WASHINGTON (Oct. 16, 2014) -- The Humane Society Legislative Fund, the nation’s leading political advocacy organization for animal welfare, announces its endorsement of Rep. Earl Blumenauer, D-Ore., for re-election to the House of Representatives. Citing his career-long leadership and advocacy on animal protection policies, the HSLF urges voters in Oregon’s 3rd Congressional District to support Rep. Blumenauer in November’s general election.
“Earl Blumenauer has been at the forefront of every major federal bill protecting animals from cruelty and abuse, and he’s someone the people of the 3rd District can count on to fight for values they care about,” said Wayne Pacelle, executive vice president of the HSLF. “He’s amassed a stellar record over his tenure in Congress, and I ask voters to return Representative Blumenauer for another term so he can keep fighting the battle for compassion and kindness for all animals, from farm animals to wildlife caught up in the exotic pet trade.”
Among his efforts in the 113th Congress, Rep. Blumenauer:
- Is a prime sponsor of 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.
- Co-sponsored 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 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.
- Led the effort to marshal the support of his colleagues on a group letter urging 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.
- Co-authored a letter to the Department of the Interior in support of protecting the African lion under the Endangered Species Act.
- Authored a letter to the National Institutes of Health requesting implementation of its Council on Councils’ Working Group findings that nearly all federally owned chimpanzees should be retired and sent to federal sanctuary.
- 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.
- 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.
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.
