Equine Legislative Issues of Interest
to Wisconsin Horse Owners

In September, members of Congress will convene a Conference Committee to work out differences in the House and Senate versions of the Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2010. This Conference Committee will determine whether the Government Accountability Office (GAO) will study the status of horse welfare as it relates to the closing of horse slaughter plants in the United States . The AHC supports such a study.

Background

On August 4, 2009, the Senate passed its version of the Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2010 (H.R.2997). This bill will provide funding for the U.S. Department of Agriculture for fiscal year 2010.

The Senate Appropriations Committee Report (No.111-39) accompanying this legislation directs the GAO to study the status of horse welfare as it relates to the closing of horse slaughter facilities in the United States .

The House passed its version of the USDA appropriations bill on July 9, 2009. There is no provision in the House package seeking a GAO study.

The House and Senate now have to reconcile the differences between the two versions of the bill through a conference committee that includes representatives of both the House and Senate. That committee is expected to begin meeting shortly after Labor Day to decide, among other things, if the GAO study will be part of the final appropriations bill.

GAO Study

The GAO is an independent federal agency that Congress often turns to for reports and analysis of important issues. GAO evaluates federal programs and policies; and provides analyses, recommendations, and other data to help Congress make informed oversight, policy, and funding decisions.

The AHC supports this GAO study. Currently, there is little hard data on this issue. Such a study could provide valuable information to the horse industry as it deals with the unwanted horse issue.

The Senate legislation directs the GAO to study the following issues:

How the horse industry has responded to the closure of U.S. horse slaughter facilities in terms of both the numbers of horse sales, exports, adoptions, or abandonments; the implications these changes have had on farm income and trade; the extent to which horses in the United States are slaughtered for any purpose; any impacts to State and local governments and animal protection organizations; how the Department oversees the transport of horses destined for slaughter in foreign countries, particularly Canada and Mexico; the manner in which the Department coordinates with the Department of the Interior and State governments to assist them in identifying, holding and transporting unwanted horses for foreign export; and general conclusions regarding the welfare of horses as a result of a ban on horse slaughter for human consumption.

The GAO report is to be issued March 1, 2010.

Action

Now is the time to contact the following members of Congress who will be part of the Conference Committee.
Senator Herb Kohl
Representative Dave Obey

Attached is a sample letter that can be used as a starting point for you to craft letters to these Representatives and Senators. You should personalize it with information about yourself if you can. Please fax or email it to these Representatives and Senators because regular mail must go through a long security process.

Contact information for these Representatives and Senators can be found at www.house.gov/ and www.senate.gov/ or call the AHC.

As always, please send copies of any emails, letters or faxes you provide to your elected Representatives or Senators to the AHC at bpendergrass@horsecouncil.org or fax to (202) 296-1970.

1616 H Street NW 7th Floor Washington , DC 20006 Office: 202-296-4031 Fax: 202-296-1970
Email: ahc@horsecouncil.org Web Address: www.horsecouncil.org

See template in the Article list to the right.