http://www.lasvegassun.com/sunbin/stories/lv-gov/2005/sep/21/519391389.html


Horse slaughter ban amendment OK'd by Senate
By Suzanne Struglinski <suzanne@lasvegassun.com>
SUN WASHINGTON BUREAU
WASHINGTON -- The country's three horse slaughter plants may no longer be able to sell horse meat for food, based on Senate action Tuesday.

The Senate approved, 68-29, Sen. John Ensign's amendment to the agriculture spending bill aimed at ending all horse slaughter. The amendment bans using tax dollars to pay the Agriculture Department to do inspections of horses destined to be made into food. Without the inspections, the meat cannot be sold.

Ensign, a Nevada Republican, said this is a "very constitutional" way to ban slaughter. He said the country's history with the horse has created an emotional attachment with the animals, so killing them for food to be shipped to other countries is unacceptable.

There are three plants in the United States, one in Illinois and two in Texas, that slaughter horses to be used for human consumption in Italy, France and Japan. Some are also shipped oversees to be killed.

Ensign's amendment had support from the Humane Society of the United States, Veterinarians for Equine Welfare and the National Thoroughbred Racing Association, according to his office.

Controversy erupted earlier this year when horses purchased from the Bureau of Land Management ended up in a horse slaughter factory in Illinois. BLM has since taken steps to tighten its horse sale program and several pieces of legislation, including some proposed by Nevada lawmakers are pending to try to reform it even more.

As for Ensign's amendment, the House identical language in June on a 269-158 vote. Nevada's three House lawmakers, Republicans Jim Gibbons and Jon Porter and Democrat Shelley Berkley, voted for it.

The Senate still needs to pass the overall agriculture spending bill and the provisions would need to survive negotiations on the final bill between House and Senate lawmakers.


http://www.dailysentinel.com/sports/content/gen/ap/TX_Horse_Slaughter.html

Senate approves measure banning horse slaughter
By SUZANNE GAMBOA
Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON — A proposal to ban the slaughter of horses won overwhelming support in the Senate but split the Texas vote, with Republican John Cornyn opposing the measure.

The proposed ban was approved 68-29 as an amendment to the agriculture spending bill Tuesday evening. Texas' other senator, Republican Kay Bailey Hutchison, voted for the ban. The overall spending bill was awaiting final approval Wednesday.

The measure, sponsored by Sen. John Ensign, R-Nev, would strip funding from the U.S. Agriculture Department for wages and expenses of staff who inspect horse meat, effectively barring the sale of horse meat for human consumption.

There are three horse slaughter plants in the United States, two in Texas and one in Illinois.

"This is a property rights issue," Cornyn said in a statement Wednesday. "Is government going to declare that personal property is valueless without just compensation? Apparently so."

The sale of horse meat for human consumption is prohibited in Texas, but the plants have gotten around that ban by selling the meat abroad. Cornyn, while serving as Texas attorney general, issued an opinion saying the plants were violating the state's ban by selling the meat abroad. The plants sued in federal court, arguing that the state law is superseded by federal regulation of interstate commerce.

A federal judge late last month ruled in favor of the horse slaughter plants and prohibited district attorneys from trying to shut them down.

The Illinois senators, both Democrats, voted for the amendment.

The amendment passed the House in identical form 249-159 this summer.

The final spending bill will have to go to a conference committee, where members of the House and Senate will iron out differences.

But wide margins of victory and support from chairmen and ranking members of the Senate agriculture committee and agriculture appropriations subcommittee bode well for the measure, said Michael Markarian, executive vice president of the Humane Society of the United States.

'We are very excited that both the Senate and the House have spoken decisively on protecting tens of thousands of American horses from a very grim and painful end," Markarian said.

More information on Ensign/Byrd follows:
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http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/D?d109:49:./temp/~bdsY5d::
SA 1753. Mr. ENSIGN (for himself, Mr. BYRD, Mr. GRAHAM, Mr. LOTT, Mr. DEMINT, Ms. LANDRIEU, Ms. STABENOW, Mrs. FEINSTEIN, Mr. LAUTENBERG, and Mr. CORZINE) proposed an amendment to the bill H.R. 2744, making appropriations for Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration,
[Page: S10244] GPO's PDF
and Related Agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2006, and for other purposes; as follows:

At the appropriate place, add the following:

SEC. . None of the funds made available in this Act may be used to pay the salaries or expenses of personnel to inspect horses under section 3 of the Federal Meat Inspection Act (21 U.S.C. 603) or under the guidelines issued under section 903 the Federal Agriculture Improvement and Reform Act of 1996 (7 U.S.C. 1901 note; Public Law 104-127).





AGRICULTURE, RURAL DEVELOPMENT, FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2006--Continued -- (Senate - September 20, 2005)

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

Fortunately, there is growing opposition in Congress to this kind of thing. In June, the House passed by a bipartisan majority an

[Page: S10219] GPO's PDF
amendment to the agriculture appropriations bill banning the use of federal funds in the slaughtering of horses. The Senate is schedule to vote on the amendment, sponsored by veterinarian Sen. John Ensign, next week. We encourage senators to support this ban.
Certain veterinary groups, rather ironically, oppose the amendment. They claim that it is humane to put aging or neglected horses out of their misery. But if anyone actually saw how these noble beasts are slaughtered--strung up by their hind legs and bled--they might think twice before supporting such conduct. The only problem with attaching the amendment to an appropriations bill is that it will expire next year.

So, Mr. Ensign has also introduced independent legislation that would ban the slaughter of horses entirely. Some critics contend an outright ban is an abuse of congressional power. But Cass Sunstein, the distinguished University of Chicago law professor, conclusively addressed those concerns a few years ago: ``A ban on commercial slaughter of horses would be plainly within congressional authority, if accompanied by reasonable findings that such slaughter is often or generally a way of yielding products for interstate or international sale, and therefore has a substantial effect on interstate or international commerce.'' Few would argue that it doesn't.

We admit to a certain sentimentality in our appeal to ban horse slaughter. The horse has always held a hallowed place in our national identity, much like the bald eagle. And just as no American would consider ordering up a bald eagle, if only out of respect, so would none ask for a horse steak.

--
[From the Louisville Courier-Journal, Sept. 13, 2005]
Horse Sense in Senate

This week, the U.S. Senate may vote on an amendment to the agriculture appropriations bill that would outlaw the slaughter of horses for food. For most Kentuckians--in fact, for most Americans--it's shocking that such a vote would need to be taken. In this country, horses are raised to be companion animals. Most folks don't know that in three foreign-owned slaughterhouses within our borders, about 45,000 horses are killed each year.

The meat is then shipped to Japan and several European countries, where horse is served for dinner. In the international market, the meat of American horses is especially coveted, since most of them have been well fed and have received superior care.

This should be an easy vote for Sens. Mitch McConnell and Jim Bunning. Horses are central to Kentucky's culture. Our famous Bluegrass farms breed and raise them for higher purposes than ending up on some dinner table overseas.

And no horse is currently safe from that fate. Ferdinand, the 1986 Kentucky Derby winner, was killed in a Japanese slaughterhouse when his stud services were no longer needed. This past spring, 41 wild mustangs were slaughtered for food in a Texas plant after being purchased through a program meant to give them new homes.

That's why, in June, the U.S. House of Representatives overwhelmingly passed legislation identical to what the Senate is considering. Kentucky's own Rep. Ed Whitfield, R-1st District, led the effort.

Now the Senate should do the same, with Kentuckians again playing a leadership role.

--
[From the St. Petersburg Times, Sept. 13, 2005]
Bring an End to Horse Slaughter

Horse slaughter has no place in the United States. The House of Representatives confirmed that earlier this year by passing an amendment to the agriculture spending bill that would, in essence, stop the practice. Now it is the Senate's turn.

Currently, horses that are no longer wanted are sold to buyers who presumably seek them for recreation or as pets too often end up in slaughterhouses or in the hands of exporters who send them outside the country for slaughter. Sometimes the buyers hide their true intentions and make a profit by selling the horses for slaughter. Each year, nearly 100,000 horses are subjected to a cruel end to their lives.

Horse meat for human consumption hasn't been sold in the United States for decades and isn't even used in pet food here. If a horse is near the end of its useful life, there are more humane ways for an owner to get rid of it. Adoption groups offer horses a peaceful retirement, and if the horses need to be euthanized, it can be done painlessly and humanely for a couple hundred dollars.

The Senate vote could come up in the next few days, so those opposed to horse slaughter should contact their senators and tell them to support the amendment, which would deny the Agriculture Department taxpayer dollars for the inspection of horse meat. Without such inspections, legalized horse slaughter in this country will end. And good riddance.

--
[From the Charleston Gazette, Sept. 13, 2005]
Save Horses--Bill Would Stop Slaughter

Around 90,000 American horses are slaughtered each year for human consumption. Foreign-owned slaughterhouses on American soil kill about 50,000 of them; the other 20,000 are sent live to Mexico or Canada. Some are wild horses that still wander ranges of the West; others are unwanted, disposed of by their owners or unscrupulous dealers who promise they will go to good homes.

Many of these creatures undergo extreme suffering en route to their final destination. Transport law allows them to go for 24 hours without food, water or rest, even if they are badly injured or heavily pregnant.

West Virginia Sen. Robert Byrd plans an amendment to the Agriculture appropriations bill banning horse slaughter in the United States. All three of the state's representatives voted for a similar amendment in the House that passed, 269-158.

There are alternatives to the slaughter of unwanted horses. The recent auction of wild mustangs in Ronceverte resulted in new homes for horses trucked in and sold for a nominal amount. Many horse rescue operations work with retired racehorses, many of whom have tragically ended at slaughterhouses--even big-time steeds, including Kentucky Derby winner Ferdinand. The rescue organizations retrain them and find them new homes and careers. Horses that have truly come to the end of their useful or comfortable lives can be humanely euthanized, rather than having to endure the pain, panic and trauma of a trip to the slaughterhouse.

The bond between horses and humans is as close as the connection between dogs or cats and their owners. The horsemeat industry is not a vital part of the American economy. We hope the Senate will pass this humane amendment.

--
CITY OF KAUFMAN,

Kaufman, TX, September 6, 2005.
Re Support Congressional efforts to end horse slaughter.


DEAR SENATOR: As the Mayor of Kaufman, Texas, I am all too well acquainted with an issue that has been getting plenty of attention on Capitol Hill recently: horse slaughter.

Kaufman is ``home'' to Dallas-Crown, one of only three slaughterhouses that continue to operate in this country (the other plants are in Ft. Worth, TX and DeKalb, IL). Together, the plants killed more than 65,000 of our horses last year for human consumption abroad. All three plants, are foreign owned, and all three are out of step with American public opinion. Seventy-eight percent of Texans oppose horse slaughter and polls from other parts of the country reflect this sentiment. Both of the Texas plants operating in violation of state law which prohibits the sale of horsemeat for human consumption. And Dallas-Crown is operating in violation of a multitude of local laws pertaining to wastemanagement, air quality and other environmental concerns.

When the District Attorneys in the two Texas jurisdictions moved to prosecute under the state law, the plants filed suit and the District Attorneys were prevented from proceeding. Horses continued to be slaughtered while the case languished in federal court. Recently, the judge ruled in the plants' favor. The District Attorneys are considering an appeal.

When the city took action against the plant for releasing pollutants into the sewer system far in excess of legally acceptable limits, we ended up in court and are now forced to mediate on an issue that can't be mediated. Meanwhile, our municipal sewer system is overburdened, but we simply cannot afford to refurbish the system so that it can tolerate overload from Dallas-Crown. Nor should we have to.

Residents are also fed up with the situation. Long-established neighbors living adjacent to the plant cannot open their windows or run their air conditioners without enduring the most horrific stench. Children playing in their yards do so with the noise of horses being sent to their deaths in the background. Landowners have difficulty securing loans to develop their property. The residents have petitioned the city council to take corrective action against the plant. On August 15 the Kaufman City Council voted unanimously to implement termination proceedings against the plant.

But the ultimate remedy rests with the federal government, which has the authority--and opportunity--to close this shameful industry down. I urge you to cosponsor the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act when it is introduced by Senator John Ensign, and to support the Ensign amendment to the Senate Agriculture Appropriations Bill for Fiscal Year `06 that will prohibit the use of federal funds to facilitate horses slaughter.

As a community leader where we are directly impacted by the horse slaughter industry, I can assure you the economic development return to our community is negative. The foreign-owned companies profit at our expense--it is time for them to go. If I can provide you with further information, please don't hesitate to contact me at 972-932-2856.

Sincerely,

Paula Bacon,
Mayor of Kaufman, Texas.


Mr. ENSIGN. Mr. President, the Ensign-Byrd amendment also has strong support from some of the people most familiar with the slaughterhouses. Paula Bacon, the mayor of Kaufman, TX, which is home to the Dallas Crown Slaughterhouse, recognized the importance of ending this slaughter.

She stated:


My city is little more than a doormat for a foreign-owned business that drains our resources, thwarts economic development and stigmatizes our community. There is no justification for spending American tax dollars to support this industry.


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That is Paula Bacon, mayor of Kaufman, TX, home to the Dallas Crown horse slaughterhouse facility.

Members of the local community would like to see this slaughterhouse closed, as well.

Concerns have been raised about what will happen if this slaughter is ended. Many of these horses will be sold to a new owner. Some horses will be kept longer by their original owner, others will be euthanized humanely by a licensed veterinarian, and still others will be cared for by the horse rescue community. Efforts are underway to standardize practices for horse rescue organizations. Guidelines for this ever-growing sector have been developed by the animal protection community and embraced by sanctuaries.

Statistics do not support claims that this legislation will result in more abuse and neglect of unwanted horses. In Illinois, the number of abuse cases actually dropped from 2002 to 2004, when the State's only slaughterhouse was closed due to fire. In California, there has been no rise in neglect cases since the State passed a ban on slaughter for human consumption in 1998.

Furthermore, it is illegal to ``turn out,'' neglect, or starve a horse, so this amendment will not lead to more orphaned horses. If a person attempts to turn his or her horses out, animal control agents can enforce humane laws. These animals still can be euthanized and disposed of by a veterinarian for about $225, a fraction of the cost to keep a horse. That cost is not too big of a burden to bear when no other options are available.

Our amendment is good for horses. That is why it is supported by many animal protection groups. The Humane Society of the United States, the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, the Doris Day Animal League, the American Humane Association, and Society for Animal Protective Legislation--all support our legislation. We have also received support from much of the horse industry and veterinarians nationwide. In fact, congressional measures to end horse slaughter are supported by Veterinarians for Equine Welfare, the National Thoroughbred Racing Association, Churchill Downs, Incorporated, and dozens of owners and trainers of champion racehorses, including Kentucky Derby winners.

The time to end this slaughter is now. Please join my colleagues and me in supporting this important amendment.

I yield the floor and suggest the absence of a quorum.

The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.

The legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.

Mr. CONRAD. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.

The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. THOMAS). Without objection, it is so ordered.

Mr. BENNETT. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senator be recognized to speak as in morning business. We are under the Agriculture bill, and no one seems to be coming forward under the Agriculture bill, so I obviously have no objection, but I think, to be clear, it should be as in morning business; therefore, I ask unanimous consent that the Senator be given the opportunity to do that.

The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there objection?

Hearing none, it is so ordered.

Mr. CONRAD. Mr. President, I thank my colleague from Utah for his graciousness, and my colleague from Wisconsin as well. I appreciate this opportunity to speak.

(The remarks of Mr. CONRAD pertaining to the introduction of S. 1730 are printed in today's RECORD under ``Statements on Introduced Bills and Joint Resolutions.'')

Mr. BYRD. Mr. President, Winston Churchill said, ``when you are on a great horse, you have the best seat you will ever have.'' Indeed, throughout the ages, the horse has carried mankind across continents, helped forge civilizations, and has been that beloved beast of burden that has borne the human race on its back.

In America, the horse was the primary source of transportation of our founding fathers, the vehicle of our Revolutionary soldiers, and a symbol of the majestic strength and character that this great country was based upon. Our fledgling urban centers rose with the help of the horse's brawn. Our American frontier expanded farther and farther west, with families traveling by horse-drawn wagons across mountains and valleys, the plains and prairies. The American cowboy, an indelible image of the fierce and undying determination of the American spirit, was never without his trusty four-legged companion.

But each year, 65,000 horses are slaughtered in this country for human consumption in Europe and Asia, where horsemeat is considered a delicacy. Another 30,000 horses are shipped every year to Canada and Mexico to be slaughtered.

These horses often suffer unnecessarily while in transit to slaughterhouses. Horses can be shipped for more than 24 hours without food, water, or rest. They can be transported with broken legs, missing eyes, or while heavily pregnant. The horses are kept in cramped conditions, in trucks with ceilings so low that they prevent the horses from holding their heads in a normal, upright position. The cramped nature of their transport often results in trampling, with some horses arriving at the slaughterhouses seriously injured or dead.

Even more cruel than the suffering these animals endure while in transit is their often injurious end. Improper use of stunning equipment at the slaughterhouse can result in the animal having to endure repeated blows to head, meaning that horses sometime remain conscious throughout the slaughter process.

The market for horsemeat is not an American market. Horsemeat is shipped abroad. The three slaughterhouses in the U.S. are foreign-owned. Thus, American horses are sold to a foreign company, killed for consumption in a foreign market, and foreign-owned companies profit from the export of horse meat. Many Americans would be shocked to learn that our animals suffer such a fate, all in order to satisfy the tastes of those living in Europe and Asia. Indeed, many individuals who sell horses to slaughterhouses do so unwittingly. Slaughterhouses often send third parties, called ``killer buyers,'' to auction to buy horses.

Senator Ensign and I have offered an amendment to stop the slaughter of horses for human consumption by preventing taxpayer dollars from being used to inspect the horses intended for slaughter. Without these inspections, which are paid for by the American taxpayer, it would be impossible for these companies to slaughter horses in the U.S., or to transport horses abroad for slaughter.

I ask my colleagues to support the Ensign-Byrd amendment to end the slaughter of one of the most precious American symbols.