Congressman Walter B. Jones, Jr. - Protecting the Wrong Americans : Horses

Submitted by Thomas Brock on Sat, 09/09/2006 - 9:56pm.

Cross-posted at the Brock Log.

On September 7th, 2006, the U.S. House of Representatives considered House Resolution 503, The Horse Protection Act.

According to the resolution's entry at the Library of Congress, the purpose of the Horse Protection Act is "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."

Congressman Walter B. Jones, Jr co-sponsored (and cast a vote of "YES" for) this legislation, which bans the three slaughterhouses within the United States from slaughtering horses and shipping the meet to other countries for human consumption. These three slaughterhouses are located in Texas and Illinois. The number of horses slaughtered amount to only 1% (80,000 in 2005, according to the American Association of Equine Practioners).

Also, according to the AAEP, slaughtering horses and selling the meat is a recommended way to reduce the population of sick, injured or unwanted animals. HR 503 is misguided, though well-intentioned.

Congress (and Congressman Jones) has more important issues to be debated than the slaughter of an insignificant portion of America's horse population.

According to the The National Center on Family Homelessness, over 1.3 million children in the United States are homeless every night.
According to the Food Research and Action Center, over 17% of families with children (approximately 1.4 Americans) in the U.S. are hungry.
According to the Veteran's Administration, over 200,000 American veterans are homeless.

There is no shortage of issues that are more important to the average American than the slaughter of horses, yet Congressman Jones, Jr. and Congress have failed to take them to the floor of the House. Congressman Jones, Jr. is not interested in moving America forward. His only interest is getting re-elected (violating his Contract with America and North Carolina's 3rd Congressional District).

Consider Craig Weber. Craig Weber has the ideals and initiatives to change North Carolina and will put the 3rd District first above all other priorities.

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This is interesting.

Submitted by Robert P. on Sun, 09/10/2006 - 8:06am.

We've got dueling diaries on the horse slaughter bill. One claiming the bill is misguided and a waste of time, the other that it is a waste of time and why would you vote against it?

For the sake of full disclosure, my Dad used to buy and sell horses and those that didn't sell...you bet. That was back in the 50s and 60s and they sure as shoot didn't ship them off to TX, so I'm betting the number of places that use horsemeat has gone down.

CountryCrats - my thoughts, my blog.

I did chuckle...

Submitted by Thomas Brock on Sun, 09/10/2006 - 8:27am.

When I read Blue's post, because they showed up at similar times last night.

I have nothing against horses. That being said, I have no "special relationships" with horses either. I also do not have special relationships with deer, rabbit, cows, cats, dogs, birds, fish, goats...etc etc. There are entirely too many hungry people (in NC, the US and the world) to be sparing with meat, in my opinion.

Thomas S. Brock
www.brocknet.net
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OnslowCountyPolitics@gmail.com
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I'm with Thomas on this one.

Submitted by James Protzman on Sun, 09/10/2006 - 9:05am.

After spending three weeks in China two summers ago, I can tell you that meat is meat is meat. Those folks are hungry and if it moves, they'll eat it.

Which is why this was my favorite picture from the whole trip - from one of the country's large national parks.

Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting

I agree and disagree

Submitted by working for change on Sun, 09/10/2006 - 3:15pm.

I agree completely that there are many other pressing issues that Congress should have given priority on the calendar for their few weeks before the October break.

The horse slaughter issue has actually been in the pipeline for a few years and I believe the timing of the HR 503 vote has much to do with one particular slaughter plant in Texas and the work of several groups, such as The American Horse Defense Fund pushing for final passage.

Last October, Congress actually stripped federal funds from the agriculture budget for inspections on these three European-owned slaughter plants, effectively banning their operation, but the plant owners paid the USDA to continue the inspections, thereby defying the ban. (I think that's why there were more than 200 Representatives signing on as co-sponsors of HR 503.)

The part I disagree with is that slaughtering horses for human consumption is a viable way to address global hunger.

Cows, chickens, pigs and other livestock raised specifically for the purpose of human consumption are subject to USDA regulations that ensure the meat is safe to consume and that the animals are treated humanely before and during the slaughter process.

Horses are not subject to those regulations. According to the AHDF

Horses kept as pets are almost without exception, given medications that are illegal to administer to livestock intended to be a part of the human food supply because of their deleterious effects on human health.

There is also a problem with waste from slaughter plants creating a public health hazard. The Dallas Crown plant in Kaufman, Texas was ordered closed due to this:

City residents had to endure sewer clogs that forced horse blood and waste to back up into their sinks and tubs.

As for reducing the number of sick/injured horses, HR 503 does nothing to ban euthanasia of these animals...it simply says you cannot EAT THEM. The USDA says that more than 90% of the horses sent to slaughter are in good to excellent condition...if they are unwanted, they can be rescued or farmed out to new owners.

If we are serious about helping starving people around the world, I think we have much better options then letting a couple of European-owned companies ship them horse meat.

One more thing...8 of our NC Representatives voted in favor of this ban. The remaining five: Butterfield, Coble, Foxx, Hayes and McHenry are in negotiations with Wonder to make a Barbaro-sized sesame seed bun.

Robin Hayes Hates Puppies

n/t

Submitted by Blue South on Sun, 09/10/2006 - 6:51pm.

If we are serious about helping starving people around the world, I think we have much better options then letting a couple of European-owned companies ship them horse meat.

One more thing...8 of our NC Representatives voted in favor of this ban. The remaining five: Butterfield, Coble, Foxx, Hayes and McHenry are in negotiations with Wonder to make a Barbaro-sized sesame seed bun.

If "we" were serious about solving any problems in this country they would be solved. But we arent. ((Enter abortion and Bin Laden stage right, gay marriage and poverty stage left))

Also, is Wonder in a fight about this? How are the local bread companies planning on providing? Will "Churchill Downs" make its own brand of buns from now on?

Lyndon Helton for NC Senate