WASHINGTON (Oct. 19, 2012) -- The Humane Society Legislative Fund, the nation’s leading political advocacy organization for animal welfare, announces its endorsement of U.S. Rep. Jerry McNerney, D-Calif., for re-election in the 9th Congressional District of California. Citing his strong support of animal protection policies, the Humane Society Legislative Fund urges 9th District voters to support Jerry McNerney.
“Jerry McNerney has demonstrated a strong commitment to protecting animals from cruelty and abuse,” said Michael Markarian, president of the Humane Society Legislative Fund. “He has stood up for the values of kindness and compassion and we urge voters who care about the humane treatment of animals to reelect Jerry McNerney.”
McNerney has supported a number of federal policies to stop animal cruelty and abuse. Among his efforts, McNerney has:
- Co-sponsored the Egg Products Inspection Act Amendments of 2012, H.R. 3798, to extend some Prop 2 standards (to ban barren battery cages) to the entire nation, improving treatment for hundreds of millions of egg-laying hens.
- Co-sponsored the Great Ape Protection and Cost Savings Act, H.R. 1513, to phase out the use of chimpanzees in invasive research, retire federally-owned chimpanzees to sanctuary, and save millions of taxpayer dollars
- Co-sponsored the Animal Fighting Spectator Prohibition Act, H.R. 2492, to close a loophole in the federal animal fighting law by making it a crime to attend or take a child to a dogfight or cockfight
- Co-sponsored the Puppy Uniform Protection and Safety (PUPS) Act, H.R. 835, to protect dogs and crack down on large-scale puppy mill abuses
- Co-sponsored legislation to ban commerce in videos showing the intentional torture of puppies, kittens and other live animals for the sexual titillation of viewers (H.R. 5092/P.L.111-294)
- Co-sponsored the Truth in Fur Labeling Act to require accurate labeling of all garments trimmed with animal fur so consumers are not deceived into believing the apparel is faux fur (H.R. 2480/P.L. 111-313)
- Co-sponsored the Animal Fighting Enforcement Prohibition Act, which was signed into law in 2007 and strengthened the penalties for illegal dogfighting and cockfighting, making it a felony to transport animals across state lines for these gruesome and barbaric fights (H.R. 137/P.L. 110-22)
- Voted to protect threatened polar bears in the Arctic and prevent the import of sport-hunted polar bear trophies from Canada (H.AMDT.1008/H.R. 4089)
- Opposed a devastating “extinction rider” that would have weakened the Endangered Species Act by preventing the listing of imperiled species and designation of critical habitat (H.AMDT.735/H.R.2584)
- Voted to save millions of taxpayer dollars by reducing the use of toxic poisons and other inhumane methods of killing predators as a subsidy for private livestock ranchers. (H.AMDT.471/H.R. 2112)
- Voted for the Captive Primate Safety Act to prohibit the interstate commerce in chimpanzees and other primates for the exotic pet trade, which poses a danger to animal welfare and to public health and safety (H.R. 80)
- Voted to fund conservation programs for imperiled crane populations in the U.S. and around the world (H.R. 388) and conservation programs that protect rare dog and cat species such as jaguars, leopards, cheetahs, and African wild dogs (H.R. 411)
- 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 USDA positions through student loan forgiveness.
Media contact: Pepper Van Tassell, (240) 751-0232, pvantassell@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.
