Animal Rights

As a member of the Congressional Animal Protection Caucus, I strongly believe that all animals deserve caring treatment and a healthy life.  That’s why throughout my tenure in Congress I have been an ardent supporter of animal rights.

  • The trade in depictions of acts of violence against animals is unacceptable.  I was proud to be an original cosponsor of H.R. 5566, the Prevention of Interstate Commerce in Animal Crush Videos Act of 2010.  This bill reinstated the ban on crush videos, which graphically depict animal mutilation in the form of crushing, strangling, or drowning.  H.R. 5566 passed Congress and was signed into law by President Barack Obama on December 9, 2010. 
  • The practice of animal fighting is appalling.  That’s why I was a cosponsor of the Animal Fighting Prohibition Enforcement Act, which passed during the 110th Congress and was signed into law by President George W. Bush.  This law makes it a felony offense to sponsor or engage in animal fighting, punishable by up to three years in prison.  It also makes it a felony to trade or sell knives or other sharp objects designed for use in animal fighting.  This Congress, I am a cosponsor of H.R. 2492, the Animal Fighting Spectator Prohibition Act, which would extend criminal penalties to those who attend animal fights or bring minors to fights.  Anyone who breaks the law to intentionally harm animals must be properly punished. 
  • We must avoid using animals for laboratory tests in as many situations as possible.  There are approximately one thousand chimpanzees living in research laboratories across our country, and approximately six hundred of them are federally owned.  I’m an original cosponsor of H.R. 1513, the Great Ape Protection and Cost Savings Act.  This bill would phase out the use of chimpanzees in invasive research, retire federally owned chimpanzees to permanent sanctuaries, and end the breeding of federally owned chimpanzees. 
  • Finally, I’m disturbed by the mistreatment and slaughter of horses.  Many horses are transported along highways and roads in compartments, such as two-tiered trailers, that are meant for much smaller animals, causing them serious pain.  Two-tiered trailers are an unsafe, cruel, and inhumane method of transporting horses.  In addition, before slaughter, some horses are inadequately stunned, leaving them alive during the final stages of their slaughter.  We must put an end to this disturbing behavior.  That’s why I’m an original cosponsor of H.R. 2966, the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act, which would prohibit the slaughter of horses in the United States for human consumption and ban the transportation or export of horses for slaughter in other countries. 

Unfortunately, H.R. 2112, the Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act of 2012, did not include a provision to continue the ban on federal funding for U.S. Department of Agriculture inspections of horse slaughter plants.  Now that the ban on inspections is lifted, these facilities can operate in the United States.  That’s one of the reasons I voted against H.R. 2112 when it passed Congress and was signed into law by President Barack Obama on November 18, 2011.  Please know that I will continue to fight to stop the inhumane treatment of horses.

During the 112th Congress, I will remain a strong advocate for the welfare and proper treatment of all animals.

(Updated April 2012)