![]() Representatives Steve Cohen (TN-09), Kurt Schrader (D-OR), Ted Yoho (R-FL), Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) and Chris Collins (R-NY) pen letter to Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue asking him “to do everything possible to vigorously enforce the Horse Protection Act” as the Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration begins in Shelbyville, Tennessee. “We encourage the USDA to ensure a strong and consistent enforcement presence at this year’s Celebration, and to utilize the full range of both objective and subjective inspection protocols developed by the department.” See the full text of the letter here. The five letter signers were the lead sponsors of the Prevent All Soring Tactics (PAST) Act, H.R.693, that passed the House last month by a vote of 333 to 96. The bill would stop the intentional injury to horses. The 81st annual Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration began today and runs through August 31.
The Music City of Tennessee takes a stand against horse soring. On August 6, 2019, the Nashville Metro Council voted unanimously to adopt Resolution RS2019-1868 in support of The Prevent All Soring Tactics (PAST) Act, H.R.693 / S.1007. Led by Councilwoman Kathleen Murphy, the Resolution also urges both U.S. Senators from Tennessee, Lamar Alexander and Marsha Blackburn, to cosponsor the bill and support its passage into federal law. RS2019-1868:
URGING The MEMBERS OF THE Tennessee Senatorial DELEGATION TO COSPONSOR AND PRESS FOR PASSAGE OF THE PREVENT ALL SORING TACTICS (PAST) ACT, AND ENCOURAGE THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE TO FINALIZE ITS PROPOSED HORSE PROTECTION ACT RULE IN ITS CURRENT FORM. The Council will commence this October. A proposal to ban the exhibiting of Big Lick Tennessee Walking Horses, Spotted Saddle Horses and Racking Horses that are fitted with the Big Lick “action devices” will be discussed.
It's a historic day for horse protection in The United States! The U.S. House of Representatives passed the Prevent All Soring Tactics (PAST) Act by a vote of 333 to 96. ![]() The bill seeks to strengthen the Horse Protection Act and end the torturous practice of soring Tennessee Walking, Racking, and Spotted Saddle Horses. Soring is an egregious form of animal abuse and has plagued the equine world for six decades. All for the sake of winning a blue ribbon, soring is the intentional infliction of pain to horses' front limbs by applying caustic chemicals such as mustard oil and kerosene, or inserting sharp objects into the horses' hooves to create an exaggerated gait known as the “Big Lick". Once passed into federal law, the PAST Act would ban the use of painful large stacked shoes and ankle chains and would also eliminate the existing system of self-regulation by the industry and toughen penalties for violators of the Horse Protection Act. The PAST Act has been blocked for years by a handful of well-placed lawmakers, but a new House rule triggering consideration of any measure that attracts 290 or more cosponsors brought the issue to the floor. The PAST garnered 307 cosponsors, and was led by U.S. Reps. Kurt Schrader (D-OR) and Ted Yoho (R-FL), co-chairs of the Congressional Veterinary Medicine Caucus, along with Reps. Steve Cohen (D-TN), Ron Estes (R-KS), Jan Schakowsky (D-IL), and Chris Collins (R-NY). Click here to find out if your U.S. Representative voted YES on The PAST Act, H.R.693. On July 24, 2019, the U.S. House held a debate on The PAST Act (H.R.693). Leading the charge was Congressman Kurt Schrader (D-OR) and Congressman Ted Yoho (R-FL).
This victory is a monumental step forward in getting The PAST Act signed into law. We now need the U.S. Senate to also pass its version, S.1007. Please raise your voice for the horses today! |
TOPICS+ Horse Slaughter
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