 Please
visit the
Compassion Index - AWI's Legislative Action Center to
find your federal legislators and see how much compassion they
show on important animal protection measures currently before
Congress. The CI also allows you to contact your legislators
on these issues. |
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State Issues |
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American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act - To amend the
Horse Protection Act to prohibit the shipping, transporting, moving,
delivering, receiving, possessing, purchasing, selling, or donation
of horses and other equines to be slaughtered for human consumption,
and for other purposes.
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H.R. 503 - Sponsor(s): Representative Janice
Schakowsky (D-IL), Representative Ed Whitfield (R-KY),
Representative John Spratt (D-SC) and Representative Nick Rahall
(D-WV)
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S. 311
- Sponsor(s): Senator Mary Landrieu (D-LA) and
Senator John Ensign (R-NV).
UPDATE:
On April 25, 2007 the Senate
Commerce, Science and Transportation reported the bill favorably
to the full Senate for consideration. No time has been set for
a vote.
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"[Legislation] To restore the prohibition on the commercial sale and
slaughter of wild free-roaming horses and burros."
UPDATE:
On April 26,
2007 the House of Representatives passed H.R. 249 by a vote of
277-137. The bill now awaits consideration in the US Senate.
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Pet
Safety and Protection Act - To amend the Animal Welfare
Act to ensure that all dogs and cats used by research facilities are
obtained legally.
UPDATE:
On July 27, 2007 the House passed the
2007 FARM Bill which included language
sponsored
by Representatives Steve Israel (D-NY) and Michael Doyle (D-PA)
which would prevent Class B dealers and unlicensed individuals
from selling dogs and cats to laboratories, and stray animals
would be prevented from being sold for this purpose.
The Israel/Doyle amendment would also prohibit the use of live
animals in sales demonstrations and reinstate a former requirement
that the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) provide Congress with
the necessary information to hold the agency accountable for its
enforcement of the Act. Additionally, as a response
to the October 2005 USDA Office of the Inspector General report
entitled “APHIS Animal Care Program Inspection and Enforcement
Activities,” the amendment would increase fines for research
institutions that violate the Animal Welfare Act from $2,750 to
$10,000.
On December 14, 2007 the
Senate passed their version of the FARM Bill. The Pet Safety and
Protection Act was included, but because of ambiguous and
delaying language changes, AWI encouraged the conference
committee to accept the House language adopted earlier this
year.
UPDATE: Sadly, the conference committee removed the Pet Safety
and Protection Act and inserted language calling for a "study"
of the issue. AWI will continue to track this development and
advocate for an end to sale of random source dogs and cats.
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Inhumane Trapping Prevention Act - To end the use of
conventional steel-jawed leghold traps on animals in the United
States.
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A
bill to
amend the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972 to strengthen polar
bear conservation efforts, and for other purposes.
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H.R. 2327 - Sponsor: Representative Jay Inslee (D-WA)
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S. 1406 - Sponsor: Senator John Kerry (D-MA)
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Salmon
Economic Analysis and Planning Act - To ensure that proper
information gathering and planning are undertaken to secure the
preservation and recovery of the salmon and steelhead of the
Columbia River Basin in a manner that protects and enhances local
communities, ensures effective expenditure of Federal resources, and
maintains reasonably priced, reliable power, to direct the Secretary
of Commerce to seek scientific analysis of Federal efforts to
restore salmon and steelhead listed under the Endangered Species Act
of 1973.
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H.R. 1507 - Sponsor: Representative Jim McDermott
(D-WA)
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Dog Fighting
Prohibition Act A bill to further
empower federal prosecutors to pursue individuals – including
spectators – engaged in all aspects of dog fighting. This
legislation increases maximum penalties to include up to five
years in federal prison.
UPDATE:
Senator John
Kerry (D-MA) was able to include language in the 2007 FARM Bill to
strengthen penalties and enhances law enforcements abilities to
pursue individuals involved in dog fighting.
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Animal
Cruelty Statistics Act of 2008
Requires the
National Incident Based Reporting System, the Uniform Crime
Reporting Program, and the Law Enforcement National Data
Exchange Program to list cruelty to animals as a separate
offense category.
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Anti-Whaling Resolution
Expressing the sense of the Congress
that the United States, through the International Whaling
Commission, should use all appropriate measures to end commercial
whaling in all of its forms, including scientific and other special
permit whaling, coastal whaling, and community-based whaling, and
seek to strengthen the conservation and management measures to
facilitate the conservation of whale species, and for other
purposes.
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H. Con. Res. 350 - Sponsor: Representative Nick Rahall
(D-WV)
- S. Con. Res. 86 - Sponsor(s):
Senator John Kerry (D-MA) and Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA)
UPDATE:
Because this Resolution was aimed at the July 2008 IWC meeting
no further action is expected after that meeting. H. Con. Res.
350 passed the US House of Representatives. The Senate
failed to act before the July meeting. |
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Horse
Transportation Safety Act of 2008
To amend title 49, United States
Code, to prohibit the transportation of horses in interstate
transportation in a motor vehicle containing 2 or more levels
stacked on top of one another.
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H.R. 6278 - Sponsor: Representative Mark
Steven Kirk (R-IL)
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Shark
Conservation Act of 2008
To amend the High Seas Driftnet
Fishing Moratorium Protection Act and the Magnuson-Stevens
Fishery Conservation and Management Act to improve the
conservation of sharks.
- H.R. 5741 - Sponsor:
Representative Madeleine Bordallo (D-GU)
- S. 3231 - Sponsor:
Senator John Kerry (D-MA)
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ISSUES TO OPPOSE |
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To amend the
Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972 to reduce predation on
endangered Columbia River salmon.
(Bill information via Thomas)
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H.R. 1769 - Sponsor: Representative Brian Baird (D-WA)
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