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Washington, D.C. - Representative
John E. Sweeney (R-Clifton Park) today announced that
after years of fighting to end the gruesome process of
slaughtering horses to be sent overseas for human
consumption, victory was achieved today. The House
passed H.R. 503, the American Horse Slaughter Prevention
Act, which prohibits the transportation, possession, and
sale of horses to be slaughtered for human consumption
in the U.S. The legislation passed by a vote of
263-146. The Senate must also consider the legislation
and may do so this fall. “This is great victory for
principle, since our nation was founded, we as a country
have shared a special relationship with the horse,” said
Rep. John Sweeney (R-NY). “American’s do not eat our
horses and it is unconscionable that for decades, we
have been using federal taxpayer dollars to support a
practice that the nation is overwhelmingly opposed to.
I'm pleased to see that my colleagues agree that this
horrid inhumane treatment must end.”
Each year nearly 90,000 horses are slaughtered in
this country for human consumption overseas. Tens of
thousands more were exported and slaughtered abroad.
Workhorses, racehorses and even pet horses are processed
into horse steak to satisfy consumer demand in Europe
and Asia.
This is purely an export-driven market, with both the
product and profit going overseas, where horsemeat is
considered a delicacy. In fact, all three
horse-slaughter plants in this country are foreign
owned.
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