Elected officials scored on work to protect animals for the 2015 legislative session

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (Dec. 14, 2015) – The Humane Society Legislative Fund released its 2015 California State Humane Scorecard, which provides a snapshot of California state lawmakers’ records on animal welfare policies. Lawmakers are scored based on their floor votes on a wide range of bills from banning ivory and rhino horn trade to combatting companion animal homelessness.

Sara Amundson, executive director of HSLF said; "The California State Humane Scorecard is an easy way for constituents to assess how their lawmakers acted on animal protection issues, and it helps chart the progress of our public policy work on behalf of animals in the state. In 2015, California lawmakers closed a key loophole in the state’s decades-old ban on the pernicious ivory trade and banned rhino horn commerce, enacted strong state-level policies to reduce the use of antibiotics in food animals, reauthorized two important voluntary contribution funds which support sea otter research and animal homelessness and cruelty programs. Legislators also overwhelmingly supported a bill to stop the use of archaic bullhooks to train and intimidate performing elephants. The anti-cruelty laws of a state are a reflection of our basic values and attitudes toward animals. This collection of bills is a measurable step forward for the state of California."

The Humane Society Legislative Fund scored nine bills during the session:

• AB 96, which closed the ivory trade enforcement loophole and banned the trade in rhinoceros horn.
• AB147, which requires any public university or college that uses dogs or cats for science or research purposes to make them available to animal adoption or rescue organizations.
• AB 316 and AB 317, which authorize additional veterinary and sheltering resources during emergencies.
• AB 485, which creates the Prevention of Animal Homelessness and Cruelty Fund, a voluntary contribution on personal income tax forms.
• AB 494, which authorizes courts issuing protective or restraining orders to enjoin a person to stay away from an animal or forbid a person from threatening, harming, or otherwise disposing of an animal.
• SB 17, which reauthorizes for another ¬years the California Sea Otter Fund, a voluntary contribution fund on personal income tax forms.
• SB 27, which prohibits use of antibiotics for animals raised for food unless prescribed by a veterinarian, and outlaws the routine use of antibiotics for weight gain or improved feed efficiency.
• SB 716, which bans the use of bullhooks or similar devices on elephants.

Gov. Jerry Brown signed seven of the nine scored bills, including AB 96, AB 147, AB 316, AB 485, AB 494, S.B 17 and SB 27 into law. With the passage of these laws, California continues to hold its No. 1 ranking on The Humane Society of the United States’ “Humane State Ranking” of animal protection laws, a title it has held since 2010.

Additional highlights from the 2015 California Humane Scorecard include:

• Of the 120 members of the legislature scored, 66 received perfect scores – indicating a vote in support of animal protection for all nine scored bills, including 18 senators and 48 assemblymembers.
• Seven members received more than 100 percent, reflecting their support of animal protection in all seven bills, as well as primary leadership on at least one of the scored bills:state Sens. Jerry Hill, D-13, Bill Monning, D-17 and Ricardo Lara, D-33 and Assemblymembers Toni Atkins, D-78, Matt Dababneh, D-45, Brian Maeinschein, R-77, and Das Williams, D-37.
• The average score for state senators was 88 percent.
• The average score for assemblymembers was 93 percent.
• Only one state senator and one assemblymember scored less than 50 percent.
• There were 25 members of the legislative animal protection caucus, which sponsors nonpartisan forums and briefings, tracks the progress of relevant legislation, provides members with dependable information on animal welfare issues and works to build broad coalitions in support of common-sense animal welfare laws.

Media Contact
Naseem Amini: 240-778-5545; namini@hslf.org

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The Humane Society Legislative Fund is a social welfare organization incorporated under section 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code and formed in 2004 as a separate lobbying affiliate of The Humane Society of the United States. The HSLF works to pass animal protection laws at the state and federal level, to educate the public about animal protection issues, and to support humane candidates for office. Visit us on all our channels: on the web at hslf.org, on our blog at animalsandpolitics.com, on Facebook at facebook.com/humanelegislation and on Twitter at twitter.com/HSLegFund.

NEW ORLEANS (Oct. 15, 2015) The Humane Society Legislative Fund, the nation’s leading political advocacy organization for animal welfare, has launched a new TV ad campaign urging Louisiana voters to support David Vitter for Governor. The TV ad, which will run through the Oct. 24 primary election, can be viewed below:

Sara Amundson, executive director of HSLF, said: “David Vitter has been an effective leader in fighting for common-sense policies to protect animals. He has led bipartisan efforts to crack down on illegal dogfighting and abusive puppy mills, and is standing up for pets and the families who love them. A vote for David Vitter is a vote for the humane treatment of animals.”

Both in Congress and at home in Louisiana, David Vitter has strongly advocated for numerous animal protection policies. Vitter has:

• Protected families and their pets: After Hurricane Katrina, he worked to ensure pets are included in disaster plans, and increased the capacity for animal welfare and disaster relief in the Gulf region.
• Opposed animal fighting and the associated violence and crime: He sponsored legislation to strengthen the penalties for interstate animal fighting activities, and he successfully criminalized attending and bringing a child to a dogfight or cockfight.
• Cracked down on abusive puppy mills: He sponsored the Puppy Uniform Protection and Safety (PUPS) Act and worked with the U.S. Department of Agriculture to set standards of animal care for large-scale commercial dog breeders selling puppies via the Internet.
• Stopping malicious cruelty and torture: He cosponsored successful legislation in 2010 to ban commerce in animal “crush” videos showing the intentional torture of puppies, kittens and other live animals for the sexual pleasure of viewers, and cosponsored new legislation (the Preventing Animal Cruelty and Torture Act) to make malicious animal cruelty a crime on federal property and in interstate commerce.
• Reduced chemical testing on animals: He sponsored legislation to update chemical safety tests and reduce the testing of chemicals on animals, bringing the chemical industry and environmental and animal protection groups together to find solutions.
• Enforced animal protection laws to stop cruelty and abuse: He led the multi-year effort to step up enforcement of the Animal Welfare Act, the Humane Methods of Slaughter Act, the Horse Protection Act and the federal animal fighting law, as well as implement programs to address the needs of animals in disasters and to ease a shortage of veterinarians in rural and inner-city areas and at the U.S. Department of Agriculture through student loan forgiveness.
• Protecting horses from abuse: He cosponsored the Prevent All Soring Tactics (PAST) Act to strengthen the federal law against the “soring” of show horses—using caustic chemicals and other painful substances to injure the horses’ hooves and legs to induce a high-stepping gait.
• Protected public health and safety from exotic animals: He sponsored the Captive Primate Safety Act to prohibit the interstate commerce in chimpanzees and other primates in the exotic pet trade, which poses a danger to animal welfare and to public health and safety.

Media Contact: Stephanie Twining, stwining@hslf.org, 301-258-1491

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HSLF is a nonpartisan organization that evaluates candidates based only on a single criterion: where they stand on animal welfare. HSLF does not judge candidates based on party affiliation or any other issue.

The Humane Society Legislative Fund is a social welfare organization incorporated under section 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code and formed in 2004 as a separate lobbying affiliate of The Humane Society of the United States. The HSLF works to pass animal protection laws at the state and federal level, to educate the public about animal protection issues, and to support humane candidates for office. Visit us on all our channels: on the web at hslf.org, on our blog at animalsandpolitics.com, on Facebook at facebook.com/humanelegislation and on Twitter at twitter.com/HSLegFund.

Paid for by Humane Society Legislative Fund and not authorized by any candidate or candidate’s committee. HSLF, 1255 23rd Street, NW, Suite 455, Washington, DC 20037.

WASHINGTON (Oct. 6, 2015) – At a Capitol press conference, supporters of chemical safety reform urged Congress to pass the Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act (S.697). The bipartisan bill would overhaul the nation's chemical safety law, the Toxic Substances Control Act of 1976, and contains language that will replace the use of animals for testing chemicals for toxicity in risk assessments. It supports cutting-edge computational toxicology and other alternative methods and strategies that are faster, more predictive of human risk and often less expensive than animal testing.

The proposal is named for the late Sen. Lautenberg, who long pushed to reform TSCA, which turns 39 on Oct. 11. The bill has the support of 60 senators from 38 states and is ready for a vote. Participants wished TSCA an "unhappy birthday" and urged Congress not to let TSCA turn 40 without being reformed.

Sara Amundson, executive director of the Humane Society Legislative Fund, states: “We have an opportunity to revolutionize the way chemicals are tested, which will provide the foundation to end animal testing in the long run while increasing public safety. We commend Senators Udall and Vitter, both determined animal advocates, for actively supporting efforts to insert critical language to make animal testing a last resort, and Senator Booker for championing 21st century science and animal protection. With 60 bipartisan cosponsors, we urge leadership to bring the bill to the floor as soon as possible.”

Others in attendance included:

• Sen. Tom Udall, D-N.M.
• Sen. David Vitter, R-La.
• Bonnie Lautenberg, widow of former Sen. Frank Lautenberg
• Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J.
• Sen. Tom Carper, D-Del.
• Sen. Chris Coons, D-Del.
• Sen. Richard Durbin, D-Ill.
• Sen. James Inhofe, R-Okla.
• Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va.
• Sen. Edward J. Markey, D-Mass.
• Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Ore.
• Sen. David Vitter, R-La.
• Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I.
• Fred Krupp, president of Environmental Defense Fund
• Collin O'Mara, president and CEO of the National Wildlife Federation
• Cynthia Pellegrini, senior vice president for public policy and government affairs for the March of Dimes
• Dr. Neal Barnard, president of Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine
• Cal Dooley, president and CEO of the American Chemistry Council
• Jennifer Thomas, senior director for Federal Government Affairs for the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers
• Anna J. Wildeman, policy counsel and committee executive on environment and agriculture for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce
• Ross Eisenberg, vice president of energy and resources policy for the National Association of Manufacturers

Media Contact
Samantha Miller: 301-258-1466; smiller@humanesociety.org

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The Humane Society Legislative Fund is a social welfare organization incorporated under section 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code and formed in 2004 as a separate lobbying affiliate of The Humane Society of the United States. The HSLF works to pass animal protection laws at the state and federal level, to educate the public about animal protection issues, and to support humane candidates for office. Visit us on all our channels: on the web at hslf.org, on our blog at animalsandpolitics.com, on Facebook at facebook.com/humanelegislation and on Twitter at twitter.com/HSLegFund.

Animal testing of cosmetic products and ingredients, and the sale of newly animal-tested cosmetics, would be phased out under legislation introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives. Passage of the Humane Cosmetics Act (H.R. 2858) will bring the U.S. in line with more than 30 other countries—home to more than 1.7 billion consumers—that have already implemented similar bans.

The bipartisan bill was introduced by U.S. Reps. Martha McSally (R-AZ), Don Beyer (D-VA), Joe Heck (R-NV) and Tony Cárdenas (D-CA). Wayne Pacelle, president and CEO of The Humane Society of the United States said: “Given the ready availability of alternatives, there is no compelling reason to continue using outdated animal testing methods that cause tremendous animal suffering. So many companies are already using non-animal tests for shampoos, makeups and other products sold around the world, and the United States can help accelerate that trend.”

U.S. law does not require animal testing for cosmetics, but it does not prohibit it either, so in laboratories nationwide, thousands of animals are suffering and dying to test beauty products and ingredients. Mice, rabbits, rats and guinea pigs have substances forced down their throat, dripped into their eyes or smeared onto their skin, usually without pain relief.

With the introduction of legislation in Canada last week, and now the U.S., North America is poised to be the next marketplace to end cruelty for cosmetics. American consumers want to see an end to these inhumane practices. An HSUS and Humane Society Legislative Fund poll conducted in 2013 found 73 percent of American voters are in favor of federal legislation to end animal testing for cosmetics.

Rep. McSally said: "Subjecting animals to painful and inhumane testing is not who we are as a country. There's no reason to continue this cruel practice when we have cost-effective alternatives that can bring about safe products for consumers. As an animal lover and volunteer, I'm pleased to be introducing this legislation with my colleagues to take a stand against the inhumane treatment of animals."

Rep. Beyer said: "It is time for us to end the painful and completely unnecessary process of testing American cosmetics on animals. Safer, more cost effective, and completely humane alternatives already exist, and the United States is in no danger of losing its role as a competitive leader in the global cosmetics industry. Now we need to ensure our place as a moral leader.”

The bill is supported by celebrities Kesha, Jenna Dewan-Tatum and Ricky Gervais, and more than 140 companies in the cosmetics industry such as LUSH, COTY, The Body Shop, Overstock and Paul Mitchell. Multi-national cosmetics manufacturers that already comply with similar laws in more than 30 countries are encouraged to support the Humane Cosmetics Act. The bill is endorsed by The HSUS and HSLF spearheading the #BeCrueltyFree campaign in the U.S., and Humane Society International leading the campaign globally.

Media Contact
Samantha Miller: 301-258-1466; smiller@humanesociety.org

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The Humane Society Legislative Fund is a social welfare organization incorporated under section 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code and formed in 2004 as a separate lobbying affiliate of The Humane Society of the United States. The HSLF works to pass animal protection laws at the state and federal level, to educate the public about animal protection issues, and to support humane candidates for office. Visit us on all our channels: on the web at hslf.org, on our blog at animalsandpolitics.com, on Facebook at facebook.com/humanelegislation and on Twitter at twitter.com/HSLegFund.

In the wake of an exposé of gruesome taxpayer-funded experiments on farm animals, a key congressional committee has called for animal care standards in federal agricultural research at federal facilities.

Humane Society Legislative Fund and The Humane Society of the United States applaud inclusion of animal welfare provisions in the House Agriculture Appropriations bill that was passed out of the Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, FDA and Related Agencies today. 

The legislation prevents the Agricultural Research Service of USDA from receiving 5 percent of its appropriations ($56 million in federal funding) until ARS certifies in writing to both the House and the Senate that updates to its animal care policies have been implemented. The legislation also requires that each ARS facility using animals has a properly functioning Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee, including “all appropriate and necessary record keeping.”

The subcommittee added funds to the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service for the agency to provide oversight of ARS’ animal research locations.

“By linking significant funding to animal welfare reforms, Congress sends a strong message to the USDA that animal abuse at federal research facilities will not be tolerated,” said Wayne Pacelle, president and CEO of The Humane Society of the United States. “The public has a particularly keen interest in rooting out the mistreatment of animals at facilities funded by our tax dollars."

This legislation follows an exposé by The New York Times in January of this year, which unveiled the suffering and death of tens of thousands of animals at the U.S. Meat Animal Research Center, an ARS facility located in Clay, Nebraska that was carrying out research in pursuit of increasing factory farm profits.

Abuses at USMARC include newborn lambs being left to fend for themselves from predators and extreme weather conditions and cows being ‘engineered’ to give birth to multiple calves, many of whom are born malformed. The focus on mass production leaves litters of piglets so large that some are crushed by their mother. 

HSLF and The HSUS are also urging passage of the Animal Welfare in Agricultural Research Endeavors (AWARE) Act, which will require federal facilities that conduct agricultural research on animals to follow the minimum standards of the Animal Welfare Act, a practice currently excluded from the federal law. We would further like a commitment from the USDA that they will adopt these provisions voluntarily.

The legislation, S. 388 and H.R. 746, is sponsored by Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., and Reps. Earl Blumenauer, D-Ore., Mike Fitzpatrick, R-Pa., Vern Buchanan, R-Fla., and Louise Slaughter, D-N.Y.

Media Contact: Anna West: 301-258-1518; awest@humanesociety.org

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The Humane Society Legislative Fund is a social welfare organization incorporated under section 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code and formed in 2004 as a separate lobbying affiliate of The Humane Society of the United States. The HSLF works to pass animal protection laws at the state and federal level, to educate the public about animal protection issues, and to support humane candidates for office. Visit us on all our channels: on the web at hslf.org, on our blog at animalsandpolitics.com, on Facebook at facebook.com/humanelegislation and on Twitter at twitter.com/HSLegFund.

Washington, D.C.—(April 28, 2015)—Following the mark-up and vote in the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee on the Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act, S.697, Sara Amundson, executive director of Humane Society Legislative Fund is issuing the following statement:

“We applaud the efforts of Senators Booker, Vitter and Udall to include prescriptive language to reduce, and ultimately end, the use of animals in toxicity testing for existing and new chemicals, while still providing for public safety under the revised bill. It gives the Environmental Protection Agency increased authority to ask for information about industrial chemicals, and, for the first time in U.S. legislation, strongly supports the use and development of approaches that do not rely on animal testing.” Media Contact:

Media Contact
Samantha Miller: smiller@humanesociety.org; 301-258-1417

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The Humane Society Legislative Fund is a social welfare organization incorporated under section 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code and formed in 2004 as a separate lobbying affiliate of The Humane Society of the United States. The HSLF works to pass animal protection laws at the state and federal level, to educate the public about animal protection issues, and to support humane candidates for office. Visit us on all our channels: on the web at hslf.org, on our blog at animalsandpolitics.com, on Facebook at facebook.com/humanelegislation and on Twitter at twitter.com/HSLegFund.

141 other Members of Congress Recognized

WASHINGTON (April 29, 2015)—The Humane Society Legislative Fund and its affiliate The Humane Society of the United States presented their 2014 Humane Legislator of the Year awards to Sens. Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich., and Susan Collins, R-Maine, and Reps. Jeff Denham, R-Calif., and Kurt Schrader, D-Ore., along with other recipients of the congressional Humane Awards for 2014.

Michael Markarian, president of HSLF said: “Animal protection issues continue to bridge partisan divides and give Members of Congress the opportunity to work together to uphold core humane values shared by the overwhelming majority of Americans. We are deeply grateful to all these leaders for bringing their compassion to the halls of Congress and giving animals a strong voice.”   

Wayne Pacelle, HSLF Executive Vice President said: “This year’s honorees stand out as tireless champions for animals on many fronts—from cracking down on animal fighting to providing sanctuary for laboratory chimpanzees to protecting farm animals, horses, and pets. Many were also integral in fending off the destructive ‘King Amendment’ that aimed to gut state animal welfare laws. We are thankful for their leadership in making the mainstream ideals of animal protection a priority in Washington.”

Sen. Stabenow is honored for: 

• Her leadership as Chairwoman of the Senate Agriculture Committee to incorporate Animal Fighting Spectator Prohibition Act into the 2014 Farm Bill. The act closed a gap in federal animal fighting law by making it a crime to knowingly attend an organized animal fight or bring a child to such an event. This will help law enforcement crack down on the entire cast of characters involved, including those who finance the activity with admission fees and gambling wagers, provide cover to animal fighters during raids, and expose children to the violence and bloodletting. 
• Helping to defeat the provision that Rep. Steve King, R-Iowa, inserted into the House Farm Bill, which would have nullified critical state and local animal welfare laws. 
• Being an original cosponsor of the Egg Products Inspection Act Amendments to provide uniform national standards for the housing and treatment of egg laying hens. 
• Supporting other animal protection legislation such as the Prevent All Soring Tactics (PAST) Act, to crack down on the abuse of show horses; and the Captive Primate Safety Act, to prohibit the interstate trade in primates for the exotic pet trade; and seeking funds needed for USDA enforcement of key animal welfare laws.  

Sen. Collins is recognized for: 

• Leading efforts to end invasive research on chimpanzees by the National Institutes of Health and expedite their transfer to sanctuary, and to end the differential treatment of chimpanzees under the Endangered Species Act depending on whether they are in the wild or in captivity. She also requested appropriations language to ensure continued support for the national chimpanzee sanctuary system. 
• Co-leading the Preventing Antibiotic Resistance Act, which would phase out the routine non-therapeutic use of antibiotics on farm animals—a common practice to promote growth and compensate for overcrowded, stressful, unsanitary conditions on factory farms—and on the Antimicrobial Data Collection Act, which would require the Food and Drug Administration to improve the collection and public reporting of information on how antibiotics are used in food animal production. 
• Being an original cosponsor of the Egg Products Inspection Act Amendments, and cosponsoring the Prevent All Soring Tactics (PAST) Act, to crack down on the abuse of show horses, the Captive Primate Safety Act, to prohibit the interstate trade in primates for the exotic pet trade, and the Safeguard American Food Exports (SAFE) Act to protect horses and consumers by prohibiting the transport and export of U.S. horses to slaughter for human consumption. 
• As a member of the Appropriations Committee, consistently supporting provisions to effectively block horse slaughter on U.S. soil, and requesting funds needed for USDA enforcement of the Animal Welfare Act, Horse Protection Act, Humane Methods of Slaughter Act and federal animal fighting law, and implementation of programs to address the needs of animals in disasters and to ease a shortage of veterinarians in rural areas and USDA positions through student loan repayment. 

Rep. Denham is recognized for:

• Being a lead sponsor of the Egg Products Inspection Act Amendments, which enshrined an agreement between animal welfare groups and the egg industry to improve the treatment of hundreds of millions of laying hens and provide stability for egg farmers and consumers.
• Leading the effort in the House Agriculture Committee to defeat the dangerous and overreaching “King amendment,” which threatened to nullify critical state and local animal welfare laws. Being the lead sponsor of the Pets on Trains Act, to require Amtrak to propose a pet policy allowing passengers to travel with cats and dogs on certain passenger trains. He also worked with Amtrak and local officials to implement a successful pilot project along some routes from Chicago. 
• Cosponsoring the Prevent All Soring Tactics (PAST) Act, to crack down on the abuse of show horses, and the Animal Fighting Spectator Prohibition Act, to make it a crime to attend or bring a child to a dogfight or cockfight. 

Rep. Schrader is honored for:

• Being a lead sponsor of the Egg Products Inspection Act Amendments, which enshrined an agreement between animal welfare groups and the egg industry to improve the treatment of hundreds of millions of laying hens and provide stability for egg farmers and consumers. 
• Leading the effort in the House Agriculture Committee to defeat the dangerous and overreaching “King amendment,” which threatened to nullify critical state and local animal welfare laws. Being the lead sponsor of the Veterinary Medicine Mobility Act, which was passed and signed into law, amending the Controlled Substances Act to allow veterinarians to transport, administer and dispense controlled substances outside of their registered locations. This is especially important for providing help to pets in disasters, cruelty cases, animal sanctuaries, wildlife rehabilitation centers, and mobile spay and neuter clinics in areas lacking permanent veterinary services. 
• Introducing the Veterinary Medicine Loan Repayment Program Enhancement Act, to facilitate loan repayment to select veterinary medicine professionals for a three-year commitment to practice in underserved areas of the country. 
• Cosponsoring the Prevent All Soring Tactics (PAST) Act, to crack down on the abuse of show horses; and the Animal Fighting Spectator Prohibition Act, to make it a crime to attend or bring a child to a dogfight or cockfight; and requesting funds needed for USDA enforcement of the Animal Welfare Act, Horse Protection Act, Humane Methods of Slaughter Act and federal animal fighting law; and implementation of programs to address the needs of animals in disasters and to ease a shortage of veterinarians in rural areas and USDA positions through student loan repayment. 

Every year, HSLF compiles a federal Humane Scorecard to provide a snapshot of animal protection issues considered by the U.S. Congress and give animal advocates a tool to assess the performance of their Senators and Representatives. The scorecard tracks key votes and cosponsorship of important pro-animal bills and support for adequate funding needed to enforce key animal welfare laws. For 2014, in addition to the top awards for Sens. Stabenow and Collins and Reps. Denham and Schrader: 

• Humane Champion awards will go to nine legislators who took the lead on pro-animal legislation or on a letter to an agency, and also received a perfect score on the 2014 Humane Scorecard.
• Legislative Leader awards will go to 122 legislators for their leadership as prime sponsors of pro-animal legislation or advocacy on a regulatory agency issue.
• Humane Advocate awards will go to 10 legislators who received a perfect score on the 2014 Humane Scorecard.

Altogether, 145 legislators—representing 40 states, Guam, Puerto Rico, and the District of Columbia—received awards for their work in 2014. To see the complete list of 2014 awardees, please click here.

Previous recipients of the Humane Legislator of the Year Award include Sen. Mary Landrieu, D-La., and Rep. Fred Upton, R-Mich., for 2013, Sens. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., and Scott Brown, R-Mass., for 2012, Sen. David Vitter, R-La., and Rep. Sam Farr, D-Calif., for 2011, Reps. Elton Gallegly, R-Calif., and James Moran, D-Va., for 2010, Rep. Nick Rahall, D-W.Va., for 2009, Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., and Rep. John Conyers, D-Mich., for 2008, Rep. Earl Blumenauer, D-Ore., for 2007, Rep. Chris Shays, R-Conn., for 2006, and Sen. John Ensign, R-Nev., for 2005.

Media Contact
Stephanie Twining, 301-258-1941, stwining@humanesociety.org 

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The Humane Society Legislative Fund is a social welfare organization incorporated under section 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code and formed in 2004 as a separate lobbying affiliate of The Humane Society of the United States. The HSLF works to pass animal protection laws at the state and federal level, to educate the public about animal protection issues, and to support humane candidates for office. Visit us on all our channels: on the web at hslf.org, on our blog at animalsandpolitics.com, on Facebook at facebook.com/humanelegislation and on Twitter at twitter.com/HSLegFund.

Federal lawmakers today introduced a bill to require much needed protections for farm animals used for agricultural research at federal facilities.

The bill follows a New York Times article that revealed horrifying examples of animal cruelty at the U.S. Meat Animal Research Center, a federal livestock research facility in Nebraska. The cows, sheep, pigs and other farm animals used in experiments at the facility are currently exempt from protections under federal law because of a loophole in the Animal Welfare Act.

This loophole exempts farm animals “used or intended for use for improving animal nutrition, breeding, management, or production efficiency, or for improving the quality of food or fiber” from basic welfare standards. Introduced by U.S. Reps. Earl Blumenauer, D-OR; Mike Fitzpatrick, R-PA; Vern Buchanan, R-FL; Louise Slaughter, D-NY; and Sen. Cory Booker, D-NJ, the bills would amend the Animal Welfare Act to remove current exceptions that exclude animals used in agricultural experiments at federally-run facilities from certain protections under the Animal Welfare Act.

Wayne Pacelle, president and CEO of the Humane Society of the United States, and Matthew Bershadker, president and CEO of the ASPCA (American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals), announced their support of the bill, titled the Animal Welfare in Agricultural Research Endeavors (AWARE) Act.

The Meat Animal Research Center is part of the Agricultural Research Service, a division of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Since 2006, ARS has spent nearly $200 million on the center, according to a report prepared by the USDA for Congress as part of the budgeting process.

The New York Times exposed the Meat Animal Research Center performing inhumane experiments on farm animals, including:

• locking pigs in steam chambers until they died;
• breeding calves born with “deformed vaginas” and tangled legs; and
• leaving lambs abandoned by their mothers in pastures to die of exposure or starvation.

The Center also performed painful experimental surgeries and allowed at least 6,500 animals to starve to death.

Media Contacts:

HSLF and HSUS: Anna West: 240-751-2669; awest@humanesociety.org
ASPCA: Natasha Whitling: 646-306-3740; natasha.whitling@aspca.org

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The Humane Society Legislative Fund is a social welfare organization incorporated under section 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code and formed in 2004 as a separate lobbying affiliate of The Humane Society of the United States. The HSLF works to pass animal protection laws at the state and federal level, to educate the public about animal protection issues, and to support humane candidates for office. Visit us on all our channels: on the web at hslf.org, on our blog at animalsandpolitics.com, on Facebook at facebook.com/humanelegislation and on Twitter at twitter.com/HSLegFund.

January 20, 2015

President Obama’s second term in office has been a productive one for animals, but a number of key reforms await final approval, and deep problems remain when it comes to animal welfare. 

Tonight, as the President addresses Congress and the American people with his annual State of the Union address, our government’s work with animals and its policies that govern private actions concerning animal welfare are still fraught. Here’s the state of animal protection issues under the Obama administration.

THE GOOD

Budget:
The President’s 2015 (FY15) budget included several HSLF-backed provisions, including defunding horse slaughter inspections and increasing funding for more humane wild horse management. Consistent with our request, the Bureau of Land Management specified that this additional funding would go towards research on population control methods. It was heartening that in a budget full of funding cuts, there was no proposal to cut funding for the Animal Welfare Act and Horse Protection Act enforcement.

Puppy Mill Imports:
Though it took longer than it should have, the USDA issued a vitally important final rule prohibiting the import of puppies from foreign puppy mills into the United States for resale.  This means that other nations will not be able to raise tens of thousands of dogs in puppy mills and flood the U.S. market with them. 

Wildlife Trafficking:The Obama Administration has made combatting wildlife trafficking a priority and has taken several steps to implement a stronger policy:

• Enforcement:  The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) issued a Director’s Order instructing FWS personnel to strictly enforce existing restrictions on the commercial trade of elephant ivory and the import, export, and sale of items made from other protected species under the “antiques exception” of the Endangered Species Act (ESA).
• Suspension of Sport-Hunted Trophies: The FWS suspended imports of sport-hunted African elephant trophies taken in Tanzania and Zimbabwe.  After Zimbabwe challenged the suspension, the FWS upheld its decision, finding that sport hunting elephants and importing the trophies into the United States would not enhance the survival of the species in the wild.
• Listing Southern White Rhinoceros: The FWS took steps to curb the rampant poaching of wild populations of Southern White Rhinoceros by listing them as threatened under the ESA.
• African Lion: The FWS released a proposed rule to list African lions as threatened under the ESA and create a special rule governing the import of sport-hunted lion trophies. We hope the final rule will dramatically restrict the flow of these trophies into the United States and will help prevent the trade in lion parts.

Animal Cruelty:
The Federal Bureau of Investigations announced it will start tracking incidents of animal abuse in the Uniform Crime Reporting Program, which is the starting place for law enforcement officials, researchers, members of the media, and the public at large seeking information on crime in the nation and deciding how agency resources should be allocated.

Class B Random Source Dealers:
The USDA revoked the license of one of the last remaining random source dealers after discovering multiple violations of the Animal Welfare Act, including obtaining dogs from illegal sources. This dealer was supplying animals to Georgia Regents University, where The HSUS carried out an undercover investigation. Also, as of October 1, 2014, the National Institutes of Health will no longer fund research that involves dogs from random source Class B dealers (a similar policy regarding cats was adopted in 2012).

Live Animal Use in Medical Training:
The U.S. Department of Defense announced plans to halt the use of live animals in a variety of medical training programs. The military will use realistic human models instead of live animals.

Downer Calves:
The USDA suspended inspections from a veal calf slaughterhouse after an HSUS undercover investigation exposed egregious violations of the Humane Methods of Slaughter Act (HMSA) there. We await a proposed rule on this issue that will close the loophole allowing the slaughter and mistreatment of downer calves, and end inhumane practices that extend well beyond a single slaughter plant.  It has been five years since The HSUS filed its petition, so we anxiously await final action.

Animal Travel:
The U.S. Department of Transportation issued a final rule that expands its current requirement that air carriers report incidents involving the loss, injury, or death of an animal during air transport to include animals not yet “owned” as pets, such as animals en route from breeders. More airlines will be covered by this rule.

Animal Welfare Provisions in the USDA’s Meat-Purchasing Contracts:
The USDA’s Agriculture Marketing Service sent a notice to beef, pork, and lamb slaughter facilities indicating its intent to update its animal handling and welfare purchase specifications to impose a zero-tolerance standard for missed stuns or animals regaining sensibility following stunning. This standard is in line with the HMSA.

Expanding Protection/Sanctuary for Marine Mammals: 

• Expansion of Pacific Ocean Sanctuary: Through an Executive Order the President expanded the existing Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument to 490,000 square miles – six times its previous size – making it the largest marine monument in the world.  The sanctuary is expected to protect nearly two dozen types of living marine mammals, along with threatened species of sea turtles.
• Right Whale Protection: The National Marine Fisheries Services finalized a rule to restrict fishing gear harmful to endangered right whales.

THE BAD

There were adverse actions by federal agencies, too, including:

• Continued efforts by the FWS to delist wolves and to vest management authority in states that conduct ruthless trophy hunting, trapping, and even hounding programs in the Northern Rockies and Great Lakes regions.
• Continuing billions in subsidies to animal agribusiness, in the form of buy-ups of surplus commodities such as pork or spent hens from laying operations; poor enforcement of check-off dollars coming from pork and beef sales and their use for blatantly political purposes; and ruthless research designed to reinforce the system of factory farming that treats animals like commodities, as documented in today’s Times story.
• Stubborn actions by the National Park Service to avoid using humane fertility control methods, like with the deer in Rock Creek Park. These practices have been proven to reduce population numbers without requiring cruel sharp shooting.
• Mismanagement of wild horses through a treadmill of round-ups and removals that are draining the agency’s resources, rather than using more cost effective fertility control methods.

WHAT'S NEXT

Looking forward, The HSLF has a large number of regulatory requests that we’re discussing with more than a dozen federal agencies. Top priorities include:

• A rule to list five large constrictor snake species as injurious under the Lacey Act, including the boa constrictor and reticulated python, which will prohibit the importation and interstate transport of these dangerous snakes as pets.
• A final rule to list the African Lion as threatened under the ESA and curbing the import of sport hunted trophies.
• A rule to list all chimpanzees as endangered under the ESA, regardless of whether they are captive or wild.
• A final rule to tighten oversight of trade in elephant ivory.

The President will also have a range of opportunities to thwart adverse actions by Congress in 2015-16, and we hope he will not hesitate to use his veto pen when federal legislative actions threaten animals—whether it’s efforts to do away with protections for wolves, prevent science-based restrictions on toxic lead ammunition, undermine positive regulatory reforms advanced by agencies, or subvert state actions to help animals used in agriculture. 

We’ll need your actions and support, directed toward Congress and the White House and executive agencies, as we press ahead with reforms and play defense as necessary. The federal government remains a powerful force that can do good or bad for animals. Together, we’ll make sure it’s a force for good.

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The Humane Society Legislative Fund is a social welfare organization incorporated under section 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code and formed in 2004 as a separate lobbying affiliate of The Humane Society of the United States. The HSLF works to pass animal protection laws at the state and federal level, to educate the public about animal protection issues, and to support humane candidates for office. Visit us on all our channels: on the web at hslf.org, on our blog at animalsandpolitics.com, on Facebook at facebook.com/humanelegislation and on Twitter at twitter.com/HSLegFund.

WASHINGTON (Nov. 26, 2014)—The Humane Society Legislative Fund, the nation’s leading political advocacy organization for animal welfare, announced the launch of a new television advertising campaign urging Louisiana voters to re-elect Mary Landrieu, D-La., to the  U.S. Senate. The ad begins airing on Thanksgiving Day and will run through the Dec. 6 runoff election.

“Mary Landrieu has been an effective leader in blocking cruelties such as the killing of companion horses for human consumption and working to crack down on puppy mills and animal fighting,” said Michael Markarian, president of HSLF. “She’s stood up for the values of kindness and compassion and will continue this important work to protect Louisiana families and their pets in the U.S. Senate.”

The HSLF publishes an annual Humane Scorecard of Congress to give voters a snapshot of every federal legislator's record on animal protection issues; Sen. Landrieu three times achieved a perfect score of 100 for votes in favor of animal welfare measures before the U.S. Senate. Sen. Landrieu was also awarded the HSLF’s Legislator of the Year Award in 2013, as well as The Humane Society of the United States’ 2011 Humane Horsewoman of the Year award.

In Congress, Sen. Landrieu has advocated for a number of common-sense animal protection policies, including:

• Served as a prime sponsor of the Safeguard American Food Exports (SAFE) Act (S.541) to prohibit the slaughter and export of horses for human consumption overseas.
• Supported legislation to ban commerce in animal “crush” videos showing the intentional torture of puppies, kittens and other live animals for the sexual pleasure of viewers (P.L.111-294).
• Co-sponsored the Puppy Uniform Protection and Safety (PUPS) Act (S.395) to protect dogs and consumers by cracking down on large-scale puppy mill abuses.
• Co-sponsored the Animal Fighting Spectator Prohibition Act (S.666), which was included in the 2014 Farm Bill, making it a federal crime to attend or bring a child to a dogfight or cockfight.
• Co-sponsored the Prevent All Soring Tactics (PAST) Act (S.1406) to strengthen the federal law against the “soring” of show horses—using caustic chemicals and other painful substances to injure the horses’ hooves and legs to induce a high-stepping gait.
• Co-sponsored the Egg Products Inspection Act Amendments (S.820) to ban barren battery cages in the egg industry and improve the treatment of hundreds of millions of laying hens.
• Co-sponsored the Captive Primate Safety Act (S.1463) to prohibit the interstate commerce in chimpanzees and other primates in the exotic pet trade, which poses a danger to animal welfare and to public health and safety.
• Sponsored a successful Agriculture Appropriations amendment to bar USDA expenditures on horse slaughter inspection to prevent any efforts to spend tax dollars allowing the resumption of horse slaughter for human consumption on U.S. soil. 
• Co-signed a group letter opposing the dangerous and overreaching “King amendment,” which threatened to nullify hundreds of state and local laws on food safety, animal welfare and agriculture, and was nixed from the 2014 Farm Bill.
• Supported efforts to provide adequate funding for the enforcement of the Animal Welfare Act, Horse Protection Act, Humane Methods of Slaughter Act and federal animal fighting law, as well as for programs to address the needs of animals in disasters and to ease a shortage of veterinarians in rural and inner-city areas and at the U.S. Department of Agriculture through student loan forgiveness.
• Supported efforts to assist in the permanent placement of government-owned chimpanzees retired from research laboratories to the national chimpanzee sanctuary system at Louisiana-based Chimp Haven, and to give the National Institutes of Health the much-needed flexibility within its budget to continue funding these less-costly sanctuaries. Facilities such as Chimp Haven provide better care to chimps and save taxpayer dollars.

HSLF makes endorsements based on candidates’ records or positions on animal issues rather than on political party or affiliation.

Media Contact: Anna West, 240-751-2669, awest@hslf.org

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HSLF is a nonpartisan organization that evaluates candidates based only on a single criterion: where they stand on animal welfare. HSLF does not judge candidates based on party affiliation or any other issue.

The Humane Society Legislative Fund is a social welfare organization incorporated under section 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code and formed in 2004 as a separate lobbying affiliate of The Humane Society of the United States. The HSLF works to pass animal protection laws at the state and federal level, to educate the public about animal protection issues, and to support humane candidates for office. Visit us on all our channels: on the web at hslf.org, on our blog at animalsandpolitics.com, on Facebook at facebook.com/humanelegislation and on Twitter at twitter.com/HSLegFund.

Paid for by Humane Society Legislative Fund and not authorized by any candidate or candidate’s committee. HSLF, 1255 23rd Street, NW, Suite 455, Washington, DC 20037.