Press Release

WASHINGTON (October 11, 2016)—The Humane Society Legislative Fund, the nation’s leading political advocacy organization for animal welfare, announces its endorsement of Rep. Kevin Yoder, R-Kansas, for re-election to the U.S. House of Representatives. Citing his strong support for animal protection policies, the HSLF urges voters in Kansas’s 3rd Congressional District to support Rep. Yoder in November’s general election.

“Kevin Yoder is fighting to stop animal cruelty in many of its forms,” said Wayne Pacelle, executive vice president of the HSLF. “He’s the right choice for humane-minded voters in the 3rd District of Kansas.”

Among his efforts in the 114th Congress, Rep. Yoder:

• Cosponsored the Pet and Women Safety (PAWS) Act (H.R. 1258) to protect the human and animal victims of domestic violence and support the work of battered women’s shelters to accommodate pets;
• Cosponsored the Prevent Animal Cruelty and Torture (PACT) Act (H.R. 2293) to make malicious animal cruelty a crime on federal property and in interstate commerce, and complement the state anti-cruelty laws;
• Cosponsored the Prevent All Soring Tactics (PAST) Act (H.R. 3268) 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;
• Supported an amendment to prohibit the slaughter and export of horses for human consumption overseas;
• Supported the Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act (H.R. 2576), to update chemical safety tests and reduce or eliminate the testing of tens of thousands of chemicals on animals.

Media Contact: John Cleveland, (202) 676-2338, jcleveland@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.

WASHINGTON (October 10, 2016)—The Humane Society Legislative Fund, the nation’s leading political advocacy organization for animal welfare, announces its endorsement of Sen. Mark Kirk, R-Illinois, for re-election to the U.S. Senate. Citing his strong leadership and advocacy on animal protection policies, the HSLF urges voters in Illinois to support Sen. Kirk in November’s general election.

“Mark Kirk believes that all animals should be treated humanely and without cruelty,” said Sara Amundson, executive director of the HSLF. “Voters in Illinois who care about animal welfare should support Sen. Kirk for re-election.”

Sen. Kirk received a perfect score of “100” in HSLF’s 2015 Humane Scorecard, which grades legislators based on their support for animal protection legislation. He led efforts to stop the use of tax dollars to fund horse slaughter plants, and introduced legislation to prohibit the unsafe transport of horses in dangerous double-decker trailers. In the past, Sen. Kirk joined a bipartisan group of senators in sponsoring the Animal Fighting Spectator Prohibition Act to ban attending, and bringing children to, animal fights. The language was included in the 2014 Farm Bill.

Among his other efforts in the 114th Congress, Sen. Kirk:

• Sponsored the Safeguard American Food Exports (SAFE) Act (S. 1214), to prohibit the slaughter and export of horses for human consumption overseas;
• Cosponsored the Prevent Animal Cruelty and Torture (PACT) Act (S. 1831) to make malicious animal cruelty a crime on federal property and in interstate commerce, and complement the state anti-cruelty laws;
• Cosponsored the Prevent All Soring Tactics (PAST) Act (S. 1121), to strengthen the federal law against the “soring” of show horses—using caustic chemicals and other painful substances to injure horses’ hooves and legs to induce an artificially high-stepping gait;
• Supported funding for 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.

HSLF notes that Rep. Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., has also been a strong supporter of animal protection, cosponsoring a wide range of bills to protect animals and consistently gaining high marks on the Humane Scorecard.

Media Contact: John Cleveland, (202) 676-2338, jcleveland@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.

WASHINGTON (October 6, 2016)—The Humane Society Legislative Fund, the nation’s leading political advocacy organization for animal welfare, announces its endorsement of Rep. Jared Huffman, D-California, for re-election to the U.S. 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 for re-election.

“Rep. Huffman is a strong voice for his constituents, as well as for those without a voice: the animals,” said Sara Amundson, executive director of the HSLF. “He is as compassionate as they come in Congress, and voters in the 2nd District who care about the humane treatment of animals should support Jared Huffman for re-election.”

Each year, the HSLF issues a Humane Scorecard, which grades legislators based on their support for animal protection. Rep. Huffman earned a “100+” on HSLF’s 2015 Midterm Report based on his strong advocacy on the wide range of priority animal welfare issues before Congress.

In the 114th Congress, Rep. Huffman:

• Is a leading advocate for the protection of marine animals in the wild and in captivity. He introduced the Orca Responsibility and Care Advancement (ORCA) Act (H.R. 4019) to prohibit the taking, importing or exporting of killer whale species, called on the USDA to update regulations for the care of captive marine mammals, and is a lead cosponsor of the Shark Fin Trade Elimination Act (H.R. 5584) to prohibit the trade in shark fins and reduce the demand for cruel “finning;”
• Cosponsored the Pet and Women Safety (PAWS) Act (H.R. 1258) to protect the human and animal victims of domestic violence and support the work of battered women’s shelters to accommodate pets;
• Cosponsored the Prevent Animal Cruelty and Torture (PACT) Act (H.R. 2293) to make malicious animal cruelty a crime on federal property and in interstate commerce, and complement the state anti-cruelty laws;
• Cosponsored the Humane Cosmetics Act (H.R. 2858) to phase out the testing of cosmetics on live animals and the sale of newly animal-tested cosmetics;
• Cosponsored the Prevent All Soring Tactics (PAST) Act (H.R. 3268) 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;
• Cosponsored the Safeguard American Food Exports (SAFE) Act (H.R. 1942) to prohibit the slaughter and export of horses for human consumption overseas;
• Supported the Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act (H.R. 2576), to update chemical safety tests and reduce or eliminate the testing of tens of thousands of chemicals on animals;
• Supported funding for 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;
• Opposed a harmful rider that sought to block the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service from implementing new rules to crack down on the domestic ivory trade and help stop the poaching and slaughter of elephants for their tusks;
• Opposed measures to substantially weaken the Endangered Species Act and strip federal protections from wolves and other imperiled species.
• Opposed the so-called Sportsmen’s Heritage and Recreational Enhancement (SHARE) Act (H.R. 2406), a grab bag of the most extreme practices involving trophy hunting and commercial trapping of wild animals.

Media Contact: John Cleveland, (202) 676-2338, jcleveland@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.

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.

WASHINGTON (October 6, 2016)—The Humane Society Legislative Fund, the nation’s leading political advocacy organization for animal welfare, announces its endorsement of Rep. Kyrsten Sinema, D-Arizona, for re-election to the U.S. House of Representatives. Citing her strong support for animal protection policies, the HSLF urges voters in Arizona’s 9th Congressional District to support Rep. Sinema in November’s general election.

“Kyrsten Sinema has been a strong supporter of animal welfare and has contributed to the cause throughout her career,” said Sara Amundson, executive director of the HSLF. “She consistently shows up in support of animals, cosponsoring animal protection legislation and opposing harmful bills and amendments that would allow our rarest and most majestic wildlife to be abused, hunted, and killed. Voters in the 9th District who care about the humane treatment of animals should support Rep. Sinema for re-election.” The HSLF publishes an annual Humane Scorecard to give voters a snapshot of every federal legislator's record on animal protection issues; Rep. Sinema received a perfect score of “100” in the Midterm Report for the 114th Congress.

Among her efforts in the 114th Congress, Rep. Sinema:

• Cosponsored the Humane Cosmetics Act (H.R. 2858) to phase out the testing of cosmetics on live animals and the sale of newly animal-tested cosmetics;
• Cosponsored the Pet and Women Safety (PAWS) Act (H.R. 1258) to protect the human and animal victims of domestic violence and support the work of battered women’s shelters to accommodate pets;
• Cosponsored the Prevent Animal Cruelty and Torture (PACT) Act (H.R. 2293) to make malicious animal cruelty a crime on federal property and in interstate commerce, and complement the state anti-cruelty laws;
• Cosponsored the Prevent All Soring Tactics (PAST) Act (H.R. 3268) 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;
• Cosponsored the Safeguard American Food Exports (SAFE) Act (H.R. 1942) to prohibit the slaughter and export of horses for human consumption overseas;
• Supported the Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act (H.R. 2576), to update chemical safety tests and reduce or eliminate the testing of tens of thousands of chemicals on animals;
• Supported funding for 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;
• Opposed the so-called Sportsmen’s Heritage and Recreational Enhancement (SHARE) Act (H.R. 2406), a grab bag of the most extreme practices involving trophy hunting and commercial trapping of wild animals;
• Opposed a harmful rider that sought to block the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service from implementing new rules to crack down on the domestic ivory trade and help stop the poaching and slaughter of elephants for their tusks;
• Opposed measures to substantially weaken the Endangered Species Act and strip federal protections from wolves and other imperiled species.

Media Contact: John Cleveland, (202) 676-2338, jcleveland@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.

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.

WASHINGTON (October 6, 2016)—The Humane Society Legislative Fund, the nation’s leading political advocacy organization for animal welfare, announces its endorsement of Kamala Harris, D-California, for election to the U.S. Senate. Citing her leadership on animal protection policies, the HSLF urges California voters to support Ms. Harris in November’s general election.

During her time in public service, among her many efforts, Harris has:

• Been on the winning side of four separate challenges to Prop 2, the voter-approved ballot measure banning extreme confinement of farm animals in small cages on factory farms, and AB 1437, the bill to apply that same standard to shell eggs sold in the state;
• Successfully defeated a challenge to California’s ban on the possession and sale of shark fins, a law passed to help reduce the demand for cutting off sharks’ fins at sea and leaving them to die slowly in the oceans;
• Appealed the federal court ruling that struck down California’s ban on the sale of foie gras, produced through the inhumane force-feeding of ducks and geese;
• Supported a law that allows judges to include a family’s pets in protective orders in domestic violence cases.

“Kamala Harris believes that all animals should be treated humanely and without cruelty and she’s led the fight in California on several important animal protection cases,” said Sara Amundson, executive director of the HSLF. “A vote for Kamala Harris for Senate is a vote for the humane treatment of all animals.”

HSLF notes that Rep. Loretta Sanchez, D-Calif., has also been a strong supporter of animal protection, co-sponsoring a wide range of bills to protect animals and consistently receiving high marks on the Humane Scorecard.

Media Contact: John Cleveland, (202) 676-2338, jcleveland@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.

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.

WASHINGTON (October 6, 2016)—The Humane Society Legislative Fund, the nation’s leading political advocacy organization for animal welfare, announces its endorsement of Rep. Christopher Smith, R-New Jersey, for re-election to the U.S. Representatives. Citing his strong leadership and advocacy on animal protection policies, the HSLF urges voters in New Jersey’s 4th Congressional District to support Rep. Smith in November’s general election.

“Christopher Smith has consistently led on a diverse portfolio of animal welfare issues,” said Sara Amundson, executive director of the HSLF. “Animals are lucky to have him as an ally in Congress, and voters in the 4th District who care about humane values should support Rep. Smith for re-election.”

The HSLF publishes an annual Humane Scorecard to give voters a snapshot of every federal legislator's record on animal protection issues; Rep. Smith received a perfect score of “100+” in the Midterm Report for the 114th Congress.

Among his efforts, Rep. Smith:

• Led the multi-year effort requesting funding for 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;
• Led a letter to the USDA requesting that the agency finalize its proposed rule banning the slaughter of downer calves;
• Cosponsored the Pet and Women Safety (PAWS) Act (H.R. 1258) to protect the human and animal victims of domestic violence and support the work of battered women’s shelters to accommodate pets;
• Cosponsored the Prevent Animal Cruelty and Torture (PACT) Act (H.R. 2293) to make malicious animal cruelty a crime on federal property and in interstate commerce, and complement the state anti-cruelty laws;
• Cosponsored the Humane Cosmetics Act (H.R. 2858) to phase out the testing of cosmetics on live animals and the sale of newly animal-tested cosmetics;
• Cosponsored the Prevent All Soring Tactics (PAST) Act (H.R. 3268) 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;
• Cosponsored the Safeguard American Food Exports (SAFE) Act (H.R. 1942) to prohibit the slaughter and export of horses for human consumption overseas;
• Supported the Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act (H.R. 2576), to update chemical safety tests and reduce or eliminate the testing of tens of thousands of chemicals on animals.

Media Contact: John Cleveland, (202) 676-2338, jcleveland@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.

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.

WASHINGTON (October 6, 2016)—The Humane Society Legislative Fund, the nation’s leading political advocacy organization for animal welfare, announces its endorsement of Rep. Kurt Schrader, D-Oregon, for re-election to the U.S. House of Representatives. Citing his strong leadership and advocacy on animal protection policies, the HSLF urges voters in Oregon’s 5th Congressional District to support Rep. Schrader for re-election.

“Kurt Schrader has been a leading champion of legislation to protect animals from cruelty and abuse, and he is working to promote balanced policies that help animals, businesses, and public health,” said Michael Markarian, president of the HSLF. “Voters in the 5th District who care about the humane treatment of animals should support Rep. Schrader for Congress.”

In the 114th Congress, where Rep. Schrader is one of only three veterinarians, he:

• Is a lead sponsor of the Prevent All Soring Tactics (PAST) Act (H.R. 3268) 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;
• Cosponsored the Pet and Women Safety (PAWS) Act (H.R. 1258) to protect the human and animal victims of domestic violence and support the work of battered women’s shelters to accommodate pets;
• Cosponsored the Prevent Animal Cruelty and Torture (PACT) Act (H.R. 2293) to make malicious animal cruelty a crime on federal property and in interstate commerce, and complement the state anti-cruelty laws;
• Supported the Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act (H.R. 2576), to update chemical safety tests and reduce or eliminate the testing of tens of thousands of chemicals on animals;
• Supported funding for 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.

In previous sessions of Congress, Rep. Schrader worked with animal welfare groups and the egg industry to improve the treatment of hundreds of millions of laying hens and provide stability for egg farmers and consumers; and successfully passed legislation to allow veterinarians to transport and dispense important drugs for veterinary care in remote situations such as farms, spay and neuter clinics, and disaster response.

Media Contact: John Cleveland, (202) 676-2338, jcleveland@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.

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.

WASHINGTON (October 6, 2016)—The Humane Society Legislative Fund, the nation’s leading political advocacy organization for animal welfare, announces its endorsement of Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-New York, for re-election to the U.S. House of Representatives. Citing her strong advocacy for animal protection policies, the HSLF urges voters in New York’s 21st Congressional District to support Rep. Stefanik in November’s general election.

“Elise Stefanik has shown her dedication to animal welfare by supporting a number of critical bills since coming to Congress,” said Sara Amundson, executive director of the HSLF. “Voters in the 21st District who care about the humane treatment of animals should support Rep. Stefanik for re-election.”

Among her efforts in the 114th Congress, Rep. Stefanik:

• Cosponsored the Pet and Women Safety (PAWS) Act (H.R. 1258) to protect the human and animal victims of domestic violence and support the work of battered women’s shelters to accommodate pets;
• Cosponsored the Prevent Animal Cruelty and Torture (PACT) Act (H.R. 2293) to make malicious animal cruelty a crime on federal property and in interstate commerce, and complement the state anti-cruelty laws;
• Cosponsored the Humane Cosmetics Act (H.R. 2858) to phase out the testing of cosmetics on live animals and the sale of newly animal-tested cosmetics;
• Cosponsored the Prevent All Soring Tactics (PAST) Act (H.R. 3268) 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;
• Cosponsored the Safeguard American Food Exports (SAFE) Act (H.R. 1942) to prohibit the slaughter and export of horses for human consumption overseas;
• Supported funding for 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 Contact: John Cleveland, (202) 676-2338, jcleveland@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.

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.

WASHINGTON (October 4, 2016)—The Humane Society Legislative Fund, the nation’s leading political advocacy organization for animal welfare, announces its endorsement of Rep. Grace Meng, D-New York, for re-election to the U.S. House of Representatives. Citing her strong leadership and advocacy on animal protection policies, the HSLF urges voters in New York’s 6th Congressional District to support Rep. Meng in November’s general election.

“Grace Meng is an incomparable ally in the fight for animal protection,” said Sara Amundson, executive director of the HSLF. “Voters in the 6th District who care about the humane treatment of animals should support Rep. Meng for re-election.”

Rep. Meng earned a “100+” on HSLF’s 2015 Humane Scorecard, which rates legislators based on their support for animal protection issues. Meng led on a group letter to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service calling for enactment of a ban on the elephant ivory trade, as well as a letter to the U.S. Department of Agriculture urging a ban on the slaughter of downer calves. Both agencies issued those rules in 2016.

Among her other efforts in the 114th Congress, Rep. Meng:

• Cosponsored the Pet and Women Safety (PAWS) Act (H.R. 1258) to protect the human and animal victims of domestic violence and support the work of battered women’s shelters to accommodate pets;
• Cosponsored the Prevent Animal Cruelty and Torture (PACT) Act (H.R. 2293) to make malicious animal cruelty a crime on federal property and in interstate commerce, and complement the state anti-cruelty laws;
• Cosponsored the Humane Cosmetics Act (H.R. 2858) to phase out the testing of cosmetics on live animals and the sale of newly animal-tested cosmetics;
• Cosponsored the Prevent All Soring Tactics (PAST) Act (H.R. 3268) 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;
• Cosponsored the Safeguard American Food Exports (SAFE) Act (H.R. 1942) to prohibit the slaughter and export of horses for human consumption overseas;
• Supported the Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act (H.R. 2576), to update chemical safety tests and reduce or eliminate the testing of tens of thousands of chemicals on animals;
• Supported funding for 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;
• Opposed a harmful rider that sought to block the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service from implementing new rules to crack down on the domestic ivory trade and help stop the poaching and slaughter of elephants for their tusks;
• Opposed measures to substantially weaken the Endangered Species Act and strip federal protections from wolves and other imperiled species;
• Opposed the so-called Sportsmen’s Heritage and Recreational Enhancement (SHARE) Act (H.R. 2406), a grab bag of the most extreme practices involving trophy hunting and commercial trapping of wild animals.

Media Contact: John Cleveland, (202) 676-2338, jcleveland@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.

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.

WASHINGTON (October 4, 2016)—The Humane Society Legislative Fund, the nation’s leading political advocacy organization for animal welfare, announces its endorsement of Rep. Martha McSally, R-Arizona, for re-election to the U.S. House of Representatives. Citing her strong leadership and advocacy on animal protection policies, the HSLF urges voters in Arizona’s 2nd Congressional District to support Rep. McSally for re-election.

“Rep. McSally is a strong voice for her constituents, but also for those who can’t speak up for themselves: the animals,” said Sara Amundson, executive director of the HSLF. “Her record speaks for itself. Voters in Arizona’s 2nd Congressional District who care about animal welfare should support Martha McSally for re-election.”

In the 114th Congress, Rep. McSally:

• Is the lead sponsor of the Humane Cosmetics Act (H.R. 2858) to phase out the testing of cosmetics on live animals and the sale of newly animal-tested cosmetics;
• Cosponsored the Pet and Women Safety (PAWS) Act (H.R. 1258) to protect the human and animal victims of domestic violence and support the work of battered women’s shelters to accommodate pets;
• Cosponsored the Prevent Animal Cruelty and Torture (PACT) Act (H.R. 2293) to make malicious animal cruelty a crime on federal property and in interstate commerce, and complement the state anti-cruelty laws;
• Supported funding for 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;
• Urged the USDA to take action for Nosey, an ailing circus elephant held by a notorious exhibitor and forced to perform despite crippling arthritis.

Media Contact: John Cleveland, (202) 676-2338, jcleveland@hslf.org

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