House Appropriations Committee Approves Amendment Blocking Use of Tax Dollars to Revive Horse Slaughter Industry in US

Release Date:

June 19, 2012

Washington, DC—

The language to disallow funding for inspections, originally passed into law in 2005 with bipartisan support, has effectively halted horse slaughter operations on American soil for years—that is, until late last year when three legislators quietly removed it from the Fiscal Year 2012 Appropriations bill behind closed doors during the reconciliation process.

“The Animal Welfare Institute commends Representative Jim Moran and his colleagues, Representatives Sam Farr (D-CA), Rosa DeLauro (C-CT), Steven Rothman (D-NJ), Maurice Hinchey (D-NY), and Barbara Lee (D-CA) for their statements in support of the amendment,” said Chris Heyde, deputy director of government and legal affairs for AWI. “We share Representative Moran’s perspective that there is a moral imperative to keep the door firmly closed against this cruel and undesirable industry.  It would be fiscally irresponsible to expend tax dollars to prop up an industry that mainly serves foreign interests while inflicting suffering on American horses.”

AWI will work with humanitarians within Congress to shepherd the measure to the full House for a vote and then to the Senate.