Congress has begun its annual process of funding federal departments, agencies and programs, and last night two House subcommittees voted to include several crucial provisions benefiting animals in their FY2021 appropriations bills.
Two issues in particular are noteworthy. They are:
HORSE SORING. The Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee bill increases funding to enforce the Horse Protection Act from the current $1 million in FY2020 to $2 million in FY2021.
WE SAY: Not sure how throwing another million dollars at the horse soring issue is going to produce anything good for the horses tortured and abused. The Horse Protection Act (HPA) has been in effect since Horse Protection Act of 1970 yet horrific abuses still go on publicly and behind the scenes of this obnoxious so called “sport”. It needs to be banned outright.
We are working on that. We will continue to keep you posted.
HORSE SLAUGHTER. Prevents government spending on horse slaughter inspections. This language in the measure would effectively prevent horse slaughter in the United States for human consumption. Such “defund” language has been enacted nearly every year since 2005. Reps. Jan Schakowsky, D-Ill., and Vern Buchanan, R-Fla., led a letter signed by 113 Representatives seeking this provision.
WE SAY: This continues to prevent horse slaughter for human consumption being conducted on U.S. soil, and we are exceedingly grateful for another year to try to close U.S. borders to the export of horses for the purpose of slaughter.
Thank you everyone who have worked, and are working still, so hard on these issues.
Tuesday's Horse 
Prevents government spending on horse slaughter inspections. This language in the measure would effectively prevent horse slaughter in the United States for human consumption.
This makes no sense to me. If we don’t inspect that means unbridled activity. If the language “Prevents” then I suppose the enforcement comes from the state? And why did I already think slaughter in the United States for human consumption was already illegal? Did I misread something?
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When an animal is slaughtered for human consumption in the U.S. the meat must be inspected by the federal government before it can be sold at home or abroad. Payment for these inspections are part of the yearly U.S. (also called federal) Agriculture budget bill.
By preventing the money required for the federal inspection of horse meat from being reinstated in the yearly U.S. Agriculture Budget Bill, this in effect bans the slaughter of horses in the U.S. for another year. The meat cannot be sold anywhere without federal inspection.
It however, it does not ban the shipment of live horses across U.S. borders to Mexico and Canada for slaughter for human consumption which we are battling to end. The horse meat produced in those countries is subject to their own inspection requirements.
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Is it legal, and of so since when, to slaughter horses in the US For consumption elsewhere? I take exception to your second paragraph (criminal mind that I own). And is it just this inspection law that keeps us from slaughtering?
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Horse slaughter has a long and complex history. Wikipedia has a good summary for people new to the issue. See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horse_slaughter. For a more detailed look, visit our website for our special reports on horse slaugher. See https://fundforhorses.org/reports/
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There’s some Sunday morning reading ;-) It will be reread but it appears there is a rule or maybe two that will not be enforced? Open the flood gates?
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I’m confused on how defunding helps our mission. Help me Mr. Wizard :-o
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The budget did not include the funding of salaries & related costs for horse meat inspections necessary for its export to other countries.
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..
..good news for precious horses..
I’m lovin’ that..
♥♥
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