WASHINGTON (Sept. 9, 2014) -- The Humane Society Legislative Fund, the nation’s leading political advocacy organization for animal welfare, announces its endorsement of Rep. Jared Huffman, D-Calif., for re-election to the House of Representatives. Citing his strong leadership and advocacy on animal protection policies, the HSLF urges voters in California’s 2nd Congressional District to support Rep. Huffman in November’s general election.
“Jared Huffman has been a champion of legislation to protect animals from cruelty and abuse, and he’s someone the people of the 2nd District can count on to fight for values they care about,” said Wayne Pacelle, executive vice president of the HSLF. “I hope voters will support his sensible but determined approach to help animals and the remarkable ecological and marine environments in which animals live.”
Among his efforts in the 113th Congress, Rep. Huffman:
- Is an original co-sponsor of the Egg Products Inspection Act Amendments, H.R. 1731, to ban barren battery cages in the egg industry and improve the treatment of hundreds of millions of laying hens;
- Sponsored a successful amendment to the Agriculture Appropriations bill, H. Amdt. 855, that was approved by the House and will require U.S. Department of Agriculture to finalize a rule to update animal welfare regulations for orcas in captivity;
- Worked with the Obama Administration and the National Marine Fisheries Service to ensure that important state laws to protect sharks from the cruel practice of “finning” are not preempted by federal law;
- Co-sponsored the Prevent All Soring Tactics 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 Safeguard American Food Exports Act, H.R. 1094, to prohibit the slaughter and export of horses for human consumption overseas;
- Supported an amendment to the Farm Bill, H.R. 1947, H. Amdt. 185, that would have reformed the Environmental Quality Incentives Program by increasing access for farmers and eliminating payments to projects that do not show strong conservation benefits.
- Co-signed a group letter sent to the House Agricultural Committee, voicing opposition to the harmful King Amendment provisions that sought to negate most state and local laws regarding animal welfare.
- 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.
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.
