Press Release

WASHINGTON (Oct. 2, 2012) -- The Humane Society Legislative Fund, the nation’s leading political advocacy organization for animal welfare, announces its endorsement of U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., for re-election to the U.S. Senate. Citing her effective leadership and strong advocacy on animal protection policies throughout her tenure in the U.S. Senate, the Humane Society Legislative Fund urges voters in California to support Feinstein.

“Dianne Feinstein has one of the strongest career-long records of leadership on animal protection in the entire U.S. Congress,” said Michael Markarian, president of the Humane Society Legislative Fund. “She has exhibited uncommon leadership on critical issues such as egg industry reform, aerial gunning of wolves, and the abuse of downer cows. She is standing up for the values of kindness and compassion, and California voters who support the humane treatment of animals should support Senator Feinstein.”

During her tenure in the U.S. Senate, among her many efforts, Feinstein has:

• Sponsored the Egg Products Inspection Act Amendments of 2012, S. 3239, to extend some Prop 2 standards (to ban barren battery cages in the egg industry) to the entire nation, improving the treatment of hundreds of millions of egg-laying hens
• Sponsored the Downed Animal Enforcement Act of 2008, S. 2770, to strengthen the federal penalties for the slaughter of non-ambulatory livestock too sick or injured to stand or walk on their own
• Sponsored the Protect America's Wildlife (PAW) Act of 2009, S. 1535, to close a loophole in federal law that allows the shooting of wolves and other wildlife using airplanes and helicopters
• Sponsored the Preservation of Antibiotics for Medical Treatment Act of 2011, S. 1211, to phase out the routine non-therapeutic use of antibiotics in farm animals – a common practice to promote growth and compensate for overcrowded, stressful, unsanitary conditions on factory farms – in order to maintain the effectiveness of antibiotics for treating sick people and animals
• Co-sponsored the Puppy Uniform Protection and Safety (PUPS) Act, S. 707, to crack down on abusive “puppy mills” in the U.S., where breeding dogs are often stacked in wire cages for years to produce litter after litter, without exercise, veterinary care, socialization or human companionship
• Co-sponsored the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act, S. 1176, which bans the slaughter of horses, including the export of live horses for slaughter in other countries, for human consumption
• Co-sponsored the Captive Primate Safety Act, S. 1324, to prohibit the interstate commerce in chimpanzees and other primates for the exotic pet trade, which poses a danger to animal welfare and to public health and safety
• Voted for an amendment to save taxpayer dollars by limiting subsidies to massive factory farms, which thrive on taxpayer giveaways that keep animal feed artificially cheap, jeopardize public health, the environment, and animal welfare, while also driving smaller and more humane, sustainable family farms out of business
• 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 USDA positions through student loan forgiveness

Media contact: Heather Sullivan, (301) 548-7778, hsullivan@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.

TV Ad Exposes King’s “Disappointing” Voting Record on Animal Fighting, Pets in Disasters

WASHINGTON (Sept. 28, 2012) -- The Humane Society Legislative Fund, the nation’s leading political advocacy group for animal welfare, today launched a new TV ad in the Des Moines, Sioux City and Rochester/Mason City media markets opposing Steve King’s reelection to Congress. The ad responds to King’s recent claims that he loves animals and opposes dogfighting.

The narrator tells viewers: “Politician Steve King—says one thing, does another. Steve King says he’s against animal cruelty. But his record? Disappointing.”

The ad tells viewers the facts on King’s voting record in Congress:

• King voted against including pets in disaster plans. (5/22/2006 vote on H.R. 3858)
• He voted against strengthening the penalties for interstate dogfighting. (3/26/2007 vote on H.R. 137)
• King even voted against a federal ban on bringing children to dogfights and cockfights. (7/11/2012 vote on amendment to H.R. 6083)

The narrator continues: “Steve King. Says he’s against animal cruelty. Just doesn’t vote that way. That’s not Iowa values.

It’s easy for a professional politician to say he’s against animal cruelty,” said Dane Waters, political director for the Humane Society Legislative Fund. “But the acid test is their voting record. Time and again, Steve King votes against the most modest animal welfare reforms. He is out of step with Iowa values, and has a callous and uncaring record toward the care of all of God’s creatures.”

A previous TV ad exposing Steve King’s voting record on dogfighting laws in Congress was rejected by Iowa TV stations after King complained that he loves animals and opposes dogfighting. The Des Moines Register said in an editorial that the ad criticizing King’s voting record on dogfighting is “accurate” and “true” and the stations’ rejection of it is “puzzling.” The controversy has led to more than 10,000 people watching the ad online, which is available at StopKingofCruelty.com.

While King says he is an animal lover, his record tells an entirely different story: He’s the self-appointed leader of the fight to block any animal welfare legislation, and he’s amassed the record to match that goal. He scored 10 percent on the Humane Scorecard for the 108th Congress, zero out of 100 percent for the 109th Congress, 8 percent for the 110th Congress, 13 percent for the 111th Congress, and zero for the 112th Congress—the only Iowa member of Congress who failed to support any animal welfare provisions during this session. Now, he has a provision in the Farm Bill to invalidate a whole host of local and state animal protection laws. He says he’s for states’ rights when it’s convenient, and he says he’s for federal authority at other times. The only thing he’s consistent on when it comes to animal welfare policies: he’s against them all.

Media contact: Heather Sullivan, (301) 548-7778, hsullivan@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.

King Campaign Pressures TV Stations into Rejecting Anti-Dogfighting Ad, Falsely Portrays His Broader Record on Animal Cruelty Issues

WASHINGTON (Sept. 25, 2012) --The Humane Society Legislative Fund criticized Rep. Steve King for trying to shield his anti-animal voting record by apparently pressuring several Iowa TV stations into not running a paid TV ad explaining that he is out of step with his own state.

“What is Steve King trying to hide from Iowa voters?” said Dane Waters, political director for the Humane Society Legislative Fund. “He knows that he is on the wrong side of Iowa values on animal cruelty and a concern for all of God’s creatures.”

While King would like to portray the ads as somehow false, the facts are that he has led the fight in Congress to block legislation to crack down on the barbaric practices of dogfighting and cockfighting. During consideration of the 2012 Farm Bill, King led an unsuccessful effort in the House Agriculture Committee to defeat an amendment to strengthen the federal animal fighting law and make it a crime for an adult to attend or to bring a child to a dogfight or cockfight. Despite King’s efforts, the amendment was approved. The underlying anti-fighting bill, H.R. 2492, has a bipartisan group of 225 House cosponsors, and a Senate amendment on the topic passed with 88 votes.

“The federal law against animal fighting was used to prosecute Michael Vick and other people who put dogs through hell for their amusement,” added Waters. “King has opposed strengthening this law at every turn. His colleagues know that if our nation is to root out this inhumane practice, we have to have strong laws to combat it.”

King is the only federal lawmaker from Iowa to oppose this policy of forbidding adults from attending animal fights or bringing children to these spectacles of violence. Both Iowa Senators, Republican Charles Grassley and Democrat Tom Harkin, voted in favor of a similar amendment that passed the Senate by a vote of 88 to 11. Rep. Leonard Boswell voted in favor of the amendment in the House Agriculture Committee, and Reps. Tom Latham, Bruce Braley and Dave Loebsack are all co-sponsors of H.R. 2492, the Animal Fighting Spectator Prohibition Act, which would bar adults from taking kids to animal fighting spectacles. More than 280 law enforcement agencies, including 27 in Iowa’s new 4th Congressional District, have also endorsed H.R. 2492.

In a video town hall meeting in late July, King attempted lamely to defend his vote against the dogfighting bill, in response to a question from a constituent, saying, “When the legislation that passed in the Farm Bill that says that it’s a federal crime to watch animals fight or to induce someone else to watch an animal fight…there’s something wrong with the priorities of people that think like that.”

This also wasn’t the first time Steve King stood alone in Iowa’s delegation in opposing an upgrade of the federal law against animal fighting. In 2007, he was one of a just a small group of lawmakers to oppose H.R. 137, a bill to make it a federal felony to transport animals or cockfighting implements across state lines. Again, this legislation was designed to crack down on the national network of illegal animal fighters who routinely operate across state lines. The measure passed the Senate unanimously, and was approved by the House with a commanding vote of 368 to 39. President George W. Bush signed that bill into law just days after Michael Vick’s horrible dogfighting crimes came to light.

While King says he is an animal lover, his record tells an entirely different story: He’s the self-appointed leader of the fight to block any animal welfare legislation, and he’s amassed the record to match that goal. He scored 10 percent on the Humane Scorecard for the 108th Congress, zero out of 100 perent for the 109th Congress, 8 percent for the 110th Congress, 13 percent for the 111th Congress, and zero for the 112th Congress—the only Iowa member of Congress who failed to support any animal welfare provisions during this session.

“It’s easy for a professional politician to say he’s against animal cruelty,” notes Waters. “But the acid test is their voting record. Time and again, King votes against the most modest animal welfare reforms.  Now, he has a provision in the Farm Bill to invalidate a whole host of local and state animal protection laws. He says he’s for state laws on animal welfare, but he’s trying to wipe those out too.”

HSLF has launched a new website, StopKingofCruelty.com, with more facts about Steve King’s record on animal welfare issues, and to show the TV ad that King doesn’t want voters to see.

Media contact: Heather Sullivan, (301) 548-7778, hsullivan@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.

Highlights King’s Opposition to a Ban on Taking Children to Dogfights

WASHINGTON (Sept. 24, 2012) -- The Humane Society Legislative Fund, the nation’s leading political organization for animal welfare, launched a new website StopKingofCruelty.com and TV ad campaign in the Sioux City, Des Moines and Rochester/Mason City markets, opposing Steve King’s reelection to Congress.

The TV ad can be viewed here. It tells viewers: “Dogfighting, it’s cruel, vicious and something our children should never be exposed to. But Steve King is the only Iowa member of Congress to oppose a ban on taking children to dogfights, exposing them to violence and criminal activity. Those aren’t Iowa values.”

King has led the fight in Congress to block legislation to crack down on the barbaric practices of dogfighting and cockfighting. During consideration of the 2012 Farm Bill, King led an unsuccessful effort to defeat an amendment to strengthen the federal animal fighting law and make it a crime for an adult to attend or to bring a child to a dogfight or cockfight. Despite King’s efforts, the amendment was approved. The underlying anti-fighting bill, H.R. 2492, has a bipartisan group of 225 House cosponsors, and a Senate amendment on the topic passed with 88 votes.

“King is way out of the mainstream on animal welfare issues. In fact, there’s no federal lawmaker who has worked harder to thwart the enactment of anti-dogfighting legislation than Steve King,” said Dane Waters, political director for the Humane Society Legislative Fund. “He is out of step with Iowa values, and has a callous and uncaring record toward the care of all of God’s creatures.”

A three-year study by the Chicago Police Department found that 70 percent of animal offenders had also been arrested for other felonies, including domestic and aggravated battery, illegal drug trafficking, and sex crimes. That pattern of behavior undoubtedly encouraged the Fraternal Order of Police, the Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association, the International Association of Chiefs of Police, and more than 280 law enforcement agencies from across the country, including 34 from Iowa, to support the current effort in Congress to quash illegal dogfighting and cockfighting, which King opposes.

King is the only federal lawmaker from Iowa to oppose this policy of forbidding adults from bringing children to these spectacles of violence. Both Iowa Senators, Republican Charles Grassley and Democrat Tom Harkin, voted in favor of a similar amendment that passed the Senate by a vote of 88 to 11. Rep. Leonard Boswell voted in favor of the amendment in the House Agriculture Committee, and Reps. Tom Latham, Bruce Braley and Dave Loebsack are all co-sponsors of H.R. 2492, the Animal Fighting Spectator Prohibition Act, which would bar adults from taking kids to animal fighting spectacles. Twenty-seven law enforcement agencies in Iowa’s new 4th Congressional District have also endorsed H.R. 2492.

In a video town hall meeting in late July, King defended his vote against the dogfighting bill, in response to a question from a constituent, saying, “When the legislation that passed in the Farm Bill that says that it’s a federal crime to watch animals fight or to induce someone else to watch an animal fight…there’s something wrong with the priorities of people that think like that.”

The TV ad from HSLF used a clip of King’s words, and concludes: “Yes, something is wrong. Steve King. He’s wrong for Iowa families.”

HSLF noted that King has the worst record on animal cruelty in the U.S. Congress:

• King also stood alone in Iowa’s delegation in opposing a previous upgrade of the federal law against animal fighting. In 2007, he was one of a just a small group of lawmakers to oppose H.R. 137, a bill to make it a federal felony to transport animals or cockfighting implements across state lines. Again, this legislation was designed to crack down on the national network of illegal animal fighters who routinely operate across state lines. The measure passed the Senate unanimously, and was approved by the House with a commanding vote of 368 to 39. President George W. Bush signed that bill into law just days after Michael Vick’s horrible dogfighting crimes came to light.
• King was part of a rogue group of lawmakers, in a vote of 349 to 24, to oppose efforts to include pets in disaster planning--this vote, coming in the wake of the Hurricane Katrina disaster in the Gulf Coast, after so many people stayed behind and put themselves and first responders at risk because there were no plans to care for pets. Again, he was the only Iowa lawmaker in the House or Senate to oppose that legislation. President Bush signed it into law in 2006.
• King puts the safety of our communities at risk. He voted to allow the trade in monkeys, chimpanzees, and other primates across state lines, so they can be acquired as exotic pets. Primates are not pets. Since 1990, more than 200 people, including dozens of children, have been injured by captive primates. Primates pose disease risks, including transmission of tuberculosis and herpes-B virus, but King still voted against banning this dangerous trade.
• During his past five terms in Congress, Rep. King has earned an average score of 6 percent on the HSLF Scorecard.

Media contact: Heather Sullivan, (301) 548-7778, hsullivan@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 (Sept. 17, 2012) --The Humane Society Legislative Fund, the nation’s leading political advocacy organization for animal welfare, announced its endorsement of U.S. Rep. Tammy Baldwin for Wisconsin’s open U.S. Senate seat. Citing her strong support of animal protection policies, the Humane Society Legislative Fund urges Wisconsin voters to support Baldwin.

“Tammy Baldwin has been a strong supporter of commonsense animal protection policies and has stood up for the values of kindness and compassion,” said Sara Amundson, executive director of the Humane Society Legislative Fund. “We urge Wisconsin voters who care about the humane treatment of animals to support Tammy Baldwin.”

In the 112th Congress, Baldwin has:

• Co-sponsored the Puppy Uniform Protection and Safety (PUPS) Act, H.R. 835, to crack down on abusive “puppy mills” in the U.S., where breeding dogs are often stacked in wire cages for years to produce litter after litter, without exercise, veterinary care, socialization or human companionship
• Co-sponsored the Animal Fighting Spectator Prohibition Act, H.R. 2492, to close a loophole in the federal animal fighting law by making it a crime to attend or bring a child to a dogfight or cockfight
• Co-sponsored the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act, H.R. 2966, to prohibit the long-distance transport (including export) of American horses for slaughter for human consumption in other countries where horse meat is considered a delicacy
• Voted for an amendment to cap agriculture subsidies and limit huge taxpayer giveaways to massive factory farms which jeopardize public health, the environment, and animal welfare, while also driving smaller and more humane, sustainable family farms out of business
• Voted for an amendment to the Agriculture Appropriations Bill that would have saved millions of taxpayer dollars by reducing the use of aerial gunning, toxic poisons, steel-jawed leghold traps, and other inhumane methods of killing predators as a subsidy for private livestock ranchers
• Voted for an amendment to the Interior Appropriations Bill, which removed a devastating “extinction rider” that would have weakened the Endangered Species Act by preventing the listing of imperiled species and designation of critical habitat

Media contacts: Heather Sullivan, (301) 548-7778, hsullivan@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 (Sept. 17, 2012) -- The Humane Society Legislative Fund, the nation’s leading political advocacy organization for animal welfare, announced its endorsement of U.S. Rep. Michael Fitzpatrick for reelection in the 8th Congressional District of Pennsylvania. Citing his effective leadership and advocacy on animal protection policies, the Humane Society Legislative Fund urges voters to support Fitzpatrick.

“Michael Fitzpatrick has led important efforts to protect the Endangered Species Act, stop the trade in dangerous primates as pets, and protect animals from cruelty and abuse,” said Michael Markarian, president of the Humane Society Legislative Fund. “He is fighting for the values of kindness and compassion, and we urge voters who care about the humane treatment of animals to reelect Michael Fitzpatrick.”

Fitzpatrick has been a strong supporter of animal protection. Among his efforts, he has:

• Sponsored a successful amendment to the Interior Appropriations Bill, which removed a devastating “extinction rider” that would have weakened the Endangered Species Act by preventing the listing of imperiled species and designation of critical habitat
• Sponsored the Captive Primate Safety Act, H.R. 4306, to prohibit the interstate commerce in chimpanzees and other primates for the exotic pet trade, which poses a danger to animal welfare and to public health and safety
• Co-sponsored the Puppy Uniform Protection and Safety (PUPS) Act, H.R. 835, to crack down on abusive “puppy mills” in the U.S., where breeding dogs are often stacked in wire cages for years to produce litter after litter, without exercise, veterinary care, socialization or human companionship
• Co-sponsored the Egg Products Inspection Act Amendments, H.R. 3798, to improve the treatment of egg-laying hens and provide a stable and secure future for U.S. egg farmers
• Co-sponsored the Great Ape Protection and Cost Savings Act, H.R. 1513, to phase out use of chimpanzees in invasive research, retire the approximately 500 federally-owned chimpanzees to sanctuary, and save tens of millions of tax dollars from warehousing chimps in federally-funded laboratories
• Co-sponsored the Animal Fighting Spectator Prohibition Act, H.R. 2492, to close a loophole in the federal animal fighting law by making it a crime to attend or take a minor to an organized dogfight or cockfight
• Co-sponsored the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act, H.R. 2966, to prohibit the long-distance transport (including export) of American horses for slaughter for human consumption in other countries where horse meat is considered a delicacy
• Supported an amendment to the Agriculture Appropriations Bill that would have saved millions of taxpayer dollars by reducing the use of aerial gunning, toxic poisons, steel-jawed leghold traps, and other inhumane methods of killing predators as a subsidy for private livestock ranchers
• Supported an amendment to cap agriculture subsidies and limit huge taxpayer giveaways to massive factory farms which jeopardize public health, the environment, and animal welfare, while also driving smaller and more humane, sustainable family farms out of business

Media contacts: Heather Sullivan, (301) 548-7778, hsullivan@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 (Sept. 13, 2012) -- The Humane Society Legislative Fund, the nation’s leading political advocacy organization for animal welfare, announced its endorsement of U.S. Rep. Michael Grimm, R-N.Y., for the new 11th Congressional District in New York. Citing his effective leadership and advocacy on animal protection policies, the Humane Society Legislative Fund urges voters to support Grimm.

“Michael Grimm has demonstrated strong leadership on important policies to support the human-animal bond and prevent animal cruelty,” said Sara Amundson, executive director of the Humane Society Legislative Fund. “He has stood up for the values of kindness and compassion and we urge New York voters to support Grimm.”

Grimm has been a leading champion for animal protection since he began his service in the U.S. House of Representatives. During his first term he has:

• Sponsored the Veterans Dog Training Therapy Act, H.R. 198, to create a pilot program in which veterans suffering from post-deployment mental health conditions train service dogs, including those rescued from shelters, as a form of therapy. The dogs would then go to help veterans with disabilities.  Grimm’s bill unanimously passed the U.S. House of Representatives in 2011 as part of a larger veterans’ health care bill.
• Co-sponsored the Egg Products Inspection Act Amendments, H.R. 3798, to improve the treatment of egg-laying hens and provide a stable and secure future for U.S. egg farmers
• Co-sponsored the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act, H.R. 2966, to prohibit the long-distance transport (including export) of American horses for slaughter for human consumption in other countries where horse meat is considered a delicacy
• Co-sponsored the Puppy Uniform Protection and Safety (PUPS) Act, H.R. 835, to crack down on abusive “puppy mills” in the U.S., where breeding dogs are often stacked in wire cages for years to produce litter after litter, without exercise, veterinary care, socialization or human companionship
• Co-sponsored the Great Ape Protection and Cost Savings Act, H.R. 1513, to phase out use of chimpanzees in invasive research, retire the approximately 500 federally-owned chimpanzees to sanctuary, and save tens of millions of tax dollars from warehousing chimps in federally-funded laboratories
• Co-sponsored the Animal Fighting Spectator Prohibition Act, H.R. 2492, to close a loophole in the federal animal fighting law by making it a crime to  knowingly attend or take a minor to an organized dogfight or cockfight
• Co-sponsored the Battlefield Excellence through Superior Training (BEST) Practices Act, H.R. 1417, to require the military to use only human-based methods for training soldiers in the treatment of severe combat injuries, assuring a more humane and effective training protocol
• Adopted Sebastian, a Yorkshire terrier rescued from a Missouri puppy mill, who makes the rounds on Capitol Hill with Grimm

Media contact: Heather Sullivan, (301) 548-7778, hsullivan@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 (Aug. 17, 2012) -- The Humane Society Legislative Fund, the nation’s leading political advocacy organization for animal welfare, announced its endorsement of Kyrsten Sinema in the Democratic primary for Arizona’s new 9th Congressional District. Citing her strong leadership and support of animal protection policies, the Humane Society Legislative Fund urges primary voters to support Sinema.

“Kyrsten Sinema has a strong record of leadership on animal protection issues and has stood up for the values of kindness and compassion,” said Sara Amundson, executive director of the Humane Society Legislative Fund. “We encourage primary voters who care about the humane treatment of animals to support Kyrsten Sinema.”

Sinema has been a strong supporter of animal protection in the Arizona state legislature. Among her efforts, she was the:

• Prime sponsor of HB 2264, to protect the Arizona bald eagle under the Endangered Species Act
• Prime sponsor of HB 2375, prohibiting importing or transporting, commerce or possession of live wildlife in the state, except as authorized by the Arizona Game and Fish Commission
• Prime sponsor of HB 2150, to strengthen the state’s animal fighting law and ban the practice of hog-dog fights
• Prime sponsor of HB 2282, banning horse tripping, and requiring the Arizona Department of Agriculture to establish a registry of equine rescue facilities
• Prime sponsor of HB 2448, to increase the penalties for harming law enforcement animals
• Prime sponsor of HB 2516, promoting spaying and neutering to reduce the overpopulation and euthanasia of pets
• Prime sponsor of HB 2536, prohibiting the extreme confinement of egg-laying hens in small battery cages where the animals can barely move an inch for their entire lives
• Prime sponsor of HB 2537, prohibiting the testing of products on animals  if scientifically validated alternatives are available
• Prime sponsor of HB 2779, to require microchipping of dogs before a kennel license is issued

Media contact: Heather Sullivan, (240) 477-2251, hsullivan@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.

Comments Delivered to USDA in Support of Regulating Internet Puppy Mills

WASHINGTON (August 15, 2012) -- The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals,  Best Friends Animal Society, The Humane Society of the United States, Humane Society Legislative Fund, Humane Society Veterinary Medical Association, and a member of the social change platform Change.org together have gathered approximately 350,000 letters and signatures from concerned citizens, the last of which were hand-delivered today to the headquarters of the U.S. Department of Agriculture in support of the agency’s efforts to regulate unlicensed puppy mills.

The USDA has proposed a rule that will require large-scale commercial breeders that sell pets over the Internet or by mail or phone, sight-unseen, to be licensed and inspected under the federal Animal Welfare Act. The public comment period closes today. Now the USDA will read and consider all comments before deciding final action on the proposed rule.

The following statements were issued:

“The enormous public response to the USDA’s proposed rule illustrates just how strongly Americans support greater oversight of unlicensed puppy mills,” said Nancy Perry, senior vice president of ASPCA Government Relations. “The ASPCA has witnessed the abhorrent cruelty that often exists behind the pictures of happy puppies posted on a breeder’s website, and this rule would crack down on the worst of Internet breeders. We encourage the USDA to adopt a final rule that is enforceable, effective and covers as many commercial breeders as possible.”

“Unethical breeders have been using the Internet as a way to avoid regulation," said Gregory Castle, CEO of Best Friends Animal Society.  "That the USDA is taking the initiative to close this loophole, plus the nearly 350,000 letters and signatures collected by national animal advocacy and animal protection groups to support the proposed rule change, reflect a profound societal change -- the growing will of the American public to protect puppies and other animals from unscrupulous breeders."

“I have three rescued dogs from puppy mills and am an active member of the rescue community,” said Washington, D.C. resident Anne Gregory, who gathered more than 143,000 signatures on her petition on Change.org. “I'm so optimistic that this USDA loophole will be closed and dogs will be protected thanks to the caring individuals who signed my petition.”

“We asked the public to speak up for dogs in unlicensed puppy mills -- and hundreds of thousands responded. This level of support shows the intensity of concern about the humane treatment of animals,” said Wayne Pacelle, president and CEO of The Humane Society of the United States. “We thank the Obama administration and USDA for proposing this change and encourage them to make it final in short order." The HSUS gathered more than 111,000 letters in support of the rule.

“If enacted, this proposed rule will essentially achieve the same reform as pending congressional legislation which has more than 235 bipartisan cosponsors in the House and Senate,”  said Michael Markarian, president of HSLF. “This overwhelming bipartisan support demonstrates that Americans of all political stripes want dogs protected from abuse and it’s time to crack down on unlicensed puppy mill dealers.”

“Veterinary professionals know firsthand the suffering of puppies born in unlicensed puppy mills and the anguish of families who bring home a sick or dying puppy,” said Dr. Susan Krebsbach of HSVMA. “This change is long overdue, and on behalf of our 4,500 veterinary professional members nationwide, we encourage the agency to finalize it quickly.”

The HSUS & HSLF: Rebecca Basu, 301-258-3152, rbasu@humanesociety.org
ASPCA: Rebecca Goldrick, 646-291-4582, Rebecca.Goldrick@aspca.org
Change.org: Pulin Modi, 202-684-2552, press@change.org

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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.

The Humane Society of the United States is the nation’s largest animal protection organization, rated the most effective by its peers. Since 1954, The HSUS has been fighting for the protection of all animals through advocacy, education and hands-on programs. We rescue and care for tens of thousands of animals each year, but our primary mission is to prevent cruelty before it occurs. We're there for all animals, across America and around the world. Celebrating animals and confronting cruelty -- on the Web at humanesociety.org. Subscribe to the blog, A Humane Nation. Join The HSUS on Facebook. Follow The HSUS on Twitter. See our work for animals on your Apple or Android device by searching for our “Humane TV” app.

The Humane Society Veterinary Medical Association was formed as a home for veterinary professionals who want to join together to speak out for animals, engage in direct care programs for animals in need, and educate the public and others in the profession about animal welfare issues. The HSVMA is an affiliate of The Humane Society of the United States -- on the Web at hsvma.org.

Founded in 1866, the ASPCA® (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals®) is the first animal welfare organization in North America and serves as the nation’s leading voice for animals. More than two million supporters strong, the ASPCA’s mission is to provide effective means for the prevention of cruelty to animals throughout the United States. As a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit corporation, the ASPCA is a national leader in the areas of anti-cruelty, community outreach and animal health services. For more information, please visit ASPCA.org, and be sure to follow the ASPCA on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.

Change.org is the world’s fastest-growing platform for social change—growing by one million new members a month, and empowering millions of people to start, join, and win campaigns for social change in their community, city and country.

Best Friends Animal Society, named Animal Welfare Non-Profit National Brand of the Year based on the 2012 Harris Poll EquiTrend® study, is a national animal welfare organization building no-kill programs and partnerships that will bring about a day when there are No More HomelessPets®. The society's leading initiatives in animal care and community programs are coordinated from its Kanab, Utah headquarters, the country's largest no-kill sanctuary. This work is made possible by the personal and financial support of a grassroots network of supporters and community partners across the nation.

Farm Bill Amendment by Rep. Jim McGovern Closes Loophole in Federal Law by Outlawing Attendance at Dogfights and Cockfights

WASHINGTON (July 12, 2012) -- The Humane Society of the United States and the Humane Society Legislative Fund applaud Rep. Jim McGovern, D-Mass., and other members of the House Agriculture Committee who voted in favor of his amendment to the Farm Bill last night to bar attending or bringing a child to a dogfight or cockfight. The amendment passed the committee by a vote of 26 to 19, and is now included in the version of the Farm Bill poised for consideration on the House floor. The U.S. Senate previously approved a similar amendment, offered by Sen. David Vitter, R-La., by a vote of 88 to 11.

The federal animal fighting law already makes it a felony to stage fights, possess or train animals for fighting, or to move animals or cockfighting implements in interstate commerce for fighting purposes.  The McGovern amendment prohibits attendance at organized animal fights and bringing a child to these bloody and illegal spectacles. The amendment is nearly identical to the Animal Fighting Spectator Prohibition Act, H.R. 2492, introduced by Reps. Tom Marino, R-Pa., and Betty Sutton, D-Ohio, which has more than 200 co-sponsors, and S. 1947, introduced by Sens. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., Mark Kirk, R-Ill., Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., and Scott Brown, R-Mass.

Over the past decade, Congress has strengthened the penalties for and closed major loopholes in the federal law addressing dogfighting, cockfighting, and other forms of animal fighting but has left the issue of spectators unaddressed. This legislation will correct this remaining gap in federal law to allow for a more comprehensive crackdown on this barbaric activity.

“Spectators are participants and accomplices who enable the crime of animal fighting, make the enterprise profitable through admission fees and wagering, and help conceal and protect the handlers and organizers,” said Wayne Pacelle, president and CEO of The HSUS. “We hope that federal investigators who raid large-scale animal fighting operations will soon be able to prosecute the entire cast of characters who sustain dogfighting and cockfighting thanks to the outstanding leadership of Congressman McGovern and Senator Vitter.”

“I’m very proud of the Agriculture Committee for supporting this amendment in a bipartisan way,” Rep. McGovern said.  “Animal fights are violent, gory, criminal spectacles, and the loophole for so-called ‘spectators’ needs to be closed.  I look forward to working with my colleagues to ensure that this language becomes the law of the land.”

The House Agriculture Committee also, disappointingly, approved an amendment to the Farm Bill by Rep. Steve King, R-Iowa, which is intended to summarily void dozens of duly enacted state laws, state citizen ballot initiatives, state constitutional provisions, and key state health and safety regulations across the country. This provision amounts to a radical federal overreach and seeks to rob the states of their historic police power to legislate for the health, safety, and welfare of their citizens. Never before has Congress passed such a sweeping attempt to override state legislative authority, and The HSUS and HSLF urge the House to reject the King amendment.

“Before failing in his attempt to block an effort to strengthen federal laws against illegal dogfighting and cockfighting – a crusade he led as a state lawmaker and now as a Congressman -- Steve King succeeded in passing an amendment that seeks to nullify countless state and local laws duly approved by lawmakers or voters to promote food safety, worker protection, or animal welfare,” said Pacelle. “He doesn’t want the federal government to pass any laws to protect animals or consumer safety, and now he wants to nullify or prevent any such laws at the state and local level, too. We cannot allow the Farm bill to pass with such a poison pill provision that tramples on the rights and jeopardizes people and animals.”

Animal Fighting Facts:

• It is illegal in 49 states to be a knowing spectator at an animal fight.  The McGovern amendment establishes federal criminal penalties for knowing attendance and for knowingly causing a minor to attend.
• The law would not affect “innocent bystanders,” because organized animal fighting is a federal crime and illegal in all 50 states; this activity is highly clandestine and spectators don’t just accidentally happen upon a fight. They seek out the criminal activity at secret locations, often need passwords to enter, and pay admission fees for the opportunity to watch and gamble on the gruesome show – facts that a prosecutor might use as evidence to prove that a defendant knowingly attended.
• Spectators pay hundreds or thousands of dollars in admission fees and gambling bets, generating the bulk of the revenue for this illegal enterprise. The fights would not occur without the crowd betting on the outcome and enjoying the bloodletting.
• Often spectators are themselves participants in animal fights, waiting their turn at a typical organized animal fight, with several rounds during an event or derby. When police raid an animal fight, it is extremely difficult to differentiate between spectators and participants who were going to fight their dog or bird in the next match.
• Animal fighting is also closely associated with other criminal activities such as gangs, narcotics, illegal weapons possession, public corruption and various violent crimes.  A three-year study by the Chicago Police Department found that 70 percent of animal offenders had also been arrested for other felonies, including domestic and aggravated battery, illegal drug trafficking and sex crimes.
• The Animal Fighting Spectator Prohibition Act has been endorsed by the Fraternal Order of Police, the Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association, the International Association of Chiefs of Police, and nearly 200 law enforcement agencies from across the country.

The following House Agriculture Committee members voted yes on the McGovern amendment: Jeff Fortenberry, R-Neb.; Glenn Thompson, R-Pa.; Austin Scott, R-Ga.; Martha Roby, R-Ala.; Renee Ellmers, R-N.C.; Chris Gibson, R-N.Y.; Bobby Schilling, R-Ill.;  Collin Peterson, D-Minn.; Tim Holden, D-Pa.; Mike McIntyre, D-N.C.; Leonard Boswell, D-Iowa; Joe Baca, D-Calif.; Dennis Cardoza, D-Calif.; David Scott, D-Ga.; Henry Cuellar, D-Texas; Tim Walz, D-Minn.; Kurt Schrader, D-Ore.; Larry Kissell, D-N.C.; Bill Owens, D-N.Y.; Chellie Pingree, D-Maine; Joe Courtney, D-Conn.; Peter Welch, D-Vt.; Marcia Fudge, D-Ohio; Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan, D-Northern Marianas; Terri Sewell, D-Ala.; and Jim McGovern, D-Mass.

The following House Agriculture Committee members voted no on the McGovern amendment: Frank Lucas, R-Okla.; Robert Goodlatte, R-Va.; Steve King, R-Iowa; Randy Neugebauer, R-Texas; Michael Conaway, R-Texas; Jean Schmidt, R-Ohio; Tom Rooney, R-Fla.; Marlin Stutzman, R-Ind.; Bob Gibbs, R-Ohio; Scott Tipton, R-Colo.; Steve Southerland, R-Fla.; Rick Crawford, R-Ark.; Tim Huelskamp, R-Kan.; Scott DesJarlais, R-Tenn.; Randy Hultgren, R-Ill.; Vicky Hartzler, R-Mo.; Reid Ribble, R-Wis.; Kristi Noem, R-S.D.; Jim Costa, D-Calif.

Media contact: Rebecca Basu, (240) 753-4875, rbasu@humanesociety.org

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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.