Senate Ignores Horse Slaughter in Infrastructure Bill
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The U.S. Capitol
A $1 trillion infrastructure bill passed Aug. 10 by the U.S. Senate did not include a provision to ban the export of live horses to Canada and Mexico for slaughter for human consumption, according to animalwellnessaction.org. The organization said this puts in jeopardy the anti-slaughter provision comfortably adopted more than a month ago in the U.S. House by a voice vote.
According to the group, the Senate assembled anew its infrastructure bill, taking the House bill and number, H.R. 3684, the INVEST Act, but little else.
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Animalwellnessaction.org indicated Sen. Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) made an attempt to keep the anti-slaughter transport language in play by filing an amendment, but that effort gained no momentum.
"We are disappointed the Senate continues to treat the ongoing slaughter of tens of thousands of horses as anything but an urgent matter," Marty Irby, executive director at Animal Wellness Action, said in a release.
According to his organization, the measure had been endorsed by more than 229 animal and equine protection and advocacy groups, including The Jockey Club, The Breeders' Cup, major track operators, farms, and animal wellness organizations.
"We will continue to advocate for the inclusion of the amendment as part of any final bill passed by Congress," said Alex Waldrop, president and CEO of the National Thoroughbred Racing Association.
While horse slaughter does not occur on U.S. soil, animal wellness groups claim over thousands of American horses are live-exported over the borders to Canada and Mexico to be slaughtered each year, including former racehorses and breeding stock.