Politics & Government

Congress Puts Horse Slaughtering Back On The Table

Along with passage of resolution to fund federal government until Dec. 16

 

The U.S. House of Representatives recently passed a resolution to fund the federal government until Dec. 16, but the bill also lifted restrictions to fund the inspection of horse meat. 

The Agriculture, Commerce-Justice-Science & Transportation-HUD Appropriations Bill, or H.R. 2112, drew criticism from U.S. Rep. Jim Moran (D-8).

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“This year, Tea Party inspired intransigence threatened to shut down the Federal Government, cause a default on our debt, and resulted in a downgrade of our credit rating for the first time in 100 years," said Moran.  “While I ultimately supported this appropriations bill, I have serious objections with the conference committee’s decision to remove House-approved language preventing horse slaughter, language that had been in the bill for the past five years and I authored this year." 

Since 2005, Federal funds have not been available to aid in the inspection of horse meat, which dealt the horse slaughter industry a serious blow.

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"Approximately 70% of Americans are opposed to the practice of slaughtering horses for meat. There is no viable market for horse meat in the United States, but when the slaughter industry existed prior to 2006, the meat was exported to parts of Asia and Europe where it is considered a delicacy," according to Horsechannel.com.  

Moran said that Congress will have to pass the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act. “I am committed to doing everything in my power to prevent the resumption of horse slaughter and will force Congress to debate this important policy in an open, democratic manner at every opportunity," Moran said. 


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