Post by Connie on Dec 12, 2006 12:37:11 GMT -8
As most of you know, I'm from Washington State, a devote animal lover and activist against cruelty to animals. I recently wrote to my State Senator, 'Patty Murray' about the inhumane slaughter of horses in the United States for human consumption over seas. This is how she responded to my email.
I wanted everyone to read this! We need to ban together in every State! Write to your 'State Senators' to please do something now to stop the unnecessary slaughter of these magnificent creatures! We can 'All' make a difference by voicing our opinions!
Dear Mrs. Challender:
Thank you for sharing your thoughts about horse slaughter. I appreciate hearing from you.
Each year, more than 60,000 horses are slaughtered for human consumption in the U.S. or shipped to slaughterhouses in Canada and Mexico. The U.S. processes an estimated 10,000 pounds of horsemeat annually, which is then shipped overseas where it is considered a delicacy in many countries. Horses are targeted for slaughter regardless of gender, age, or breed. They can range from Amish working horses to accomplished show ponies. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) “Guidelines for Handling and Transporting Equines to Slaughter,” the majority of the horses sent to slaughter are in “good” condition.
Passed in October 2005, the fiscal year 2006 Agriculture Appropriations bill prohibited funding of inspections that would have allowed horses to be slaughtered and sold as food. I supported this amendment during the Senate debate on the Agriculture Appropriations bill, which passed by a large margin in both Houses of Congress, and I was pleased that it was retained during final negotiations on the legislation. However, in February 2006, the Department of Agriculture made an end run around this funding ban, making a rule that allows horses to be slaughtered for food. This was contrary to the clear intent of those of us in Congress who supported the Agriculture Appropriations bill’s ban on funding for horse slaughter.
As you may know, Representative John Sweeney (R-NY) and Senator John Ensign (R-NV) introduced the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act (H.R. 853 and S. 1915, respectively) to ban the slaughter of horses for human consumption. The legislation would permanently outlaw this practice in the United States, as well as prohibit the sale and transport of horsemeat intended for human consumption. On September 7, 2006, the House of Representatives passed H.R. 853. I cosponsored S. 1915 in the Senate during the 109th Congress but unfortunately it did not come up before the full Senate for a vote.
Throughout my Senate tenure, I have consistently supported efforts to protect animals from cruel and inhumane treatment. I do, however, understand the unease expressed by many horse owners and breeders over the potential impact of the legislation. For some, slaughter is seen as a solution to disposal of their aged or ailing animals. For many people, horses provide wonderful companions and are an iconic symbol of our national culture and history. Should the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act come before the full Senate for a vote during the 110th Congress, I will certainly keep your thoughts in mind.
Once again, thank you for sharing your thoughts on this important issue. Please do not hesitate to contact me with any additional concerns.
Sincerely,
Patty Murray
United States Senator
P.S. I'd like to invite you to receive Patty Murray's Washington View, my weekly legislative update by e-mail. If you are interested in receiving my update, please sign up here: murray.senate.gov/updates.
I wanted everyone to read this! We need to ban together in every State! Write to your 'State Senators' to please do something now to stop the unnecessary slaughter of these magnificent creatures! We can 'All' make a difference by voicing our opinions!
Dear Mrs. Challender:
Thank you for sharing your thoughts about horse slaughter. I appreciate hearing from you.
Each year, more than 60,000 horses are slaughtered for human consumption in the U.S. or shipped to slaughterhouses in Canada and Mexico. The U.S. processes an estimated 10,000 pounds of horsemeat annually, which is then shipped overseas where it is considered a delicacy in many countries. Horses are targeted for slaughter regardless of gender, age, or breed. They can range from Amish working horses to accomplished show ponies. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) “Guidelines for Handling and Transporting Equines to Slaughter,” the majority of the horses sent to slaughter are in “good” condition.
Passed in October 2005, the fiscal year 2006 Agriculture Appropriations bill prohibited funding of inspections that would have allowed horses to be slaughtered and sold as food. I supported this amendment during the Senate debate on the Agriculture Appropriations bill, which passed by a large margin in both Houses of Congress, and I was pleased that it was retained during final negotiations on the legislation. However, in February 2006, the Department of Agriculture made an end run around this funding ban, making a rule that allows horses to be slaughtered for food. This was contrary to the clear intent of those of us in Congress who supported the Agriculture Appropriations bill’s ban on funding for horse slaughter.
As you may know, Representative John Sweeney (R-NY) and Senator John Ensign (R-NV) introduced the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act (H.R. 853 and S. 1915, respectively) to ban the slaughter of horses for human consumption. The legislation would permanently outlaw this practice in the United States, as well as prohibit the sale and transport of horsemeat intended for human consumption. On September 7, 2006, the House of Representatives passed H.R. 853. I cosponsored S. 1915 in the Senate during the 109th Congress but unfortunately it did not come up before the full Senate for a vote.
Throughout my Senate tenure, I have consistently supported efforts to protect animals from cruel and inhumane treatment. I do, however, understand the unease expressed by many horse owners and breeders over the potential impact of the legislation. For some, slaughter is seen as a solution to disposal of their aged or ailing animals. For many people, horses provide wonderful companions and are an iconic symbol of our national culture and history. Should the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act come before the full Senate for a vote during the 110th Congress, I will certainly keep your thoughts in mind.
Once again, thank you for sharing your thoughts on this important issue. Please do not hesitate to contact me with any additional concerns.
Sincerely,
Patty Murray
United States Senator
P.S. I'd like to invite you to receive Patty Murray's Washington View, my weekly legislative update by e-mail. If you are interested in receiving my update, please sign up here: murray.senate.gov/updates.
& Welcome! As you can see this forum looks a little different than it did before due to an upgrade from V4 to V5....not sure I like the way it looks now so I will work on some tweaking to make it look better..Please bare with me as I make changes 
