 |
UPDATE: Monday November 27, 2006
*
Senator Elizabeth Landrieu from Lousiana will be presenting for 10 minutes on the S.1915 horse protection bill before the Senate on Tuesday December 5th at 2-3pm EST. She has also had the following Senators sign her letter including Reid, Levin, Menendez, Boxer, Dodd, Bayh, Kerry, Lautenberg, DeMint, and Cantwell. When Senators return from Thanksgiving break to Washington D.C. hopefully more will sign the letter. Continue asking Senator's aides to see if your own state's Senators have signed Landrieu's letter. It was suggested they might try to attach the it as an amendment as an Agricultural appropriations bill. However, Shelley Sawbook, president of the American Defense Fund, advised Barbaro Ambassadors and Fan/Friends of Barbaro that "we should not talk about the bill being attached as an amendment. Talk like this does not help as it could reach the wrong people watching and ready to shoot it down," per Sharon.
*
Below is Senator Landrieu's letter going to Senators Frist and Reid after she gets enough of her colleagues to review and co-sign. She circulated a "Dear Colleague" letter to fellow Senators asking them to endorse and sign it. This letter below will be delivered after the elections but before the Senate comes back into session on December 5th:
*
November 10
The Honorable William H. Frist, M.D. Majority Leader
Unites States Senate
Washington D.C. 20510
*
The Honorable Harry Reid Democratic Leader
United States Senate
Washington D.C. 20510
Dear Senator Frist and Senator Reid:
We are writing to urge you to pass legislation in this Congress that bans the commercial slaughter of horses for human consumption overseas.
On September 7th, the House passed HR 503, the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act, by a vote of 263-146. The bill is now on the calendar awaiting action by the full Senate. H.R.503 and its companion, S.1915, will put an end to the despicable practice of slaughtering American Horses for human consumption overseas. The Senate is on record supporting an end to commercial horse slaughter -- 69 Senators supported an amendment in the FY 2006 Agriculture Appropriations bill which prevented funds to be used for the inspection of horse meat in the United States. A similar amendment passed the House by a vote of 269-153 and was retained in Conference.
Unfortunately, the Department of Agriculture circumvented Congressional intent to end the practice of horse slaughter and has allowed inspections to continue on a fee-for-service basis. A poll conducted by Public Opinion Strategies in August found that nearly 70% of Americans oppose the slaughter of horses for human consumption overseas.
There is a great deal of misinformation being circulated about this legislation and its impact on horses and agriculture community. Although horses have never been a part of our food chain, nearly 90,000 were slaughtered last year in three Europe-owned plants located in the United States. The horsemeat was exported largely to France and Belgium where Europeans eat it as a delicacy.
Those who defend this practice and oppose this legislation believe that if this legislation is enacted, America will be faced with an "unwanted horse" problem. They want Americans to believe that ending the commercial slaughter of horses will create an unmanageable burden on owners and horse rescue groups, which would lead to suffering among horses. This belief is contrary to the evidence. Twelve years ago, 300,000 horses were being slaughtered and that number is down to 90,000 with no evidence of increased numbers of abuse and neglect. The reality is fewer horses are being slaughtered with no extra burden.
California has served as a test case. In 1998, California banned the slaughter of horses and the interstate transportation of horses for slaughter. There has been no evidence that the ban resulted in an increase in the number of abandoned, abused, or mistreated horses. Instead, since California banned horse slaughter, horse theft in that state has decreased by 34%.
Additionally, contrary to claims that horses sent to slaughter are old and infirmed, the USDA's statistics demonstrate that the vast majority (92.3%) of American horses being sent to slaughter are healthy and many of them are stolen or taken under false pretenses--a gross violation of private property rights. Most owners taking their horse to auction are unaware their horse may end up at a slaughterhouse due to a cadre of self-described "killer-buyers" that regularly visit horse auctions to buy horses for slaughter.
This legislation does not prevent a horse owner from humanely euthanizing their horse and does not infringe on private property rights. As the leaders of the Senate, we believe it is vital that you allow this common sense legislation which is clearly supported by a bipartisan majority of our body of opportunity for the passage before the year is over. A bipartisan majority supports this legislation and wants to end it once and for all.
We owe it to our constituents to end this practice. Therefore, we urge you to ensure passage of the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act this session. Thank you for your consideration of our request.
Sincerely,
Elizabeth Landrieu &
Signatures of the Cosponsors and supporting Senators
*
FROM LYN G K. (our Washington Barbaro Ambassador):
The following is excerpt from Senator Frist:
"You may be interested to know that I supported an amendment to the Fiscal Year 2006 Agriculture Appropriations bill, which was signed by the President into law, that restricts the slaughtering of horses for human consumption at federally inspected plants."
From All of US: "Until We Can Make A Difference, We'll Continue Campaigning for Barbaro" www.campaigningforbarbaro.com !
*
Continue calling, emailing, faxing those key Senators! The seven (7)Senators are:
*
1. Senator Frist of Tennessee (Republican Majority Leader, retiring)
202-224-3135 phone/ 202-228-4637 fax
*
2. Senator McConnell of Kentucky (replacing Senator Frist)
202-224-2541 phone/ 202-224-2499 fax
*
3. Senator Stevens (Cosponsor & Commerce Committee Chairman) who wants to move the bill out of the committee onto the Senate Floor
202-224-3004 phone/ 202-224-2354 fax
*
4. Senator Ensign (Sponsor of S.1915 and Committee Member to move it out of the Commerce Committee)
202-224-6244 phone/ 202-228-2193 fax
*
5. Senator Harry Reid (Minority Leader)
202-224-3542 phone/ 202-224-7324 fax
*
6. Senator Landrieu (Cosponsor)
202-224-5824 phone/ 202-224-9735 fax
*
7. Senator Reed (Cosponsor)
202-224-4642 phone/ 202-224-4680 fax
*
Special Thanks to Sharon Crumb, our New Jersey Barbaro Ambassador for the info update.
*
For anyone interested in mailing five (5) medias at one time, go to www.participate.net and report your requests there.
*
THE FOLLOWING IS LATEST 33 Cosponsors of Senator Ensign's bill S.1915:
S.1915 Title: A bill to amend the Horse Protection Act to prohibit the shipping, transporting, moving, delivering, receiving, possessing, purchasing, selling, or donation of horses and other equines to be slaughtered for human consumption, and for other purposes. Sponsor: Sen Ensign, John [NV] (introduced 10/25/2005) Cosponsors (33) Related Bills: H.R.503 Latest Major Action: 10/25/2005 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
*
COSPONSORS(33), ALPHABETICAL [followed by Cosponsors withdrawn]:
*
(Sort: by date)
Sen Akaka, Daniel K. [HI] - 11/13/2006 Sen Bayh, Evan [IN] - 12/12/2005
Sen Biden, Joseph R., Jr. [DE] - 11/13/2006
Sen Boxer, Barbara [CA] - 3/8/2006
Sen Byrd, Robert C. [WV] - 10/25/2005
Sen Cantwell, Maria [WA] - 6/14/2006
Sen Carper, Thomas R. [DE] - 9/26/2006
Sen Clinton, Hillary Rodham [NY] - 11/13/2006
Sen Collins, Susan M. [ME] - 7/26/2006
Sen DeMint, Jim [SC] - 10/25/2005
Sen Dodd, Christopher J. [CT] - 1/25/2006
Sen Feinstein, Dianne [CA] - 2/9/2006
Sen Graham, Lindsey [SC] - 3/29/2006
Sen Inouye, Daniel K. [HI] - 10/25/2005
Sen Kennedy, Edward M. [MA] - 9/25/2006
Sen Kerry, John F. [MA] - 1/25/2006
Sen Landrieu, Mary L. [LA] - 10/25/2005
Sen Lautenberg, Frank R. [NJ] - 7/12/2006
Sen Levin, Carl [MI] - 10/25/2005
Sen Lieberman, Joseph I. [CT] - 10/25/2005
Sen Lott, Trent [MS] - 10/25/2005
Sen Martinez, Mel [FL] - 9/28/2006
Sen McCain, John [AZ] - 9/20/2006
Sen Menendez, Robert [NJ] - 1/25/2006
Sen Mikulski, Barbara A. [MD] - 11/14/2006
Sen Murray, Patty [WA] - 11/13/2006
Sen Nelson, Bill [FL] - 9/20/2006
Sen Reed, Jack [RI] - 9/6/2006
Sen Schumer, Charles E. [NY] - 9/14/2006
Sen Snowe, Olympia J. [ME] - 3/8/2006
Sen Specter, Arlen [PA] - 10/25/2005
Sen Stabenow, Debbie [MI] - 1/25/2006
Sen Stevens, Ted [AK] - 11/1/2005
*
MUST SEE ADD ON LIST COMPILED BY BARBARO AMBASSADORS
*
Willie Nelson Video on his ranch discussing the 11 horses he rescued.
Willie Nelson's Story adopting 11 horses from Habitat for Horses
*
Entry to Living Legends: The International Home of Rest for Champion Horses is free and further info is available at http://www.livinglegends.org.au/
*
St. Jude's Childrens' Hospital and horses http://www.stjude.org
*
Netposse.com needs your donations for upcoming Christmas auction http://netposse.com/index.html
*
Horses need homes group see link:
http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/HRBHNH/?yguid=143815938
*
Issues we need to consider and use:
http://blogs.chron.com/hoofbeats/archives/2006/09/when_does_it_en.html
*
Horse Roundup is taking heat for injuries and deaths:
http://desertnews.com/dn/view/0,1249,650202930,00.html
Ohio sees surge in Horse Industry
*
Special thanks to Mary L. (Our Ohio Barbaro Ambassador) for compiling the following contact lists for you all to review:
http://capwiz.com/ddal/home (will help you find media info in your state/conctacts)
*
http://www.horse-protection.org/info.php?id=37 (also shows cosponsors)
*
http://www.sharkonline.org/horseslaughtersupporters.mv (graphic content)
*
http://equineprotectionnetwork.com
*
http://www.fund4horses.org (also eline letter can sign up for weekly updates)
*
http://www.saponline.org/horses.htm (Cathy Liss, Legislative Director)
*
http://www.equineadvocates.com/index.html (warning: Graphic content)
*
http://www.avionline.org/othercampaigns/horse_slaughter.htm (warning Graphic images)
*
http://www.hoofpac.com/about/index.html
*
ADDING ALSO:
*
http://www.aowha.org/ (Alliance of Wild Horses Advocates, over 10 million strong and rising)
*
http://www.wildhorsepreservation.com/about.html (the United Nations of Wild Horse Advocacy - Ed Sayres, President of the ASPCA; also over 10 million members strong)
*
http://www.hsus.org (working directly with saplonline advocates/legislation)http://www.rallyforhorses.com (working with the Humane Society of the United States)
*
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2006-10/tau--cmb101106.php (Composing alternative in wake of horse slaughter bill)
http://www.c-span.org/guide/congress/glossary/omnibus.htm (source for watching Agriculture Appropriations bill & S.1915.)
*
http://www.marynash.org (caution: videos highly graphic images)
*
http://www.beyonddelay.org (Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington D.C. - CREW).
*
SPECIAL FROM Cathy Rea Bosley for Mike:
Please take extra time and care to visit www.equestnetwork.com
Bobby Thanks you for your support and continued interest.
| Cool Slideshows |
No comments:
Post a Comment