify and appropriate additional rangeland for wild horses and burros through various means, subject to the conditions and requirements set forth elsewhere in the bill.  Those conditions include avoiding any potential conflicts with other lawful public lands activities and uses as identified in the bill.

5. Require BLM  to develop and implement enhanced fertility control, as is presently used by a number of private sanctuaries and non-BLM horse management agencies.  While the science of equine fertility control is relatively new, it shows great potential in reducing horse recruitment rates (expansion of populations as birth rates exceed mortality rates) without decreasing the genetic diversity of the herds.

6.  It charges BLM with the responsibility of undertaking all practical options for maintaining a thriving ecological balance on the range.

7.  Prohibit BLM from maintaining horses in prohibitively expensive contract corrals and short term holding facilities for longer than six months, upon which horses in such holding facilities must be moved to more cost-effective facilities or appropriate alternative ranges.

8.  Charge BLM with improving its marketing strategies with specific examples provided.

9.  Reinforce BLM's authority to remove horses and burros under conditions stipulated in the original Act.

10.  Require BLM to provide additional data with respect to its management activities, and that data is to be more transparent and available for public inspection on the BLM website.

11.  Expand BLM's ability to enter into cooperative agreements to address program deficiencies and needs.

12.  Outline specific program reporting requirements so that Congress and the American public can be informed as to BLM's progress with respect to complying with the provisions of this bill.

If you agree that this bill will benefit America's wild horses and add professionalism to the management of our public lands, please contact your senators and urge them to support S.1579.

http://www.senate.gov

new co/sponsor for hr 503 making it 147

Posted by: "phazzii" phazzii@yahoo.com   phazzii

Thu Jul 16, 2009 7:23 pm (PDT)
Rep Diaz-Balart, Lincoln [FL-21] - 7/15/2009

Good news we have two more co/sponsors for hr 503

Posted by: "phazzii" phazzii@yahoo.com   phazzii

Wed Jul 15, 2009 1:48 am (PDT)
Rep Andrews, Robert E.[NJ-1] - 7/14/2009

Rep Johnson, Eddie Bernice [TX-30] - 7/14/2009

FW: Please send to everyone!

Posted by: "BHFER" bhfer@earthlink.net   horsn4fun

Tue Jul 7, 2009 8:37 pm (PDT)
See below. Senator Mary Landrieu is attaching an amendment to the Agriculture Appropriations bill which will criminalize the
transport, possession, sale or purchase of horses with the intent to process for human consumption!
Please CROSSPOST and give her a call if you can and tell her office that you support this amendment 100%.
I just received confirmation from Paula Bacon.
We need to show our support for this-big time. Cross post to your groups and let all of our legislators know that we support this and want it passed NOW! Be sure to call Landrieu and let her office know that we support her 100% in this.
AMERICAN QUARTER HORSE ASSOCIATION ACTION ALERT
Louisiana Quarter Horse Owners & Members:
We need your assistance this morning. AQHA has been advised Senator Mary Landrieu may try to offer an amendment to the Ag Appropriations bill which would criminalize the transport, possession, sale or purchase of horses with the intent to process for human consumption.
Your U.S. Senator should focus on job loss, the economy or Federal disaster relief for victims still displaced by Katrina. She is more interested in crippling Louisiana agriculture even further by ignoring common sense and facts. Cases of abandoned and neglected horses in the past year have grown exponentially-the economy, loss of processing plants and high feed costs have severely impacted horse owners, particularly in the state of Louisiana.
Call Senator Landrieu's office now at (202) 224-5824 and tell her horsemen care for their livestock and should maintain the right to make end of life decisions for that livestock. Tell her the horse industry cannot afford her brand of legislation!

Wanted: Vermonters to work Washington for ban.

Posted by: "Kathryn" ma4horses@gmail.com   autumnsmoke7

Tue Jul 7, 2009 7:59 am (PDT)
We're hearing from Vermont Rep Peter Welch's office that he is NOT
getting much input from antislaughter constituents (though he IS hearing
from plenty proslaughter constituents).
THERE IS ONLY ONE REPRESENTATIVE for the whole State of Vermont, so
EVERYONE WHO LIVES IN VERMONT is a constituent of his.
We're reaching out to those who live in Vermont and/or has any contacts,
family, friends, whatever, in Vermont, to PLEASE contact Rep Peter Welch
of Vermont and let him know you support HR 503 and, as a constituent,
are asking him to cosponsor the Bill. Welch did co-sponsor Conyers'
bill HR6598 last session, very similar bill text now as HR503.
Here is link to email him via his website (ANYBODY with a VT zipcode can
convey input in this manner):
http://www.house.gov/formwelch/issue_subscribe.htm
His office addresses and phone and fax contact numbers are:
Vermont Office
30 Main Street
Third Floor, Suite 350
Burlington, VT 05401
Phone: (888) 605-7270 (toll free in Vermont)
(802) 652-2450
Washington, DC Office
1404 Longworth House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
Phone:(202) 225-4115
toll free switchboard: 800-828-0498 Thanks for forwarding, and for
helping.
--
http://www.americansagainsthorseslaughter.com/Services.html
"We call them dumb animals, and so they are, for they cannot tell us how
they feel, but they do not suffer less because they have no words."
Anna Sewell, Black Beauty, 1877.

6598 coming to a vote

Posted by: "phazzii" phazzii@yahoo.com   phazzii

Mon Jun 15, 2009 11:45 pm (PDT)
As stated above 6598 could be voted on by Sept 10th. We must contact the
below members at once. Obama and vilsack has been asked for a rapid
passage of our horse bills.
Here are the members to contact please remain on there backs until the
date comes near.
http://judiciary.house.gov/about/members.html
Note Bob Goodlatte is on this committee and he will NOT representing
responsiblity so I wouldnt waste your time on him leaving him in the
dark.
Other simliar bills are still pending but co/sponsors are growing as we
speak. Here are the updates on HR503
http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d111:HR00503:@@@N

 We are now at 134 with Dina Titus of NV being our lastest sign on..
You may even want to bring up how Rep Sue Wallis has traveled to
washington to change the heart of the AHA on becoming pro slaughter when
in her state of Wy, Cheyenne Frontier Days Rodeo has banned the use of
Cameras, and Cell Phones of folks who enter the rodeos. Givening them
protections to continue the abuse and neglect that has been happening
for years. This is taking Americans Rights away. We can Use Charles
Stemholms on wording to back fire on him.. For more info on this visit.
Steve H. Website at www.Sharkonline.org

Hello Everyone,
Now with The House and Senate having introduced The Prevention of Equine Cruelty Act (H.R. 503/S. 727), we must do all that we can to help ensure passage to end horse slaughter in America and the transport of our horses across our borders to Canada and Mexico for slaughter.
Please call your own U.S. Representative and your two U.S. Senators and ask them to cosponsor H.R. 503 and S.727.
Once you have finished calling your own Representatives, and have the time to help more, please focus on the lists below. Both lists represent past cosponsors of H.R.503 and S.311 and will help us gain swift support for our bills.
Thanks for all of your help.
Target List For H.R.503 (House Bill)
Rep Brown, Corrine [FL-3] - 9/8/2008
Phone: 202-225-0123 Fax: 202-225-2256
Rep Cleaver, Emanuel [MO-5] - 9/16/2008
Phone: 202-225-4535 Fax: 202-225-4403
Rep Davis, Danny K. [IL-7] - 9/8/2008
Phone: 202-225-5006 Fax:.202-225-5641
Rep Ellison, Keith [MN-5] - 9/9/2008
Phone: 202-225-4755 Fax: 202-225-4886
Rep Farr, Sam [CA-17] - 9/25/2008
Phone: 202-225-2861 Fax: 202-225-6791
Rep Fattah, Chaka [PA-2] - 11/19/2008
Phone: 202.225.4001 Fax: 202-225-5392
Rep Giffords, Gabrielle [AZ-8] - 7/31/2008
Phone: 202-225-2542 Fax: 202-225-0378
Rep Johnson, Eddie Bernice [TX-30] - 9/9/2008
Phone: 202-225-8885 Fax: 202-226-1477
Rep Johnson, Henry C. "Hank," Jr. [GA-4] - 9/10/2008
Phone: 202-225-1605 Fax: 202-226-0691
Rep McCollum, Betty [MN-4] - 9/10/2008
Phone: 202-225-6631 Fax: 202-225-1968
Rep Mollohan, Alan B. [WV-1] - 9/15/2008
Phone: 202-225-4172 Fax: 202-225-7564
Rep Norton, Eleanor Holmes [DC] - 9/25/2008
Phone: 202-225-8050 Fax: 202-225-3002
Rep Pallone, Frank, Jr. [NJ-6] - 9/26/2008
Phone: 202-225-4671 Fax: 202-225-9665
Rep Pascrell, Bill, Jr. [NJ-8] - 9/22/2008
Phone: 202-225-5751 Fax: 202-225-5782
Rep Roybal-Allard, Lucille [CA-34] - 10/3/2008
Phone: 202-225-1766 Fax: 202-226-0350
Rep Schmidt, Jean [OH-2] - 9/8/2008
Phone: 202-225-3164 Fax: 202-225-1992
Rep Tierney, John F. [MA-6] - 9/16/2008
Phone: 202-225-8020 Fax: 202-225-5915
Rep Towns, Edolphus [NY-10] - 9/8/2008
Phone: 202-225-5936 Fax: 202-225-1018
Rep Tsongas, Niki [MA-5] - 9/8/2008
Phone: 202-225-3411 Fax: 202-226-0771
Rep Welch, Peter [VT] - 9/24/2008
Phone: 202-225-4115 Fax: 202-225-5974
Rep Wilson, Joe [SC-2] - 9/25/2008
Phone: 202-225-2452 Fax: 202-225-2455
Rep Wittman, Robert J. [VA-1] - 9/25/2008
Phone: 202-225-4261 Fax: 202-225-4382
Target List for S.727 (Senate Bill)
Sen Akaka, Daniel K. [HI] - 6/15/2007
Tel: (202) 224-6361 Fax: (202) 224-2126
Sen Bayh, Evan [IN] - 10/18/2007
Tel: (202) 224-5623 Fax: (202) 228-1377
Sen Brown, Sherrod [OH] - 2/5/2007
Tel: (202) 224-2315 Fax: (202) 228-6321
Sen Cantwell, Maria [WA] - 2/5/2007
Tel: 202-224-3441 Fax: 202-228-0514
Sen Dodd, Christopher J. [CT] - 2/28/2007
Tel: (202) 224-2823 Fax: (202) 224-1083
Sen Durbin, Richard [IL] - 10/18/2007
Tel: (202) 224-2152 Fax: (202) 228-0400
Sen Feinstein, Dianne [CA] - 2/5/2007
Tel: (202) 224-3841 Fax: (202) 228-3954
Sen Inouye, Daniel K. [HI] - 5/2/2007
Tel: (202) 224-3934 Fax: (202) 224-6747
Sen Kennedy, Edward M. [MA] - 4/25/2007
Tel: (202) 224-4543 Fax: (202) 224-2417
Sen Mikulski, Barbara A. [MD] - 1/24/2007
Tel: (202) 224-4654 Fax: (202) 224-8858
Sen Murkowski, Lisa [AK] - 10/18/2007
Tel: (202) 224-6665 Fax: (202) 224-5301
Sen Reed, Jack [RI] - 1/17/2007
Tel: (202) 224-4642 Fax: (202) 224-4680
Sen Rockefeller, John D., IV [WV] - 5/2/2007
Tel: (202) 224-6472 Fax: (202) 224-7665
Sen Sanders, Bernard [VT] - 10/16/2007
Tel: (202) 224-5141 Fax: (202) 228-0776
Sen Schumer, Charles E. [NY] - 11/2/2007
Tel: (202) 224-6542 Fax: (202) 228-3027
Sen Snowe, Olympia J. [ME] - 1/17/2007
Tel: (202) 224-5344 Fax: (202) 224-1946
Sen Specter, Arlen [PA] - 4/16/2007
Tel: (202) 224-4254 Fax: (202) 228-1229
Sen Stabenow, Debbie [MI] - 3/13/2007
Tel: (202) 224-4822 Fax: (202) 228-0325
e-mail: senator@stabenow.senate.gov
Sen Whitehouse, Sheldon [RI] - 6/11/2007
Tel: (202) 224-2921 Fax: (202) 228-6362
FOR YOUR CONVENIENCE - You can use this toll-free number 800-828-0498 and ask for a legislator by name (or ask for extension, last 5 numbers of legislator's office phone)

Please send Congressman Maffei a thank you - especially if you are in his district.

R- 

Good news! We are delighted to have a new New York co-sponsor for HR 503:
Rep Maffei, Daniel B. [NY-25] - 3/23/2009

Rep Maffei is a new Congressman and we are grateful for his support.

Again, sorry for all the emails ... lots going on at the state levels... all the more reason to pass the Federal bill!  

Thanks to all for your good work for the horses - it's a joy to work with you.
Be well,

Susan  

forwarded by:

Robin J. Yager,  Director
Network Partners for Animals*
* We do not sanction any groups' ethics or actions and offer the Network Partners Group as a networking resource tool.

http://www.partnershelpinganimalscoalition-subscribe@yahoogroups.com  (remove spacing)
Spring Farm CARES
3364 Route 12
Clinton, NY 13323
315-790-1404

http://www.springfarmcares.org (no spaces) 

Life is as dear to the mute creature as it is to man. Just as one wants
happiness and fears pain, just as one wants to live and not to die, so
do other creatures. ~ His Holiness The Dalai Lama

Dear Wild Horse friends;

I apologize for not being in touch with you sooner, but we wanted to have a clearer idea of what is really happening with the new Administration, BLM, and the wild horse program before reporting to you.  
A Bill to Amend the Wild Horse and Burro Act of 1971:
Perhaps the single most important development so far this year is the recent introduction of HR 1018 by Congressmen Rahall (D-WV) and Grijalva (D-AZ). This legislation would amend the Wild Horse and Burro Act in numerous ways. You can read the bill by clicking here. The intent of the Bill is to strengthen protections for both wild horses on the range and in captivity. You can read my comments to the Congressmen here.
HR 1018 would allow for the expansion of wild horse habitat. We hope that this would support our arguments regarding the legal expansion of Cloud’s herd on the Pryor Mountains. Range expansion would eliminate BLM’s stated reason (lack of forage in the designated range) for reducing the herd to genetically non-viable levels, thereby destroying this genetically unique herd of Spanish mustangs.
The BLM Herd Management Plan, which has not yet been adopted, calls for a herd of only 90-120 animals in the Pryors. Legally expanding the range to areas which wild horses historically used and are using at the present time would also prevent the scheduled round up of 60 wild horses in August. This round up would represent the largest round up in the history of the Pryor Wild Horse Range. Please click here to contact the Billings BLM office so you can automatically receive information from them on their management plans for Cloud’s herd.  
I would encourage you to get involved by thanking the Congressmen for their efforts with HR 1018 and encouraging them to specifically support the Pryor Wild Horses by preventing the planned destruction of the herd in August. Click here to contact them.
Range Expansion: Please communicate directly with the new Secretary of Agriculture, Tom Vilsack and the new Supervisor of the Gallatin and Custer National Forests, Mary Erickson requesting that that the Pryor Mountain Wild Horse Range be expanded to reflect the historic and current use areas of the rare Pryor wild horses.
BLM Advisory Board Meeting: We CANNOT allow the herd to be destroyed and we CANNOT allow Cloud and his family and the other wonderful families of wild horses on this spectacular mountain to be ripped apart. I delivered this message to the BLM Advisory Board at their meeting this Monday in Reno. Thanks to Sally Summers and Horse Power in Reno, you can view that meeting by clicking here . The bias of this Advisory Board boggles the imagination. It is stacked with vested special interest members, but there is hope. Three new positions will be opening up. I was nominated but have less than no chance of being appointed as I am too outspoken on behalf of the horses. But, we hope at least one new member speak on behalf of the public and our wishes to always have wild horses on our wide western landscapes. You can read my comment letter to the Board here.

Planned Trip: On a lighter note, we plan on visiting the Pryors in two weeks to see how everyone is doing. We know that Cloud is doing well but will report back to you, hopefully with photos if we can reach the bands. Winter is always a difficult time but we will do our best to access them. I will send them your regards. On some level, I know they feel your love for them.
Thanks so much for your continued support. You are so great. If you can donate for the cause, please do so by going online at www.thecloudfoundation.org or sending us something via mail. Please help if you can.   
Happy Trails!
Ginger
P.S. Both the air date (now November 2009) and name (now Cloud: Challenge of the Stallions ) of the new Cloud program have changed. My new book, Cloud: Challenge of the Stallions, will be out in June and we’ll let you know when it is available. If you do not have the first two Cloud programs and books, you can order them on our website and be up to speed when the new story is published and aired. There is more story in the books than the DVDs, of course, and lots of photographs. I can autograph them however you like.

Our mailing address is:
The Cloud Foundation 107 South 7th St Colorado Springs, CO 80905
Our telephone:
719-633-3842
Copyright (C) 2008 The Cloud Foundation All rights reserved.

Bill Introduced to Restore Ban on Commercial Sale, Slaughter of Wild Horses
Edited Press Release
WASHINGTON — A bill to restore the 34-year ban on the commercial sale and slaughter of America's wild, free-roaming horses and burros (H.R. 1018) was introduced today by House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Nick Rahall (D-W.Va.) and National Parks, Forests and Public Lands Subcommittee Chairman Raúl Grijalva (D-Az.). In the 110th Congress, similar legislation passed the U.S. House of Representatives by more than a two-to-one margin with a vote of 277 to 137.

In addition to preventing the commercial sale and slaughter of wild horses, H.R. 1018 prevents wholesale killing of healthy wild horses, prioritizes on-the-range management over roundups (including immunocontraception as a population control strategy that will save tax dollars), and prohibits particularly cruel round up methods, such as the use of helicopters and other airborne devices. 

Today's actions seek to restore the federal protections for wild horses and burros from sale and slaughter for human consumption overseas. Wild horses and burros had been protected from commercial sale and slaughter since the passage of the Wild and Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act of 1971. The longstanding protections for wild horses were gutted by a controversial, midnight rider slipped into an omnibus spending bill by former Sen. Conrad Burns (R-Mont.) in late 2004. Burns was defeated in the 2006 election.

This legislation comes on the heels of the Bureau of Land Management's controversial announcement last year that it was considering killing large numbers of wild horses taken from the rangeland. 

Source: www.hsus.org

House Committee Gets New Mustang Bill

Posted by: "Marge" redmm97@cox.net   redmm97

Thu Feb 19, 2009 3:16 pm (PST)

House Committee Gets New Mustang Bill
by: Pat Raia
February 13 2009, Article # 13613
Wild horses and burros could get more room to roam under a bill introduced into the U.S. House of Representatives Natural Resources Committee on Thursday by Committee Chairman Rep. Nick Rahall (D-WV) and Rep. Raul Grijalva (D-AZ), chairman of the House Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests and Public Lands.
The Restoring Our American Mustangs Act (HR 1018), amends the Wild Horse and Burro Act of 1971 to allow the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to increase acreage available to free roaming herds, and to develop wild horse and burro sanctuaries on public lands.
The bill also forbids the killing of healthy animals, and allows greater public participation in herd management decisions.
The BLM currently manages more than 33,000 wild horses and burros on public land. The new bill implements Government Accountability Office recommendations to improve BLM herd management.

Begin forwarded message:
Dear Americans Against Horse Slaughter Members,

We will be sending out frequent updates to let you know the status of
the Federal Legislation to end horse slaughter along with instructions
on how you can help. Also included will be links to information on
states that need help in stopping State Legislation promoting the
slaughter of horses.

Information on Federal Bill HR503 with strategy on action for you to
take, please go to
http://www.alexbrownracing.com/wiki/index.php/Horse_slaughter

If you live in any of the following states, we need your help! Please
pass this information along to friends, neighbors, relatives and
co-workers.
North Dakota  http://www.animallawcoalition.com/horse-slaughter/article/663

Arkansas http://www.hsus.org/legislation_laws/state_legislation/arkansas/horse_slaughter.html
Kansas http://www.hsus.org/legislation_laws/state_legislation/state-legislation-list.html?state=kansas
For those of you who are new to the fight to end the slaughter of  American horses, you can find links to everything you need to know at  www.americansagainsthorseslaughter.com as well as links to State Blogs
with state specific information.
As many of you already know, we have no other agenda than to end the brutal slaughtering and the transport of our horses to slaughter for human consumption.
Thanks for all your help!
Americans Against Horse Slaughter
This message was sent by: Americans Against Horse Slaughter, 1551
Willow Pond Dr., Yardley, PA 19067
Powered by iContact: http://freetrial.icontact.com

 Manage your subscription:
http://app.icontact.com/icp/mmail-mprofile.pl?r=37019392&l=70771&s=THAP&m=484090&c=295898 

If your representative is NOT on this list,

please please call and write and get them to co-sponsor!!!!

The time is now - please participate and let's end the nightmare for the horses!

Please also x-post and ask everyone you know to help.

Thank you!

Marjorie

http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/D?d111:1:./temp/~bdzyDF:@@@N|/bss/111search.html|
H.R.503 
Title: To amend title 18, United States Code, to prohibit certain conduct relating to the use of horses for human consumption. 
Sponsor: Rep Conyers, John, Jr. [MI-14] (introduced 1/14/2009)      Cosponsors (78) 
Latest Major Action: 1/14/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.

COSPONSORS(78), BY DATE [order is left to right]:     (Sort: alphabetical order)

Rep Burton, Dan [IN-5] - 1/14/2009 
Rep Ackerman, Gary L. [NY-5] - 1/14/2009 
Rep Berkley, Shelley [NV-1] - 1/14/2009 
Rep Bilbray, Brian P. [CA-50] - 1/14/2009 
Rep Bono Mack, Mary [CA-45] - 1/14/2009 
Rep Bordallo, Madeleine Z. [GU] - 1/14/2009 
Rep Brown, Henry E., Jr. [SC-1] - 1/14/2009 
Rep Capuano, Michael E. [MA-8] - 1/14/2009 
Rep Castle, Michael N. [DE] - 1/14/2009 
Rep Cohen, Steve [TN-9] - 1/14/2009 
Rep Cummings, Elijah E. [MD-7] - 1/14/2009 
Rep DeFazio, Peter A. [OR-4] - 1/14/2009 
Rep Delahunt, William D. [MA-10] - 1/14/2009 
Rep DeLauro, Rosa L. [CT-3] - 1/14/2009 
Rep Gallegly, Elton [CA-24] - 1/14/2009 
Rep Gerlach, Jim [PA-6] - 1/14/2009 
Rep Grijalva, Raul M. [AZ-7] - 1/14/2009 
Rep Gutierrez, Luis V. [IL-4] - 1/14/2009 
Rep Hall, John J. [NY-19] - 1/14/2009 
Rep Hinchey, Maurice D. [NY-22] - 1/14/2009 
Rep Inglis, Bob [SC-4] - 1/14/2009 
Rep Jackson-Lee, Sheila [TX-18] - 1/14/2009 
Rep Jones, Walter B., Jr. [NC-3] - 1/14/2009 
Rep King, Peter T. [NY-3] - 1/14/2009 
Rep Kirk, Mark Steven [IL-10] - 1/14/2009 
Rep Klein, Ron [FL-22] - 1/14/2009 
Rep Kucinich, Dennis J. [OH-10] - 1/14/2009 
Rep Lewis, John [GA-5] - 1/14/2009 
Rep LoBiondo, Frank A. [NJ-2] - 1/14/2009 
Rep Lofgren, Zoe [CA-16] - 1/14/2009 
Rep Maloney, Carolyn B. [NY-14] - 1/14/2009 
Rep McCarthy, Carolyn [NY-4] - 1/14/2009 
Rep McCotter, Thaddeus G. [MI-11] - 1/14/2009 
Rep McGovern, James P. [MA-3] - 1/14/2009 
Rep Miller, George [CA-7] - 1/14/2009 
Rep Mitchell, Harry E. [AZ-5] - 1/14/2009 
Rep Moore, Gwen [WI-4] - 1/14/2009 
Rep Moran, James P. [VA-8] - 1/14/2009 
Rep Murphy, Patrick J. [PA-8] - 1/14/2009 
Rep Nadler, Jerrold [NY-8] - 1/14/2009 
Rep Payne, Donald M. [NJ-10] - 1/14/2009 
Rep Platts, Todd Russell [PA-19] - 1/14/2009 
Rep Rahall, Nick J., II [WV-3] - 1/14/2009 
Rep Rangel, Charles B. [NY-15] - 1/14/2009 
Rep Rothman, Steven R. [NJ-9] - 1/14/2009 
Rep Ruppersberger, C. A. Dutch [MD-2] - 1/14/2009 
Rep Schakowsky, Janice D. [IL-9] - 1/14/2009 
Rep Scott, Robert C. "Bobby" [VA-3] - 1/14/2009 
Rep Serrano, Jose E. [NY-16] - 1/14/2009 
Rep Sherman, Brad [CA-27] - 1/14/2009 
Rep Smith, Christopher H. [NJ-4] - 1/14/2009 
Rep Sutton, Betty [OH-13] - 1/14/2009 
Rep Van Hollen, Chris [MD-8] - 1/14/2009 
Rep Wasserman Schultz, Debbie [FL-20] - 1/14/2009 
Rep Watson, Diane E. [CA-33] - 1/14/2009 
Rep Wexler, Robert [FL-19] - 1/14/2009 
Rep Whitfield, Ed [KY-1] - 1/14/2009 
Rep Woolsey, Lynn C. [CA-6] - 1/14/2009 
Rep Wu, David [OR-1] - 1/14/2009 
Rep Young, C.W. Bill [FL-10] - 1/14/2009 
Rep Courtney, Joe [CT-2] - 1/26/2009 
Rep Levin, Sander M. [MI-12] - 1/26/2009 
Rep Lipinski, Daniel [IL-3] - 1/26/2009 
Rep Israel, Steve [NY-2] - 1/26/2009 
Rep Murtha, John P. [PA-12] - 1/26/2009 
Rep Weiner, Anthony D. [NY-9] - 1/26/2009 
Rep Bishop, Timothy H. [NY-1] - 1/26/2009 
Rep Myrick, Sue Wilkins [NC-9] - 1/26/2009 
Rep Bartlett, Roscoe G. [MD-6] - 1/26/2009 
Rep Lance, Leonard [NJ-7] - 1/26/2009 
Rep Rooney, Thomas J. [FL-16] - 1/27/2009 
Rep Berman, Howard L. [CA-28] - 1/27/2009 
Rep Dicks, Norman D. [WA-6] - 1/27/2009 
Rep Green, Al [TX-9] - 1/27/2009 
Rep Peters, Gary C. [MI-9] - 1/27/2009 
Rep Lowey, Nita M. [NY-18] - 1/27/2009 
Rep Bilirakis, Gus M. [FL-9] - 1/28/2009 
Rep Holt, Rush D. [NJ-12] - 1/28/2009

Text of HR503

Posted by: "cdhanna9703@aol.com" cdhanna9703@aol.com   cdhanna9703

Massachusetts - show HR503 support

Hello horse lovers.
The effort to get a federal horse slaughter ban passed is underway now.
Congress has returned to a new session and many of us now again
actively work to get a federal ban on horse slaughter passed.
I will help by being the state coordinator for Massachusetts
residents who will be the 'army' that will be heard in Washington.
No one's taken this on before for MA under Americans Against Horse
Slaughter and I ask all concerned residents to please join us today.
As MA 'state coordinator', I'll be sending out action alerts, informational articles, and how-to's via email to those who would be able to give some time to getting the federal ban passed.
People will be able to help by calling, writing, or faxing our Massachusetts
senators and representatives and other officials when action is needed. When that need hits, you will receive an email prompt from me.
I'll provide the info, you run with it.
Supporters can revise or personalize any effort, and you can chose when or when not to participate.
This can be done during business hours or after hours since congressional offices all accept faxes, emails, or voicemails 24/7.
Helping is easy but very important, and the amount of noise we make
makes all the difference. Every voice counts.
Whether you can help occasionally, or more frequently, horses need you now.
You may just want to receive the emails for their informational benefit, but
I hope you'll be an active voice in this statewide group.
People are welcome to contact me with any questions any time . . .
but helping this effort will be simple enough and it will take as little or as much time as someone wants to give it.
Please help further by forwarding this request to any MA residents who might like
to be part of this effort. Reaching out farther will gain more for our side.
I hope you'll join us. We've got a lot to gain and everything to lose.
THANKS!
Kathryn at MA4horses@gmail.com (MA4horses @ gmail.com)

NEW YEAR, NEW BILLS, NEW SPIRIT!

Posted by: "Barbara Pennelle" endinghorseslaughter@live.com   bpennelle

Thu Jan 15, 2009 4:57 pm (PST)

Sen. Conyers' Prevention of Equine Cruelty Act was re-introduced to
Congress on Jan. 14 as H.R.503. There are already a good number of
co-sponsors. The bill has been referred to the House Committee on the
Judiciary. This is the same bill that was introduced last summer by Rep.
Conyers, and proposes to end slaughter of America's horses, here and
abroad. We need to pursuade our Congressmen to support it. America has
not enacted any significant type of legislation that would protect our
domestic horses in many years. Please call or write your legislators,
especially those who are not currently supporting the bill. You can find
a list of co-sponsors on the web site www.endinghorseslaughter.com
<http://www.endinghorseslaughter.com/> (horse slaughter), along with
information to help you. We have a decent chance of getting this passed
during the current session and two years to get it done.
The bill to outlaw double-decker trailers was re-introduced as H.R.305
by Rep. Mark Steven Kirk of Illinois on Jan. 8, and is off to a slow
start with only 2 co-sponsors. This bill never really gained momentum in
the last session of Congress. There is no good reason to use
double-decker trailers--they are dangerous for people on the highways
and they are inhumane for the horses. The bill has been referred to the
House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.
The BLM and Forestry Service are looking for three new members for the
Wild Horse and Burro Advisory Board. The Board is supposed to represent
a balance of interests, our interest being welfare and a future for the
horses and burros. Positions now being recruited are for Wildlife
Management, Humane Advocacy and Livestock Management. Previous members
include a school teacher who owned a wild horse, a rancher and the
manager of a wild horse rescue. Don't be afraid to apply! The Board is
comprised of 9 members who meet at least twice a year. They are
reimbursed for travel and per diem expenses. Any individual or
organization can nominate someone or can nominate themselves. The letter
of nomination must include nominee's name and address, profession,
relevant biographical information, references, endorsements and specific
category of interest. The information must be sent by Feb. 17 to the
National Wild Horse and Burro Program, Bureau of Land Management,
Department of the Interior, P.O. Box 12000, Reno, NV 89520-006, Attn:
Ramona DeLorme, or Fax 775-861-6618. If you know of somebody interested
or are yourself interested, please give this consideration. If you need
help, e-mail me at endinghorseslaughter@live.com
(endinghorseslaughter @ live.com) .
Finally, for those who are able, please give a helping hand to the
rescue of your choosing. This has been a brutal winter and it's far from
over.
Barbara P.

Update:

Hi Folks,

I found out that after AWI put out that announcement Conyers withdrew the bill so that he could wait for the old number HR.503.  I will let you know when that number is issued.  It should be only a day or so.  I'm sorry for any inconvenience.  

Original Info:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

BILL TO END HORSE SLAUGHTER REINTRODUCED 

Washington, DC (January 13, 2009) – The Prevention of Equine Cruelty Act (H.R. 464), was reintroduced today by House Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers, Jr. (D-MI) and Representative Dan Burton (R-IN).  They first introduced the bill, which will ban horse slaughter, in the summer of 2008.  It gained quick bipartisan support and passed out of the Judiciary Committee but did not move further as the legislative clock wound down.  Committed to seeing the measure passed into law, Chairman Conyers has given the bill priority in his committee, as signaled by its reintroduction so early on the legislative calendar.  With sixty-one original cosponsors, the bill already enjoys strong bipartisan support. 

Although the few remaining horse slaughter plants operating in the US were shut down in 2007 under state law, the absence of a federal law banning the practice means that American horses are still at risk of being slaughtered for human consumption.  In fact, more than 100,000 horses were exported to Mexico and Canada in 2008 for slaughter; In Canada horses are often shot to death while in Mexico some plants still use the “puntilla” knife to stab the horse into a state of paralysis prior to being slaughtered while still fully conscious.  The meat is then sold to high-end consumers in Europe and Asia. 

“There are naysayers who claim we should reopen the US plants rather than seek to ban all horse slaughter.  Clearly, they’ve already forgotten how awful the plants here were,” said Chris Heyde, deputy director of Government and Legal Affairs for the Animal Welfare Institute. 

Documents recently released under the Freedom of Information Act reveal just how brutal conditions were at the US plants before they were shut down.  Hundreds of graphic photographs taken by U.S. Department of Agriculture employees at one plant show live horses with missing legs, with eyeballs hanging out, with skin ripped from the body and the birth of foals at the plant.  Other photos show horses dead on arrival, having succumbed to the miseries of transport.   

“The suffering of hundreds of thousands of our horses rests solely on the shoulders of those blocking this bill.  Were it not for their stalling tactics horse slaughter would have ceased years ago.  Meanwhile an American horse is slaughtered every five minutes.  We commend Chairman Conyers and Representative Burton for taking the lead once again to end this cruel practice through introduction of the Prevention of Equine Cruelty Act,” said Heyde.  

##30## 

For further information contact:

Chris Heyde, 202-446-2142

Liz Ross, 202-497-6780

Hi Folks,
We have all been waiting anxiously to find out who Obama would appoint to be Secretary of Agriculture.  Tonight it was announced that it will be former two term Governor of Iowa, Tom Vilsack.  He is one of the very best possible choices for the animals.  It had been thought that he was out of the running, so it is a very pleasant surprise to find he will get the post. 
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/michael-markarian/we-need-change-animals-ca_b_143887.html?show_comment_id=18018742
Some of the people whose names have been floated would be well suited for this task. Former Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack, for example, has a solid record on animal protection. As chief executive, he didn't address the most complex issues such as the massive pollution from hog factory farms, but he advocated for bills to toughen the state's penalties for animal fighting, and he stood up to the hunting lobby and vetoed legislation that would have allowed the target shooting of mourning doves for the first time in decades.
Vilsack is also solid on the environment.  According to http://activote.ontheissues.org/AVA/Tom_Vilsack.htm, here are some of his actions and positions as Governor.

Vetoed a bill that failed to adequately protect health. (Apr 2004)

Burn waste oat hulls to save energy costs. (Apr 2004)

Vetoed a bill without adequate environmental safeguards. (Mar 2004)

Fund solutions for runoff contaminating waterways. (Jan 2004)

Replace MTBE in gasoline with cleaner ethanol. (May 2000)

More state autonomy on brownfields & Superfund cleanups. (Aug 2001)

Support State Revolving Loan Fund for flexible Clean Water. (Aug 2001)

More EPA flexibility on interstate ozone. (May 1998)

Maintain joint EPA-state authority over nuclear waste. (Oct 1999)

Happy Holidays Everyone!
John Holland

Join other Massachusetts-based supporters and work for federal slaug

Posted by: "Kathryn" kwebers@hotmail.com   autumnsmoke7 (kwebers @ hotmail.com)

Sat Oct 25, 2008 6:37 pm (PDT)

Hello.
The effort to get a federal horse slaughter ban passed is currently
quiet as Congress is now in recess for the Nov 4 elections. When they
return to session many of us will again actively work to get this ban
passed. Will you join us?
Every person counts and that's why I write today. A huge thanks to
Beth for all that she does and for her support of my posting here on
her site in my relentless pursuit of horse activists.
I will help by being a state coordinator for MA residents who will be
the 'army' that will be heard in Washington. No one's taken this on
before for MA under Americans Against Horse Slaughter. If someone has
already been organizing on behalf of the ban, I'd love to hear from
them and would love even more working with them for this.
As MA 'state leader', I'll be sending out action alerts,
informational articles, and how-to's via email to those who would be
able to give some time to getting the federal ban passed. Changes to
congressional seats and a new president make the upcoming time very
exciting and promising for this effort, but we're also focusing on
current opportunities for this bill during a `lame duck'
congressional session after the Nov 4 election. We may not have the
lobbying monies others can promise congressmen but we are being heard
very clearly and every effort makes congress hear us better.
People will be able to help by calling, writing, or faxing our MA
senators and representatives when action is needed. When that need
hits, you will receive an email prompt from me. I'll provide the
info, you run with it. Supporters can revise or personalize any
effort, and can chose when or when not to participate.
This can be done during business hours or after hours since
congressional offices all accept faxes, emails, or voicemails 24/7.
Helping is easy but very important, and the amount of noise we make
makes all the difference. Every voice counts. Whether you can help
occasionally, or more frequently, that will be a big help. Maybe you
just want to receive the emails for their informational benefit. I
hope you'll consider being part of my group list.
I'm available to help answer any questions anytime. Helping this
effort will be simple enough and it will take as little or as much
time as someone wants to give it. Just reply to me, and tell me who
your Washington representative is. If you don't know yours, I can
help with that. I'll need to know what town you're registered to vote
in and/or live in.
This state-based effort is in cooperation with Americans Against
Horse Slaughter, and also with key players who are absolute saints in
this effort.
Please consider forwarding this info to any MA residents who might
like to be part of this effort. Reaching out farther will gain more
for our side, so thanks for that. If you're pro-slaughter or want to
argue for argument's sake, find somebody else to harass, it ain't me.
Thanks for helping get a federal horse slaughter ban passed. I hope
you'll join us. We've got a lot to gain and everything to lose.
Feel free to ask questions or PM me, it's that easy. Thanks, Beth!
Kathryn

NH, RI, CT, MA, NY, etc.. HELP!!

Posted by: "martinmaryd@comcast.net" martinmaryd@comcast.net   wyattcactus

Mon Jun 30, 2008 5:30 am (PDT)

FROM lm:
if people would go to the link below, they will see if they have state members who are part of this group. If you see yours, or someone from your state (but represents another district besides yours) feel free to have at them and request that they oppose any effort to oppose the federal ban.
---------------------
full list
http://www.ncsl.org/public/govern.htm
--------------------
Representative Peter Lewiss, Rhode Island
Representative Denise Merrill, Appropriations Chair, Connecticut
Senator Richard Moore, Massachusetts
Representative Sherman Packard, New Hampshire
Speaker Sheldon Silver, New York
Senator Jay Costa, Jr., Pennsylvania
Senator Verna Jones, Maryland
https://community.hsus.org/campaign/NCSL_2008_horse_slaughter
The National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL), an organization
made up of state lawmakers from across the country, will be
considering a pro-slaughter resolution at their annual meeting in
July. Although not legally binding, this resolution would ask
Congress NOT to pass the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act, and
could pressure federal legislators into inaction.
TAKE ACTION
Please call your state representative(s) and your state senator(s)
and urge them to oppose any pro-slaughter resolution at the NCSL
annual meeting. Click here to look up your state legislators' names
and phone numbers.
After making your calls, please send a follow-up email to your state
legislators in opposition to any pro-slaughter resolution. Your
legislators receive a lot of email, so it is important to personalize
the subject line and message below so that your message will stand
out and have more of an impact.
--
Mary D. Martin - MA Rep/Director NEER
www.newenglandequinerescues.com
" We can judge the heart of a man by his treatment of animals." ~ Kant

Dear Brandi,

Thank you again for signing on as a citizen co-sponsor of my legislation to stop the slaughter of thousands of American horses. Though a recent court ruling has curbed horse slaughter in our country, these beautiful animals remain vulnerable to being shipped across our borders to slaughterhouses everyday. That's why I introduced the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act to ban the export of our horses for slaughter -- and thanks to people like you, over 4,500 people have joined me and co-sponsored my bill to protect our horses!
Now, it's time to bring the attention of my fellow Senators to this often-ignored but important issue. Already, 38 Senators have joined me in co-sponsoring the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act -- and with your help, we can convince even more of of them to safeguard our horses.
Click here to email your Senators, urging them to co-sponsor the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act today!
I'm proud to be sponsor of a bipartisan solution to the needless and inhumane slaughter of horses. Every year, tens of thousands are crammed into overheated, double-decker trailers and transported across our borders. Many do not even survive the journey, and the ones that do are slaughtered in unnecessarily brutal ways. This practice must be stopped -- but I need your help to do it.
With a crowded legislative calendar and the usual distractions of a presidential election year, it has been difficult to bring the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act to a floor vote in the Senate. But together, we can finally address putting an end to horse slaughter.
Click here to email your Senators, urging them to co-sponsor the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act today!
I'm committed to fighting against this despicable practice until the Senate passes a law to protect our horses -- but I can't do it alone, and I'll need your help to get the job done.
Thank you so much for your support,
Sincerely,
Mary Landrieu
U.S. Senator
P.S. It will only take a minute of your time to email your Senators -- we've provided a letter template for you, and we will automatically deliver your email to the appropriate Senators. Click here to email your Senators, urging them to co-sponsor the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act today!

Fw: Legislation funds Killing Cats, Dogs, Horses, Wildlife URGENT AC

Posted by: "Horse Helping" horsehelping@gmail.com   eaglewhowatches

Fri Jun 13, 2008 9:41 am (PDT)
PLEASE XPOST &
CONTACT YOUR U.S. SENATORS
http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm
H.R. 767, the Refuge Ecology Protection, Assistance
and Immediate Response (REPAIR) Act
bill would allocate millions of dollars to fund expensive, unwarranted and inhumane killing programs -- targeting feral cats, free-roaming dogs, wild horses,
and any other unwanted animal species.
Trouble with links or images? Want to share this email? Use this link:
https://community.hsus.org/humane/notice-description.tcl?newsletter_id=24838251
June 11, 2008
Oppose Legislation that Would Fund Cruel Killing of Cats, Dogs, Horses and Wildlife
Dear C,
A bill now before the U.S. Senate will fund cruel, indiscriminate killing programs on our nation's wildlife refuges. H.R. 767, the Refuge Ecology Protection, Assistance, and Immediate Response (REPAIR) Act, flew through the U.S. House of Representatives because it was promoted as an invasive plant eradication bill. In truth, the bill would allocate millions of dollars to fund expensive, unwarranted and inhumane killing programs -- targeting feral cats, free-roaming dogs, wild horses, and any other unwanted animal species. We need your help to halt this short-sighted legislation.
Every year, National Wildlife Refuges already kill thousands of native and non-native animals who have been categorized as "undesirable" by refuge managers using cruel and indiscriminate poisons, body-gripping traps, snares and other inhumane methods. There are better ways to solve conflicts with animal species, and if passed by the Senate, the REPAIR Act would ignore common-sense, humane approaches, in favor of lethal killing.
TAKE ACTION
Your U.S. Senator, Frank Lautenberg, sits on the committee that will consider H.R. 767. Please make a brief, polite phone call to Senator Lautenberg at (202) 224-3224 to urge opposition to the REPAIR Act and any other legislation that would fund cruel, indiscriminate wildlife eradication programs on National Wildlife Refuges.
When you call, you will likely speak to a staff member who will pass your message along to your legislator. Remember to be polite and professional, and leave your name and address so it is clear that you are a constituent. You can say:
"Hello, my name is [your name] and I live in [your city]. As a constituent, I'm calling to urge [Senator's name] to oppose H.R. 767, the REPAIR Act. The federal government must pull the plug on funding inhumane, indiscriminate wildlife eradication programs that allow cats, dogs and horses to become targets. Thank you."
After making your call, send a follow-up email in opposition to the proposed wildlife eradication bill. And don't forget to tell your friends and family how they can take action, too.
Thank you for all you do for animals.
Sincerely,
Mike Markarian
Executive Vice President
The Humane Society of the United States
Copyright © 2008 The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) | All Rights Reserved.
The Humane Society of the United States | 2100 L Street, NW | Washington, DC 20037
humanesociety@hsus.org | 202-452-1100 | humanesociety.org

New Cosponsor

Posted by: "cdhanna9703@aol.com" cdhanna9703@aol.com   cdhanna9703

Wed Jun 11, 2008 4:55 am (PDT)
Hi all,
We picked up another new cosponsor on H R 503 for a total of 204 plus the
sponsor. The new cosponsor is:
Rep Johnson, Henry C “Hank” Jr. [GA-4] - 6/10/2008
Best regards,
Cheryl Hanna
Fundraising and Publicity
Another Chance 4 Horses, Inc
_www.ac4h.com_ (http://www.ac4h.com/)

New Cosponsors for HR503

Posted by: "cdhanna9703@aol.com" cdhanna9703@aol.com   cdhanna9703

Wed Jun 4, 2008 4:40 am (PDT)
Hi all,
We picked up two more cosponsors on H R 503 for a total of 203 plus the
sponsor. The new cosponsors are:
Rep Carson, Andre [IN-7] - 6/3/2008
Rep English, Phil [PA-3] - 6/3/2008
Best regards,
Cheryl Hanna
Fundraising and Publicity
Another Chance 4 Horses, Inc
_www.ac4h.com_ (http://www.ac4h.com/)

Please crosspost

*** ACTION NEEDED ON S. 311, THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT ***

HERE IS WHAT WE NEED TO DO RIGHT NOW BEFORE THE 110th CONGRESSIONAL SESSION ENDS THE LAST QUARTER of 2008
(please note: this information is the most up-to-date and the following action items will be the essence of any effort this year to pass the AHSPA. Please take the time to make these calls, send emails and faxes. It is extremely important for our fight against the suffering of our horses to take the below actions)

1. CONTACT SENATOR HARRY REID (NV, Dem) - Senate Majority Leader

Capitol Address: 528 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 205100001
Ph: (202) 224-3542 / Fax: (202) 224-7327

District Address: Lloyd D. George Federal Building
333 Las Vegas Boulevard South, Ste. 8016
Las Vegas, NV 891017075
Ph: (702) 388-5020 / Fax: (702) 388-5030

Why: S. 311 has passed Senate committee and is awaiting floor vote. This means that if the bill is brought to the floor for a vote and we have the majority of senators to support it, we have a very good chance of passing S. 311 in Senate. The House will then have to mirror this. The House has voted favorably on HR. 503 (the sister bill in the House) several times. Now they are in a way waiting for their Senate counterparts to hold their end. Harry Reid alone is currently in a position to bring the bill to the floor for a vote without any additional Senate actions! This will effectively give our horses the chance they so desperately need.  URGENT: ASK SENATOR REID TO BRING S.311 TO THE FLOOR FOR A VOTE!

2. CONTACT SENATOR MITCH MCCONNELL (KY, Rep) - Senate Minority Leader

Capitol Address: 361-A Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 205100001
Ph: (202) 224-2541 / Fax: (202) 224-2499

District Address: 601 West Broadway Suite 630
Louisville, KY 402022238
Ph: (502) 582-6304 /Fax: (502) 582-5326

Why: Support from both Senate leaders would be of immeasurable importance to us. In addition, the endorsement of both Senate leaders would mean representation in both political parties which can in turn help ensure additional Senator votes and send a message that this issue spans political borders on a very high legislative level. URGENT: ASK SENATOR MCCONNEL TO SUPPORT S.311 AND HELP BRING IT TO THE FLOOR FOR A VOTE!

3. CALL YOUR SENATORS TO BUILD OUR S. 311 COSPONSOR LIST

Thank them if they're a cosponsor of S. 311 or, if they are not, urgently request that they become a cosponsor of S. 311.

This is the list of S.311 cosponsors at the moment: http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d110:SN00311:@@@P<http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d110:SN00311:@@@P>
This is how to contact your senators: https://community.hsus.org/humane/leg-lookup/search.html<https://community.hsus.org/humane/leg-lookup/search.html>

Why: when S. 311 is brought to the floor for a vote, we need the 60 cosponsors to pass the AHSPA in Senate; more cosponsors of the bill in Senate will send a strong message to the pro-slaughter showing strong legislative support for outlawing horse slaughter.  
We need to do this now. This Congress will adjourn some time between September and December of 2008.

PLEASE DO THIS FOR THE HORSES. PLEASE DON'T FORGET MEXICO.

THANK YOU!!!

action alert  AHSPA

Posted by: "martinmaryd@comcast.net" martinmaryd@comcast.net   wyattcactus

Tue May 13, 2008 6:05 am (PDT)

PLEASE TAKE ACTION TO ENSURE PASSAGE OF THE AMERICAN HORSE SLAUGHTER PREVENTION ACT
Dear friends,
Since it was reintroduced in January 2007, the American Horse Slaughter
Prevention Act (S. 311 - HR 503), a bill to ban the slaughter of US horses and
their exportation for slaughter abroad, has been waiting to be brought up for
consideration in both the Senate and the House where it currently being denied due
process by a handful of pro-slaughter Senators who believe the profits of
three foreign-owned horse slaughter plants outweigh the welfare and safety of
American horses and horse owners alike.
This group of Senators, led by Senator Larry Craig (R -ID), has successfully
blocked S.311 in the Senate, preventing the bill from being brought to a full
Senate vote.
As the legislative deadline of mid-September set up by the upcoming elections
approaches, the need to get the AHSPA has become critical.
Both the Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), and Senate Majority
Leader, Harry Reid (D-NV), have the power to bring the bill up for consideration in
their respectve chambers, therefore it is vital that as many people as
possible, both at the grassroots level and internally within Congress, insist that
the House Speaker and Senate Majority Leader do everything in their power to
afford the bills legislative due process and bring them immediately to the floor
for a vote.
How you can help:
a) Please contact Senate Majority Leader Sen. Harry Reid and House
Speaker Nancy Pelosi requesting them to do everything in their power to allow S.
311 (Senate) and H.R. 503 (House) asking them to immediately bring the bills to
a vote!
b) Contact your own Representative and your own two Senators asking them
to send a personal request to Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi and Senate
Majority Leader, Harry Reid requesting that they break the pro-slaughter
blockade on these two bills and bring them up for consideration.
c) Ask your Congressman and two Senators to cosponsor HR 503 and S. 311
respectively if they have yet not already done so. If your Members are
already cosponsor's, please thank them for their support.
Please share this alert with family and friends!!
To locate you legislators and learn where they stand on the AHSPA, please
visit: _http://www.compassionindex.org /index.htm_
(http://www.compassionindex.org /index.htm)
Please contact the following Congressional Leaders:
Speaker of the House - Nancy Pelosi (D-CA)
The Honorable Nancy Pelosi
United States House of Representatives
235 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515-0508
DC Phone: 202-225-4965
DC Fax: 202-225-4188
Email: _sf.nancy@mail.house.gov_ (mailto:sf.nancy@mail.house.gov)
Senate Majority Leader - Harry Reid (D-NV)
The Honorable Harry Reid
United States Senate
528 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510-2803
DC Phone: 202-224-3542
DC Fax: 202-224-7327
Email:  http://reid.senate.gov/contact /index.cfm

New Cosponsor for HR503

Rep Schmidt, Jean [OH-2] - 5/6/2008

Total 201 now

----- Original Message -----

From: Shirley Puga

Sent: Friday, May 02, 2008 6:57 PM

Subject: URGENT ALERT!!! YOUR HELP IS NEEDED!!!

HERE WE GO AGAIN....THIS TIME WE HAVE ONE LESS DAY THAN WE DID FOR SOUTH DAKOTA. HOWEVER, SEEING HOW OUR TROOPS RALLIED AT THAT TIME, I AM SURE WE CAN DO IT AGAIN. MAKE THOSE PHONE LINES LIGHT UP FIRST THING MONDAY MORNING AND LEAVE VOICE MAILS OVER THE WEEKEND......
Missouri State Senate to Consider Pro-Horse Slaughter Resolution
The Animal Welfare Institute has just learned that the Missouri State Senate will consider a resolution as soon as Monday, May 5, urging the US Congress to block passage of the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act(AHSPA) and facilitate the construction of new horse slaughter plants on US soil.
Missouri Senate Concurrent Resolution 35 flies in the face of public sentiment and reason.This resolution, clearly shaped by the pro-horseslaughter lobby, is chock full of misinformation and scare tactics designed to unnerve federal legislators and prevent them from taking action to stop America's horses from going to slaughter. It refers to the Horse Welfare Coalition, a group founded and currently run by the slaughterhouses, which consists of only pro-horse slaughter organizations  including the American Veterinary Medical Association, the American Association of Equine Practitioners, and the American Quarter Horse Association.
If passed, the resolution will be used to press our legislators into allowing the continued slaughter of our horses at the hands of a cruel and predatory industry that does nothing to help horses (as the resolution's authors would have you believe) and everything to hurt them.
Be sure to let Missouri Senators know that the Horse Welfare Coalition and the sponsors of this resolution are out of step with the states of Texas, Illinois and California (which have already banned horse slaughter), as well as more than 500 horse industry groups and leaders, equine rescues, veterinary organizations and the majority of Americans, all of whom support passage of the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act
WHAT YOU CAN DO:
Please contact the Missouri legislators listed here over the weekend and Monday morning, asking them to OPPOSE Senate Concurrent Resolution 35. You do not need to be a Missouri resident to call, as this resolution, if passed, has the potential to impact horses and horse owners from across the nation. 
Missouri State Senate Contact Information
Senator                 District                      Capitol Phone
Frank Barnitz        D-16                          (573) 751-2108
Matt Bartle           R-8                             (573) 751-1464
Joan Bray             D-24                           (573) 751-2514
Victor Callahan     D-11                           (573) 751-3074
Norma Champion R-30                            (573) 751-2583
Dan Clemens       R-20                            (573) 751-4008
Maida Coleman    D-5                              (573) 751-2606
Jason Crowell      R-27                            (573) 751-2459
Rita Heard Days   D-14                           (573) 751-4106
Tom Dempsey      R-23                            (573) 751-1141
Kevin Engler         R-3                             (573) 751-3455
Michael Gibbons   R-15                            (573) 751-2853
Jack Goodman      R-29                            (573) 751-2234
Chuck Graham      D-19                           (573) 751-2162
Timothy P. Green D-13                            (573) 751-2420
John Griesheimer R-26                            (573) 751-3678
Jolie Justus          D-10                            (573) 751-2788
Harry Kennedy     D-1                              (573) 751-2126
Chris Koster         D-31                            (573) 751-1430
Brad Lager           R-12                            (573) 751-1415
John Loudon        R-7                              (573) 751-9763
Rob Mayer           R-25                             (573) 751-3859
Ryan McKenna     D-22                             (573) 751-1492
Gary Nodler         R-32                             (573) 751-2306
Chuck Purgason  R-33                             (573) 751-1882
Luann Ridgeway R-17                             (573) 751-2547
Scott Rupp           R-2                              (573) 751-1282
Delbert Scott       R-28                             (573) 751-8793
Charlie Shields    R-34                             (573) 751-9476
Wes Shoemyer   D-18                             (573) 751-7852
Jeff Smith            D-4                               (573) 751-3599
Bill Stouffer         R-21                             (573) 751-1507
Carl Vogel           R-6                               (573) 751-2076
Yvonne Wilson    D-9                               (573) 751-9758
WE DON'T HAVE MUCH TIME .....WE NEED TO JUMP ON THIS AND SHOW THEM WHAT WE'RE MADE OF!!!!  WE'VE DONE IT BEFORE AND WE CAN DO IT AGAIN!!!!!
THANKS!!!!!
Shirley Puga
www.zazzle.com/spuga2000*

Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed people can change the world; indeed it is the only thing that ever has. 
Margaret Mead

Fw: senators - stop stalling!

Posted by: "Beth (:" fatoldfarmwife@verizon.net   bethofneer

Tue Apr 29, 2008 6:28 pm (PDT)

--SENATORS, STOP STALLING!
Senator Larry Craig - famous for misbehaving in a different kind of stall -
is using stall tactics on the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act.
His threat to hold up Senate consideration of the bill (S.311 by Sens.
Landrieu and Ensign) is putting thousands of horses in danger of ruthless
killer
buyers who want to buy horses at auction and haul them to Mexico or Canada
for a gruesome demise.
Tell your Senator to Stop the Larry Craig Stall.
Please do it today: Click _HERE_
(http://org2.democracyinaction.org/dia/track
jsp?v=2&c=WzgCPi5ypWkM/hs1sFXq2p8YdQxyCzZa) and send your Senator a message.
And please forward this email to 10 of your horse-loving friends, asking
them
to do the same.
Thanks for all you do to protect horses ..
Soraya
Soraya Gheissari
Executive Director
National Horse Protection League
The National Horse Protection League is an online community dedicated to
making every horse a wanted horse. Our mission is simple: to protect horses
and help owners who can no longer care for their animals find a humane and
loving alternative to cruel death or abandonment.

Great News''

Posted by: "phazzii" phazzii@yahoo.com  

Thu Apr 24, 2008 4:55 pm (PDT)

Rep Hare, Phil
<http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/?&Db=d110&querybd=@FIELD(FLD004+@\
4((@1(Rep+Hare++Phil))+01849))> [IL-17] - 4/23/2008 this makes a total
of 200 now needing only 18 for HR503

NATIONAL CONFERENCE OF STATE LEGISLATORS DEFEATS RESOLUTION TO PROMOTE HORSE SLAUGTHER

April 25, 2008 (Washington, D.C.) – A renegade resolution to promote the continued slaughter of American horses for human consumption abroad was defeated at today’s meeting of the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL).  The measure, offered by state Representative David Sigdestad (D-SD), urged the United States Congress to oppose the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act, currently pending in Congress.  AWI commends those state legislators who stood up in support of humane treatment of horses.

“The scheme was yet another dirty trick brought to you by the horse slaughter industry and its lobbyists.  Contrary to their claims, the federal American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act has enormous Congressional and public support, and the current trend at the state level has also been towards the passage of laws that protect horses from slaughter,” said Chris Heyde, deputy director of government and legal affairs for the Animal Welfare Institute.

The American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act (S. 311/H.R. 503), will prohibit the slaughter of American horses here or abroad for human consumption in Europe and Asia where it is often considered a delicacy.  The Senate and House versions have 38 and 200 cosponsors, respectively. 

Polls show that the majority of Americans support an end to the foreign-driven trade, as do hundreds of horse industry leaders and organizations, humane groups and dozens of celebrities.  As a result, the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act passed the United States House of Representatives by an overwhelming margin in the 109^th Congress and is up for reconsideration again.  States are also weighing in.

“While the US Congress is considering a federal ban, California, Texas and Illinois have taken action to send this predatory business packing.   South Dakota recently considered the issue when a bill authorizing state funds for the construction of a horse slaughterhouse was stopped in its tracks, yet here we have a legislator from South Dakota, Representative Sigdestad, offering a resolution that flies in the face of legislative trend and public sentiment,” said Heyde.  “We must enact the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act immediately to protect America’s horses from being trucked alive across our borders for slaughter abroad, and to further the will of those states that have enacted measures to end this barbaric trade.” 

In recent years, more than 100,000 American horses were slaughtered annually at three foreign-owned horse slaughterhouses operating out of Texas and Illinois while tens of thousands more were exported to Canada and Mexico for slaughter there.  Last year laws were enacted in Texas and Illinois prohibiting the slaughter, thus shutting down the country’s remaining domestic plants.  Nonetheless, the industry continues to haul huge numbers of American horses over the border for slaughter where they may be stabbed in the neck to induce paralysis before slaughter.

“There has been a concerted effort by the misnamed ‘Horse Welfare Coalition,’ mentioned in Representative Sigdestad’s resolution, to mislead legislators and the American public on the gruesome nature of horse slaughter.  The fact is that this coalition was founded and is led by the very same foreign-owned companies that were previously slaughtering our horses here and are now trucking them over the border to Canada and Mexico to do the same, only under worse conditions.  That the horse slaughter lobby claims to be working in the best interest of American horses by pushing for the defeat of a federal ban on their slaughter is disingenuous,” said Heyde.  “We’re just glad that reason ruled the day and the NCSL defeated the resolution.” 

##30##

For over 57 years the Animal Welfare Institute has been the leading voice for animals across the country and on Capitol Hill to reduce the sum total of pain and fear inflicted on animals by humans. Find our more at: http://www.awionline.org/.

For More Information Contact:

Chris Heyde, (703) 836-4300

Best regards,

Cheryl Hanna
Fundraising and Publicity
Another Chance 4 Horses, Inc
www.ac4h.com

National Conference of State Legislators to Consider Resolution

Opposing Federal Ban on Horse Slaughter

Dear Humanitarian:

The Animal Welfare Institute has learned that the National Conference of State Legislators, due to meet in Washington, D.C. later this week, will consider a resolution in its Agriculture Committee urging the United States Congress to block passage of the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act (AHSPA - H.R. 503/S. 311).  The AHSPA is an important animal protective measure that will prohibit the slaughter of our horses here or abroad for human consumption around the globe.

The resolution, which has clearly been shaped by the pro-horse slaughter lobby, is chock full of misinformation and scare tactics designed to unnerve legislators at the federal and state levels from taking action to prevent America’s horses from going to slaughter.  Its passage – if it does pass - will be used to press our legislators into allowing the continued slaughter of our horses at the hands of a cruel, predatory and entirely foreign-owned industry.

The “resolution or policy statement” refers to the “Horse Welfare Coalition” which was founded and is currently run by the slaughterhouses and consists of only pro-horse slaughter organizations such at the American Veterinary Medical Association, American Association of Equine Practitioners and American Quarter Horse Association.  Be sure to let these legislators know that well over 500 horse industry groups and leaders, equine rescues, veterinary organizations support the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act along with the majority of Americans.  http://www.awionline.org/legislation/horse_slaughter/supporters_of_ahspa.htm  

If you are a constituent of one of the following state legislators listed below, please email them TODAY and ask them to oppose any resolution at this weeks’ National Conference of State Legislators that would hamper efforts to protect America’s horses from the brutalities of slaughter. 

Here are some facts about horse slaughter:  http://www.awionline.org/legislation/horse_slaughter/faqs.htm

Be sure to share this AWI eAlert with friends, family and others, and urge them to email in opposition to any resolution or statement opposing the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act, too. As always, thank you for your help!

For the latest updates on this bill and AWI’s campaign against horse slaughter be sure to visit http://www.awionline.org/legislation/horse_slaughter/whats_new.htm every day.

Thank you,

Chris

********************
Christopher J. Heyde
Deputy Director, Government and Legal Affairs
Animal Welfare Institute
PO Box 3650
Washington, DC  20027
Tel:  (703) 836-4300 ~ Fax: (888) 260-2271
www.awionline.org
www.compassionindex.org

For over 57 years, AWI has been the leading voice for animals across the country and on Capitol Hill.  Please join us in our ongoing campaigns to reduce the sum total of pain and fear inflicted on animals by humans. Sign up for AWI eAlerts to receive the latest news on what you can do to help us protect all animals: http://www.awionline.org/joinus. 

Chair: Senator Beverly Gard (R-28), Indiana  S28@in.gov
Vice Chair: Assemblymember Mark DeSaulnier (D-11) California  Assemblymember.DeSaulnier@assembly.ca.gov
Vice Chair: Representative Terry L. England (R-108), Georgia  englandhomeport2@alltel.net
Vice Chair: Representative Carl J. Gatto (R-13), Alaska  cgatto@mtaonline.net
Vice Chair: Representative John A. Heaton (D-55), New Mexico  jheaton@caverns.com
Vice Chair: Representative Stan Mayfield (R-80), Florida  Stan.Mayfield@myfloridahouse.gov
Vice Chair: Senator Harris B. McDowell III (D-1), Delaware  harris.mcdowell@state.de.us
Vice Chair: Representative Larry R. Powell (R-117), Kansas  powell@house.state.ks.us
Vice Chair: Representative Richard F. Roy (D-119), Connecticut  Richard.Roy@cga.ct.gov
Vice Chair: Representative Carole A. Rubley (R-157), Pennsylvania  crubley@pahousegop.com
Vice Chair: Senator Mary Margaret Whipple (D-31), Virginia  district31@sov.state.va.us

 Best regards,
Cheryl Hanna
Fundraising and Publicity
Another Chance 4 Horses, Inc
www.ac4h.com

HSUS Declares April 29 National Call In Day

Posted by: "Barbara Pennelle" bpennelle@aol.com   bpennelle

Tue Apr 22, 2008 7:45 pm (PDT)

The Humane Society of the United States Urges You to Honor Barbaro's
Birthday by making the call for horses on April 29!
Check to see if your U.S. Representative is already a cosponsor of H.R.
503 <http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d110:HR00503:@@@P> and if
your two U.S. Senators are co-sponsors of S. 311
<http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d110:SN00311:@@@P> .
If they are not, please call on April 29 to urge them to become
co-sponsors. You can reach your federal legislators by calling the
Capitol switchboard at 202-224-3121, or click here
<http://community.hsus.org/humane/leg-lookup/search.html> to find their
Capitol office phone numbers.
Barbara P.

New sponsor for HR503

Posted by: "phazzii" phazzii@yahoo.com   phazzii

Sun Apr 20, 2008 12:37 am (PDT)

Rep Scott, Robert C. "Bobby"
<http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/?&Db=d110&querybd=@FIELD(FLD004+@\
4((@1(Rep+Scott++Robert+C.+> [VA-3] - 4/17/2008 This makes 199
now only 19 needed.

Hi all,

We picked up another cosponsor on H R 503 for a total of 199 plus the sponsor. The new cosponsor is:

Rep Scott, David [GA-13] - 4/17/2008

Best regards,
Cheryl Hanna
Fundraising and Publicity
Another Chance 4 Horses, Inc
www.ac4h.com

Fwd:   Maine Cruelty Bill Could Harm Farm Animals

Posted by: "Paula Gehl" RGehl@worldpath.net   paulagehl

Thu Apr 10, 2008 9:28 am (PDT)
Begin forwarded message:
> https://community.hsus.org/humane/notice-description.tcl?
> newsletter_id=22752089
>
> April 10, 2008
> Maine Cruelty Bill Could Actually Harm Farm Animals!
> Dear Patty,
> We are in the final days of the Maine legislative session and
> unfortunately, a bill to strengthen Maine's animal cruelty laws has
> just been amended to exempt farm animals. This bill, LD 2171, is
> expected to be heard in the Senate today. We need your urgent help
> to prevent the farm animal exemption in this legislation from
> becoming law.
> LD 2171, as it has been amended, will exempt farm animals from the
> cruelty code, enabling the legal torture of those animals as an
> unintended consequence. With so much national attention of late on
> the abuse of farm animals in slaughterhouses and elsewhere, Maine
> would be taking a step backwards for farm animals if this exemption
> is put into our otherwise strong anti-cruelty law.
> Please contact your state senator, Richard Nass, and state
> representative, Richard Burns, to urge that the exemption for farm
> animals is removed from LD 2171.
> TAKE ACTION
> Please make brief, polite phone calls to Senator Nass at (207)
> 287-1505 and Representative Burns at (207) 287-1430 and urge that
> they work to ensure that the exemption for farm animals is removed
> from LD 2171.
> When making your calls, you will likely speak to a staff member who
> will pass your message along to your legislator. Remember to be
> polite and professional, and leave your name and address so it is
> clear that you are a constituent. You can say:
> "Hello, my name is [your name] and I am calling from [your city] to
> ask [legislator's name] to help remove the farm animal exemption
> from LD 2171. This bill has the unintended consequence of allowing
> the torture of farm animals. The recent national publicity of
> cattle abuse at slaughterhouses demonstrates why we must ensure
> these animals are covered under our cruelty code. I urge you to
> support removing the farm animal exemption from LD 2171. Thank you."
> Then, send a follow-up email to your legislators on LD 2171.
> Finally, please tell your friends and family in Maine how they can
> help, too.
> Thank you for all you do for animals.
> Sincerely,

AQHA Has New Pro-Slaughter Lobbyist

Posted by: "Barbara Pennelle" bpennelle@aol.com   bpennelle

Thu Apr 10, 2008 6:39 am (PDT)

Conrad Burns registers as lobbyist
By MARY CLARE JALONICK
Associated Press Writer
WASHINGTON — Former Sen. Conrad Burns has registered as a lobbyist,
working for a group that supports the slaughter of wild horses.
Burns registered with the Senate as a lobbyist for the American Quarter
Horse Association Feb. 7, just a few weeks after he became eligible to
lobby under Senate rules.
He left the Senate in January 2007 after he was narrowly defeated by
Democrat Jon Tester, and former members are not allowed to lobby for one
year after their departure. New ethics rules have expanded that period
to two years.
The issue of wild horse slaughter was important to Burns, a Republican,
while he was in the Senate.
In 2004, he authored a law that would give the Bureau of Land Management
expanded authority to sell the oldest wild horses and reduce what the
government and ranchers says is an overpopulation of horses on the
range. Since then, some lawmakers and animal rights groups have pushed
to ban the practice.
In a statement Wednesday, Burns said he is working on behalf of the
organization because he strongly believes that "current proposals before
Congress are being advocated by those who don't have a full
understanding of agriculture and the negative impact proposed changes
would have upon an industry that prides itself in the humane treatment
of their horses.''
"The American Quarter Horse Association is the premier advocacy group on
this issue and someone I have worked with for many, many years and I am
honored to be able to continue that working relationship today,'' he
said.
Burns' relationships with lobbyists were a key issue in his campaign
against Tester. He was part of a Department of Justice investigation of
jailed lobbyist Jack Abramoff during the campaign, and Democrats used
the issue against him. In January, the government said Burns was no
longer part of the probe.
Abramoff is the key figure in a corruption investigation that has led to
convictions of a former congressman, legislative aides, lobbyists and
officials in the Bush administration. Burns had accepted about $150,000
in contributions from Abramoff, his clients and associates. He later
gave that money away.
One of Burns' former staffers, Ryan Thomas, registered with Burns to
lobby for the horse group. Thomas was also associated with Abramoff and
flew to the 2001 Super Bowl on Abramoff's corporate jet, according to a
2005 Washington Post report.
Burns works for Gage LLC, a lobbying firm founded by his former chief of
staff Leo A. Giacometto.
Barbara P.

Where We Stand On The Anti-slaughter Bills

Posted by: "Barbara Pennelle" bpennelle@aol.com   bpennelle

Mon Apr 7, 2008 6:38 am (PDT)

These are the stats in the U.S. House of Reps:

218 co-sponsors needed
198 current co-sponsors
20 additional co-sponsors needed of 237 noncommitted members
or fewer than 10%

These are the stats in the U.S. Senate:

60 co-sponsors needed
38 current co-sponsors
22 additional co-sponsors needed of 62 noncommitted members
or a little over 1/3

Right now, House bill H.R.503 is in committee and Senate bill
S.311(identical) is being held up by a group headed by Sen. Larry Craig.
We can force the Senate to vote on the bill by a majority of
co-sponsors. As you can see, we're having more trouble getting Senators
to sign on than Congressmen (just over the last few weeks, 5 additional
Congressmen have signed on). That's why I continually rotate the 62
noncommitted senators' names to call.

Unless we can be assured of passing the Senate bill, it will not be
brought up for a vote by Sen. Reid, since a loss would be a huge setback
for the cause of slaughter prevention. That's the importance of making
the calls, to let our Senators know the huge number of Americans that
want this bill passed.

If you have any questions or comments, I can always be e-mailed through
this forum. I also have a blog, http://blogs.delphiforums.com /bpennelle
<http://blogs.delphiforums.com /bpennelle> , where you can leave
questions or comments and I will answer them. My easy weekly call list
of 10 Senators is posted every Sunday and I also post a reminder later
in the week.

Please take the time to make the calls. It only takes 15-20 minutes a
week and costs nothing.

Barbara P.

Please sign on for Mary Landrieu and our horses

Posted by: "phazzii" phazzii@yahoo.com   phazzii

Sun Mar 16, 2008 4:38 pm (PDT)

Dear Friend, Did you know that over 100,000 horses were savagely
slaughtered for human consumption right here in the United States last
year? It's an appalling statistic, but thankfully a recent court ruling
has shuttered the three foreign-owned horse slaughter plants that were
responsible for these senseless deaths. However, there remains one
glaring loophole that is keeping our horses vulnerable to this brutal
practice: it is still legal to ship American horses across the border to
Mexico or Canada to be slaughtered, a tragic fate that befell almost
tens of thousands of these majestic animals last year. Such treatment
is simply unacceptable, which is why Senator Mary Landrieu has joined
with the Humane Society to lead a bipartisan group of lawmakers in
sponsoring the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act in the United
States Senate. This bill would close the export loophole once and for
all, and would place a permanent ban on the brutal practice of horse
slaughter in our country. But we need your help to make this vital
piece of legislation law, so I hope you'll click on the link below to
join me in signing on as a citizen co-sponsor of the American Horse
Slaughter Prevention Act! http://action.marylandrieu.com/page/s/horses

Hi Folks,

These are a must read!

John

---------------------------------

A View from a Citizen Lobbyist on the American  Horse Slaughter Prevention Act

http://www.animallawcoalition.com/horse-slaughter/article/424

The Politics of Passing the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act

http://www.animallawcoalition.com/horse-slaughter/article/354

Please pass this email on to everyone you know!

All the DETAILS you wanted to know about the ....Antislaughter Campa

Posted by: "Beth (:" fatoldfarmwife@verizon.net   bethofneer

Sun Feb 24, 2008 5:34 am (PST)

I think it's GREAT idea to have somebody put this all in simple terms for
us!!

Take a look...and put this on your web sites??

(:

From: Barbara
Date: 2/23/2008 4:52:52 PM
To: fatoldfarmwife@verizon.net
Subject: Antislaughter Campaign

On my own Delphi forum (http://forums.delphiforums.com/justhorsinaroun), I
have begun weekly postings of names and phone numbers of 10 legislators who
have not co-sponsored S.311 or HS.503. I'm doing this on Sunday nights for
our own members. Since I am already preparing the list, I have extended this
courtesy to other forums. I have no ulterior motive other than to expand the
network of callers working to stop horse slaughter. Along with posting
legislator's names, I have developed a web site showing all legislators who
have not co-sponsored, with links to their addresses and web sites. I have
also included a sample letter and phone information, as well as talking
points. You can view this web site at: http://people.delphiforums
com/bpennelle/endinghorseslaughter.html. I plan to continue to continually
update the site.

Barbara Pennelle

Fw: [topekaanimaltalk] Help add animal cruelty to FBI's crime databa

Posted by: "joycegonzales@rainbowtel.net" joycegonzales@rainbowtel.net   bourbonroadanimalsanctuary

Wed Feb 6, 2008 3:47 pm (PST)

----- Original Message -----
From: Louis Gambogi
To: topekaanimaltalk@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Monday, February 04, 2008 8:17 AM
Subject: [topekaanimaltalk] Help add animal cruelty to FBI's crime database

Dear Friend,

A bill has been recently introduced in the Senate that would
direct the FBI to add animal cruelty as a separate category in
its crime databases. I hope you will join me in helping to
ensure that this important legislation has support and gets
passed. It will only take a minute to take action. Here is the
link:
https://community.hsus.org/campaign/HSLF_2008_fbi_cruelty_2?rk=tdzeEQnqyQ1OW

Hi everyone,

Before I send out the list tonight, I wanted to take a moment and share the reply sent to me from my Nebraska Congressman, Adrian Smith.  I sent him an email on Jan 22.  I haven't heard anything from the others yet. 

His Reply:

Jan 23, 2008

Dear Mrs. Qualset:

Thank you for expressing your support for the Horse Slaughter Prevention Act (h.R.503).  I appreciate you taking the time to share your views on this matter.

The Horse Slaughter Prevention Act intends to enforce the humane treatment of horses.  Although well intended, H.R. 503 falls short in addressing a number of potential economic, humanitarian, and public health issues.  For example, the estimated annual cost for caring for an unwanted horse is $2,340, and euthanizing a retired horse, especially those in rural areas, can be very costly.  Because this can be unmanageable, unwanted horses may be neglected and left to starvation.  Furthermore, without the proper facilities to dispose of these animals, groundwater is at risk of contamination.

Regretfully, H.R. 503 would ultimately work against the well-being of horses and for all of these reasons, horse, veterinary, cattle, and agriculture organizations oppose this ban.  As a member of the House Committee on Agriculture, I look forward to working with my colleagues to produce legislation that will allow for the necessary disposal of livestock using the most humane methods available.

Again, thank you for contacting me; please do so in the future if I may be of assistance.

Sincerely,

Adrian Smith

Member of Congress

So, I would like to encourage everyone to send emails (politely please. lol) to him with facts, figures, suggestions, video clips from slaughter houses, and any information that you feel might open his eyes just a bit...hmm wonder if he is going to encourage NE to open a slaughter plant...sounds like it since he seems to think they are humane!  Maybe he will learn his lesson from the SD attempt.

Anyway, I will keep working on him as well.  Hopefully we can get him straightened out.
--
Thank you,
Brandi M. Qualset
Founder
Missy's Hope Equine Rescue Resource
http://missyshopeequinerescueresource.freehostia.com
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/MissysHopeEquineRescueResource
www.myspace.com/missyshopeerresource
The Chey/Annie Project
http://missyshopeequinerescueresource.freehostia.com/chey.htm

Update:

I was informed that my local NE Congressman that I posted the pro slaughter reply from last night won’t allow emails from people outside of his district…so…here is his contact info   If we can’t fill up his inbox, then lets make his fax and phone ring off the hook as well as flood his mailbox!

His website is http://adriansmith.house.gov and the address to his Washington office is

Adrian Smith

503 Cannon HOB

Washington, DC 20515

Phone number 202-225-6435 and fax 202-225-0207

U.S. Senators Not Yet Co-Sponsoring

Senator Lamar Alexander
Senator Wayne Allard
Senator John Barrasso
Senator Max Baucus
Senator Robert Bennett
Senator Jeff Bingaman
Senator Christopher Bond
Senator Sam Brownback
Senator Jim Bunning
Senator Richard Burr
Senator Bob Casey
Senator Saxby Chambliss
Senator Tom Coburn
Senator Thad Cochran
Senator Norm Coleman
Senator Kent Conrad
Senator Bob Corker
Senator John Cornyn
Senator Larry Craig
Senator Mike Crapo
Senator Jim DeMint
Senator Elizabeth Dole
Senator Pete Domenici
Senator Byron Dorgan
Senator Mike Enzi
Senator Russ Feingold
Senator Chuck Grassley
Senator Judd Gregg
Senator Chuck Hagel
Senator Tom Harkin
Senator Orrin Hatch
Senator Kay Hutchison
Senator James Inhofe
Senator Johnny Isakson
Senator Tim Johnson
Senator Amy Klobuchar
Senator Herb Kohl
Senator Jon Kyl
Senator Blanche Lincoln
Senator Richard Lugar
Senator Mel Martinez
Senator Claire McCaskill
Senator Mitch McConnell
Senator Patty Murray
Senator Ben Nelson
Senator Bill Nelson
Senator Mark Pryor
Senator Harry Reid
Senator Pat Roberts
Senator Ken Salazar
Senator Jeff Sessions
Senator Richard Shelby
Senator Gordon Smith
Senator John Sununu
Senator Jon Tester
Senator John Thune
Senator David Vitter
Senator George Voinovich
Senator John Warner
Senator Jim Webb
Senator Ron Wyden