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HUMANE SCORECARD Report on the 115Th Congress, Second Session

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HUMANE SCORECARD Report on the 115Th Congress, Second Session HUMANE SCORECARD Report on the 115th Congress, Second Session hslf.org 2018 HUMANE SCORECARD // HSLF.ORG 1 PRESIDENT’S LETTER THE 115TH CONGRESS second session had its share of frustrating setbacks, but the FY18 omni- bus appropriations deal signed into law in March and the farm bill enacted in December contained HOW HSLF CALCULATED SCORES some spectacular wins for animal protection. Many animal protection issues never receive a recorded Here’s a snapshot of major actions in 2018: vote in Congress. Some are enacted by voice vote, and some languish. To accurately measure legislators’ sup- FARM BILL port, we count not just recorded votes but other mean- Some of our biggest victories in this massive, multi- ingful ways they can help issues advance, such as co- year package were defensive plays: sponsoring key bills and co-signing letters seeking P increased enforcement of animal welfare laws. To give a Most importantly, we blocked a terrible amend- balanced snapshot across a broad range of animal pro- ment by Rep. Steve King, R-Iowa, that threatened tection concerns, we only count co-sponsorship of a few to gut countless state and local laws on animal priority bills that have a critical mass of support and a protection, food safety and other agriculture- HSLF President Sara Amundson reasonable chance of enactment. Scores are given as related concerns. percentages of the number of items counted. Prime P We also successfully countered amendments to eliminate the Animal Welfare sponsors of legislation and those who led on a letter to Act (AWA) requirement for annual U.S. Department of Agriculture inspections at an agency also receive extra credit equal to one vote or animal research laboratories and amendments to weaken Endangered Species Act co-sponsorship and a in the Leaders column. Those (ESA) protections. who led on multiple legislative and/or regulatory efforts or led on a top priority bill receive double extra credit We secured three key pro-animal measures in the final package: equal to two votes or co-sponsorships and a « in the P The Pet and Women Safety (PAWS) Act extends federal domestic violence protec- Leaders column. If a legislator already has a score of 100 tions to include pets and authorizes grant money to help domestic violence shelters and before counting the extra credit for Leaders, that score other entities arrange shelter for survivors with pets. appears in bold with a plus sign. HSLF acknowledges the P The Parity in Animal Cruelty Enforcement (PACE) Act clarifies that federal prohi- limitations of judging legislators based on a few votes, bitions on animal fighting apply in all U.S. jurisdictions, including territories where co-sponsorships, joint letters and leadership on animal cockfighting is still openly practiced. issues. In some cases, legislators must miss votes for un- P The Dog and Cat Meat Trade Prohibition Act prohibits the domestic slaughter, trade, avoidable reasons, such as a death in the family or emer- and import/export of dogs and cats for human consumption, preventing an appalling gency in their district. Please also consider such unre- trade from taking hold in the U.S. and strengthening our standing to end it worldwide. corded matters as performance on committees, positions of House or Senate leadership, constituent service and co-sponsorship of other animal protection APPROPRIATIONS bills not included in the scorecard. The FY18 omnibus spending bill enacted in March contained many pro-animal items: P Equines: Renewed “defund” provision that effectively prevents horse slaughter plants The Humane Society Legislative Fund is a social welfare from reopening on U.S. soil. Restated prohibition on sending wild horses or burros to organization incorporated under section 501(c)(4) of slaughter for human consumption. the Internal Revenue Code and formed in 2004 as a sepa- rate lobbying affiliate of the Humane Society of the Unit- P Wildlife: Struck riders that would have eliminated ESA protections (and barred ed States. HSLF works to pass animal protection laws at judicial review) for gray wolves in Michigan, Minnesota, Wisconsin and Wyoming. the state and federal levels, to educate the public about Eliminated rider allowing extreme methods of hunting on National Park Service lands animal protection issues and to support humane candi- in Alaska. dates for office. On the web at hslf.org. Contributions or P Animal welfare enforcement: Following requests by 184 representatives and 38 gifts to HSLF are not tax deductible. Your donation may senators, provided a $2 million increase for AWA enforcement, added $1.5 million to be used for lobbying to pass laws to protect animals, as a student loan repayment program that helps veterinarians work in underserved areas, well as for political purposes, such as supporting or op- and sustained funding in other animal welfare accounts. Also criticized the USDA for posing candidates. The Humane Scorecard is published thwarting access to AWA and Horse Protection Act inspection reports and directed once a year and the Humane Activist newsletter (ISSN the agency to comply with earlier requirements “that the online searchable database OPPOSITE PAGE: MEREDITH LEE/THEOPPOSITE PAGE: HSUS; 1524-5233) is published five times a year by HSLF. To should allow analysis and comparison of data and include all inspection reports, annual subscribe to Humane Activist and to receive the Humane reports, and other documents related to enforcement of animal welfare laws.” Scorecard, donate $10 or more to HSLF. P Research and testing: Maintained funding for the Environmental Protection Agency To make a donation, go online to hslf.org, send a check to the Humane Society Legislative Fund at 1255 23rd St., NW, Suite 455, to develop replacements for animal tests and increased funding by $36 million for a Washington, D.C. 20037, or contact us at 202-676-2314 or National Institutes of Health program that helps transition science to non-animal test [email protected]. ©2019 Humane Society Legislative Fund. All rights reserved. methods. Encouraged NIH to expedite retirement of chimpanzees in research facilities and to expand the national chimpanzee sanctuary system. Maintained prohibition on MAK_PHOTO/ISTOCK.COM; IMAGE: COVER ASYAPOZNIAK/ISTOCK.COM COVER: BACK ii 2018 HUMANE SCORECARD // HSLF.ORG PRESIDENT’S LETTER USDA licensing of “random source” dealers, who are notorious for acquiring dogs and cats through fraudulent means (including pet theft), keeping them in inhumane conditions and selling them for research. P Wounded warriors: Doubled funding (a $5 million increase) for Department of Defense grants to nonprofits providing therapeutic service dogs to veterans and active duty personnel suffering from physical injuries and emotional trauma, and boosted by $1 million a Veterans Affairs program providing equine therapy for veterans with mental health issues. Some pro-animal FY19 budget provisions were enacted: P Provided a $105.4 million increase for the NIH program developing non-animal alternatives to animal tests. P Maintained $10 million for the Defense Department program that awards grants for therapy dogs, and increased by $500,000 the Veterans Affairs equine therapy program. Other priorities in the FY19 budget await final resolution as we go to press: P The horse slaughter defund provision is in the Senate bill but not the House bill. P Both the House and Senate bills include the prohibition on the slaughter of wild horses and burros for human consump- tion, but the House version also directs immediate initiation of a surgical sterilization program despite a lack of evidence that the method can be performed humanely or effectively. P The House bill contains terrible riders to undo ESA protections for gray wolves and block the reintroduction of grizzly bears in Washington State. ADDITIONAL VICTORIES P While the USDA budget isn’t finalized, the FY19 funding request letters (signed by a record 190 representatives and 38 senators) helped drive needed action: In May, the agency abandoned its proposal to outsource animal welfare oversight and give regulated industries (puppy mills, roadside zoos, research laboratories, etc.) the power to decide which facilities warrant federal inspections. P In September, the House passed a global resolution, H. Res. 401, urging all nations to prohibit and enforce laws to end the cruel dog and cat meat trade. (House resolutions don’t require Senate approval or presidential signature, so this measure is completed.) P The Welfare of Our Furry Friends (WOOFF) Act was signed into law in October as part of the Federal Aviation Administration reauthorization. Introduced after a French bulldog died when an attendant insisted on stowing him in an overhead bin during a long flight, the WOOFF Act prohibits storage of live animals in airplane overhead compartments and authorizes civil penalties. P Several measures saw action in one chamber during the 115th Congress, setting the stage for future success. They in- cluded the Shark Fin Trade Elimination Act (p. 2) and the Preventing Animal Cruelty and Torture (PACT) Act (p. 7). The Horseracing Integrity Act (H.R. 2651), which aims to end widespread doping of race horses, had a House hearing in June (with testimony by the Humane Society of the United States), and in September the House approved the Rescuing Animals With Rewards (RAWR) Act (H.R. 6197) to crack down on international wildlife trafficking. SETBACKS We did encounter some serious setbacks. Legislation to bring urgently needed changes to agriculture checkoff programs— so their funds are no longer misused to lobby against animal welfare reforms—failed in the Senate (pp. 2-3). A farm bill amendment to end the cruelty of horse “soring” was blocked from House floor consideration. Numerous animal protection bills, detailed in the following pages, garnered hundreds of bipartisan co-sponsors but stalled because House and Senate leadership refused to call them up for a vote. LOOKING AHEAD The new Congress presents exciting opportunities to move reintroduced bills that are ripe for swift action.
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