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Honorable Congressman ________________,
I am contacting you in reference to the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act,
H.R. 503.
The movement to legalize horse slaughter for human consumption here in Texas, as
expressed in HB 1324 (authored by Rep. Betty Brown of Kaufman, Texas) was forced
to concede it was against the wishes of the constituents of this state, and this
bill died in the senate conference committee. As a recent Texas poll showed, the
vast majority of Texas voters (77%) oppose the slaughter of horses for human
consumption.
Congress and State Legislatures have recognized and enacted laws to protect our
equines (horses, ponies, burros, donkeys, and mules) that form the foundation and
basis for the logical extension of same that H.R. 503 provides. They are:
- In l972, Congress enacted the Wild Horse and Burro Act. This designated the
wild horse and Burro as part of American heritage and providing protection
against those that would cruelly slaughter them for food.
- In l985, Congress enacted the Export Administration Amendments Act to
prohibit the export of horses by sea from the United States for purposes
of slaughter.
- In l998, the State of California enacted the Prohibition on Slaughter of
Horses and Sale of Horsemeat for Human Consumption Initiative Statute.
This Act prohibited the slaughter of California horses for human consumption
and the possession or sale of horsemeat for human consumption.
- In l999, Congress enacted HR 4868, which expressly prohibits the import,
export or sale of dog and cat fur. This ban was incorporated into a
miscellaneous trade package. This ban has held up even under the continued
pressure from foreign trade groups that feel because they do not share our
cultural bias we should allow these sales, imports, and exports of pet dog
and cat hides to and from their countries.
- In 2002, Texas Attorney General, John Cornyn (now US Senator), issued a
legal opinion stating that Chapter 149 of the Texas Agriculture Code
prohibiting the possession or commercial sale of horse meat does apply to
the two remaining horse slaughter plants in operation, is not federally
pre-empted and is prosecutable through the Texas District Attorney's
Offices.
- In 2003 Texas citizens stopped the decriminalization of horse slaughter for
human consumption.
Extending the above laws by adopting a federal prohibition on the slaughter of
horses and sale of horseflesh for human consumption is consistent with the international
obligations of the United States as it applies equally to domestic and foreign
producers and is consistent with agreements that expressly allow to protect the
health and welfare of human beings and of animals and to forbid deceptive trade
practices in international or domestic commerce. (HR 4868 resides under the same
logic and to date continues to protect our dogs and cats from being slaughtered
for their hides and meat.
Congressman _______________, I am asking you to support and co-sponsor H.R. 503 in hopes
that someday soon the barbaric practice of horse slaughter will be history.
We are depending on you for representation.
Respectfully,
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