WASHINGTON (Sept. 9, 2014) -- The Humane Society Legislative Fund, the nation’s leading political advocacy organization for animal welfare, announces its endorsement of Rep. Bruce Braley, D-Iowa, for election to the U.S. Senate. Citing his support of animal protection policies, the HSLF urges Iowa voters to support Braley in November’s general election.
“Bruce Braley has been a strong supporter of legislation to protect animals from cruelty and abuse, and promoted the values of kindness and compassion to all creatures,” said Sara Amundson, executive director of the HSLF. “A vote to send Bruce Braley to the Senate is a vote for the humane treatment of all animals.”
In the 113th Congress, Rep. Braley:
- Co-sponsored the Prevent All Soring Tactics (PAST) Act (H.R.1518) 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 Animal Fighting Spectator Prohibition Act (H.R.366), 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 Captive Primate Safety Act (H.R.2856) 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.
- 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.
Braley’s opponent, state Sen. Joni Ernst, has opposed a number of modest animal welfare policies. During her time in the state legislature, Ernst:
- Voted in 2012 against a bill to help crack down on inhumane puppy mills (S.F. 2301) by holding them responsible for costs to care for dogs and puppies in the event of a seizure by law enforcement.
- Voted in 2012 for the Iowa “ag-gag” bill (H.F.589) which seeks to punish journalists and whistleblowers who expose inhumane and unsafe practices on industrial factory farms.
- Voted in 2011 to allow the target shooting of mourning doves (S.F.464), which had been a protected songbird for a century in Iowa.
Iowa’s open U.S. Senate seat has been held for 30 years by retiring Sen. Tom Harkin, who has always been one of the leading advocates for animal protection in Congress and was the recipient of a Lifetime Achievement Award from the HSLF.
Media Contact: Martin Montorfano, (202) 676-2347, mmontorfano@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.
