WASHINGTON (August 13, 2024)—Today, the Humane Society Legislative Fund, the nation’s leading animal protection organization, announced its endorsement of U.S. Representative Brian Fitzpatrick for re-election to Pennsylvania’s 1st Congressional District.
"There is no stronger leader on animal protection issues in the House Republican Caucus than Brian Fitzpatrick. His commonsense legislative efforts have built a strong coalition advancing the fight for all animals,” said Sara Amundson, president of the Humane Society Legislative Fund. “As a former FBI agent, he has expert knowledge of criminal procedure that he is using to crack down on some of the worst animal abuses, including puppy mills and the soring of Tennessee walking horses. Pennsylvanians should re-elect this humane champion to Congress.”
This year, Rep. Fitzpatrick received HSLF’s Legislator of the Year award, the highest recognition presented at the organization’s Humane Awards, for his efforts to preserve up to 1000 state laws to protect animals. In the 118th Congress, he has earned a perfect score of 100+ on HSLF’s 2023 Humane Scorecard. He serves as co-chair of the Congressional Animal Protection Caucus, which works to promote animal protection initiatives to other members of Congress.
Rep. Fitzpatrick sponsored the Puppy Protection Act (H.R. 1624) to update federal standards of care for dog breeders, and the Prevent All Soring Tactics (PAST) Act (H.R. 3090) to crack down on “soring,” in which trainers deliberately inflict severe pain on the hooves and legs of Tennessee walking horses.
Moreover, Rep. Fitzpatrick helped lead the charge on Capitol Hill to oppose the inclusion of the dangerous and overreaching Ending Agricultural Trade Suppression (EATS) Act (H.R. 4417 and S. 2019), or anything like it, in the next Farm Bill by rallying his colleagues to sign onto a letter sent to the House Agriculture Committee leadership.
Additional pro-animal actions taken by Rep. Fitzpatrick in the 118th Congress include:
- Cosponsored the Better Collaboration, Accountability, and Regulatory Enforcement (CARE) for Animals Act (H.R. 5041) to give the U.S. Department of Justice the tools it needs to strengthen enforcement of the Animal Welfare Act (AWA) and help deter violations.
- Cosponsored the Humane Cosmetics Act (H.R. 5399) to phase out testing of cosmetics on live animals and sales of animal-tested cosmetics in the U.S.
- Cosponsored the Save America’s Forgotten Equines (SAFE) Act (H.R. 3475) to prohibit the reopening of horse slaughter plants in the U.S. and the export of American horses to slaughter for human consumption.
- Co-led two letters to improve wildlife conservation, one to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service that supports the permanent placement of elephants on the Endangered Species list and one to the National Park Service to prohibit hunting and trapping on national preserves in Alaska.
- Filed an amendment to the FY 2024 appropriations bill funding the U.S. Department of Interior to ban trophy hunting imports.
- Sponsored other animal welfare bills including the Pets Belong with Families Act (H.R. 3989); Horse Transportation Safety Act (H.R. 4241); Providing for Unhoused People with Pets (PUPP) Act (H.R. 3957); and Pet Safety and Protection Act (H.R. 208).
Media Contact:
Emily Ehrhorn | eehrhorn@hslf.org
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.
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.
