WASHINGTON (Oct. 10, 2012) -- The Humane Society Legislative Fund, the nation’s leading political advocacy organization for animal welfare, announces its endorsement of U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez, D-N.J., for re-election to the U.S. Senate. Citing his effective leadership and strong advocacy on animal protection policies throughout his tenure in the U.S. Senate, the Humane Society Legislative Fund urges voters in New Jersey to support Menendez.
“Robert Menendez has an outstanding record of leadership on animal protection throughout his career in public service,” said Michael Markarian, president of the Humane Society Legislative Fund. “He is a leader on animal protection issues and he is standing up for the values of kindness and compassion. New Jersey voters who support the humane treatment of animals should support Robert Menendez.”
Menendez has advocated for a number of federal policies to stop animal cruelty and abuse. Among his efforts, Menendez has:
- Led efforts with the U.S. Department of Transportation to create more comprehensive reporting of incidents of harm or death to animals transported by airlines, enabling consumers to make informed decisions about air transport for their pets
- Sponsored the Truth in Fur Labeling Act, which was signed into law in 2010, and requires accurate labeling of all garments trimmed with animal fur so consumers are not deceived into believing the apparel is faux fur (S.1076/P.L. 111-313)
- Co-sponsored the Egg Products Inspection Act Amendments of 2012, S. 3239, to ban barren battery cages in the egg industry and improve the treatment of hundreds of millions of laying hens
- Co-sponsored the Great Ape Protection and Cost Savings Act, S.810, 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 Puppy Uniform Protection and Safety (PUPS) Act, S. 707, to protect dogs and crack down on large-scale puppy mill abuses
- Co-sponsored the Downed Animal and Food Safety Protection Act to require humane euthanasia of livestock too sick or injured to walk and to prohibit USDA certification of meat from such animals for human consumption (S. 394)
- Co-sponsored the Captive Primate Safety Act, S. 462, 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
- Co-sponsored the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act to prohibit the long-distance transport (including export) of American horses for slaughter for human consumption in other countries where horse meat is considered a delicacy (S. 1176)
- Supported an amendment to the 2012 Farm Bill 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 (S.Amdt. 2363/S. 3240)
- Voted to save taxpayer dollars by limiting subsidies to massive factory farms, which thrive on taxpayer giveaways that keep animal feed artificially cheap, jeopardize public health, the environment, and animal welfare, while also driving smaller and more humane, sustainable family farms out of business (S.Amdt. 791/H.R. 2112)
- 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 contacts: Heather Sullivan, (301) 548-7778, hsullivan@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.
