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Mr. ENSIGN. Mr. President, I rise to reintroduce the Animal Fighting Prohibition Enforcement Act, legislation that garnered the support of 51 Senate cosponsors and 201 House cosponsors in the 108th Congress but didn't quite make it over the finish line. I thank my colleagues for their support in this endeavor to protect the welfare of animals and express my hope that we will get the job done early in this session. This legislation targets the troubling, widespread, and often underground activities of dogfighting and cockfighting where dogs and birds are bred and trained to fight to the death. This is done for the sheer enjoyment and illegal wagering of the animals' handlers and spectators.
These activities are reprehensible and despicable. Our States' laws reflect this sentiment. All 50 States have prohibited dogfighting. It is considered a felony in 48 States. Cockfighting is illegal in 48 States, and it is a felony in 31 States. In my home State of Nevada, both dogfighting and cockfighting are considered felonies. In fact, it is a felony to even attend a dogfighting or cockfighting match.
Unfortunately, in spite of public opposition to extreme animal suffering, these animal fighting industries thrive. There are 11 underground dogfighting publications and several above-ground cockfighting magazines. These national magazines advertise and sell animals and the materials associated with animal fighting. They also seek to legitimize this shocking practice.
During the consideration of the farm bill in 2001, a provision was included that closed loopholes in the Federal animal fighting law. Both the House and the Senate also increased the maximum jail time for individuals who violate this law from 1 year to 2 years, making any violation a Federal felony. However, during the conference, the jail time increase was removed.
Then in 2003, I offered an amendment to the Healthy Forests bill that would have had the same effect as the bill I am introducing today. The Senate agreed to this amendment by unanimous consent, but it was again taken out in conference.
Now, I am hoping the third time is the charm. In the form that is being introduced today, this legislation passed the House Judiciary Committee in September 2004. It is ripe for enactment early in the 109th Congress. This legislation has been endorsed by the USDA, the American Veterinary Medical Association, more than 150 State and local police and sheriffs departments across the country, and a host of others. The only groups opposing it are the cockfighters and the dogfighters.
The bill seeks to do two things. First, it increases the penalty to the felony level--up to 2 years jail time for offenders. I am informed by U.S. attorneys that they are hesitant to pursue animal fighting cases with merely a misdemeanor penalty. The USDA has received innumerable
tips from informants and requests to assist with State and local prosecutions but has only been able to help in a handful of cases since Congress first passed the Federal animal fighting law in 1976. For example, in my own State last year, law enforcement authorities raided an ongoing cockfight involving about 200 people from Nevada and other States. The USDA wanted to pursue Federal charges, to complement the local effort, but the U.S. Attorney's Office declined to prosecute because the Federal crime was only a misdemeanor. Increased penalties will provide a greater incentive for Federal authorities to pursue animal fighting cases.
Second, the bill prohibits the interstate shipment of cockfighting implements, such as razor-sharp knives and gaffs. The specific knives are commonly known as ``slashers.'' The slashers and icepick-like gaffs are attached to the legs of birds to make the cockfights more violent and to induce bleeding of the animals. These weapons are used only in cockfights. Since Congress has restricted shipment of birds for fighting, it should also restrict implements designed specifically for fights.
This is commonsense, long-overdue legislation. It does not expand the Federal Government's reach into a new area but simply aims to make current law more effective. It is explicitly limited to interstate and foreign commerce, so it protects States rights in the two States, Louisiana and New Mexico, where cockfighting is still allowed. Further, it protects States rights in the other 48 States where weak Federal law is compromising their ability to keep animal fighting outside their borders.
Mr. President, this legislation is needed for humane reasons. But it is also urgently needed to protect poultry health and public health. In 2002 to 2003, we had an outbreak of exotic Newcastle disease among poultry in my home State of Nevada, as well as in California, Arizona, and Texas. According to the USDA, this deadly disease was spread in large part by illegal cockfighters. It cost taxpayers about $200 million to contain and cost the poultry industry many millions more in lost export markets. In Asia, at least four children died last year due to exposure to bird flu from cockfighting activity, according to news reports. One Malaysian news agency noted that surveys by the ``Veterinary Department show that irresponsible cock-fighting enthusiasts are the main `culprits' for bringing the avian influenza virus into the state.'' Fortunately, bird flu has not yet jumped the species barrier in this country, but we ought to do all we can to minimize the risk. One of the ways to ensure greater protection against the spread of these dangerous avian diseases is to enforce the ban on interstate and foreign shipment of birds for the purpose of fighting. Our bill ensures that penalties are in place to encourage meaningful enforcement of this ban.
I appreciate the strong support of
Senators Specter, Cantwell, Feinstein,
DeWine, Kennedy, Kyl, Kohl, Lugar,
Vitter, Leahy, and Santorum in this effort and look
forward to the overwhelming support of my other colleagues in the Senate. I also
wish to recognize Representative Mark Green for his leadership in
reintroducing an identical bill in the House today. Surely, this is an issue
that must be addressed as soon as possible. We cannot allow this barbaric
practice to continue in our civilized society.
| Sen Cantwell, Maria [WA] - 2/15/2005 | Sen Collins, Susan M. [ME] - 2/17/2005 |
| Sen DeWine, Mike [OH] - 2/15/2005 | Sen Durbin, Richard [IL] - 2/17/2005 |
| Sen Feinstein, Dianne [CA] - 2/15/2005 | Sen Kennedy, Edward M. [MA] - 2/15/2005 |
| Sen Kohl, Herb [WI] - 2/15/2005 | Sen Kyl, Jon [AZ] - 2/15/2005 |
| Sen Leahy, Patrick J. [VT] - 2/15/2005 | Sen Lugar, Richard G. [IN] - 2/15/2005 |
| Sen Santorum, Rick [PA] - 2/15/2005 | Sen Specter, Arlen [PA] - 2/15/2005 |
| Sen Vitter, David [LA] - 2/15/2005 |
By JAMES C. LOUGHRIE
Valley Press Staff
Writer
When police conclude their investigation, the birds will be euthanized, said Kaye Michelson , a spokeswoman for the Los Angeles County Department of Animal Control.
Cockfights, in which two roosters fight each other, usually to the death, have been busted twice in a month.
The seizure of the roosters Sunday was the third since November in the Antelope Valley.
Michelson said the department picked up two birds from an east Palmdale cockfight in early February.
In November, 26 dead roosters and five survivors were seized from a Littlerock fight.
Can we surmise from the recent arrests that cockfighting is on the rise in the Antelope Valley?
"It really varies," Michelson said. "It's not something that happens too often, but it's something that we've had recently in the Antelope Valley."
Deputy Charles Beals of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department said even with the three recent cockfights, the Antelope Valley does not necessarily have a higher number of fights than the rest of the county.
"There is no area in the county that I would say there is a predominance," he said. "It's all over the county; in fact, it's all over the state."
Beals, who has been investigating cockfights with the sheriff's department for 14 years, said the events have different styles. In the most common, metal blades are attached to roosters' talons.
Beals said no matter what style, cockfights usually have one thing in common.
"Most common, within all styles, is wagering. The only reason to have a cockfight is betting," Beals said.
Arresting patrons of a cockfight is not so easy: Once deputies enter the area, money is hidden immediately.
Beals said euthanizing the roosters is the next step.
Most trainers pump the birds full of steroids, making their already tough meat inedible. And because their training makes the birds so aggressive, suitable homes cannot be found for them.
Source: http://avpress.com/n/frsty8.hts
Courtesy: Gerry C.
New York Animal Cruelty Bill Will Make Criminals of Law Abiding Sportsmen
New York sportsmen should urge state lawmakers to defeat an assembly bill that will make hunting a punishable act of animal cruelty.
Sunday Bowhunting May Soon Be Option for New Jersey Sportsmen
A New Jersey bill to allow limited Sunday hunting was approved in committee and needs sportsmen’s support to pass the Assembly.
Missouri Bill Will Help Sportsmen Combat Anti’s
Legislation in Missouri will severely hinder anti-hunters’ efforts to ban outdoor sports via the ballot box.
Source: www.ussportsmen.org
| Press Release | Source: Center for Consumer Freedom |
Consumer Group: Get PETA Out of Schools
Friday February 18, 11:53 am ET
In a letter to Principal Dutton, CCF Director of Research David Martosko agrees, writing that the inclusion of PETA lessons in classroom teaching is "wholly inappropriate and runs counter to the well-being of your students."
The 2004 CCF report "Your Kids, PETA's Pawns" details PETA's plans to recruit young kids into an anti-social activist lifestyle -- beginning with animal welfare messages, but often escalating to criminal activity. Copies of the report have been sent to Dutton, her assistant principal, and members of the Appoquinimink Board of Education.
"Parents shouldn't be fooled into thinking that PETA is warm and fuzzy," said Martosko. "It's a band of radicals intent on abolishing chicken, beef, pork, milk, cheese, circuses, zoos, wool, leather, hunting, fishing, and the medical research that aims to cure cancer and AIDS. Even worse, the group's activists go behind parents' backs to preach directly to impressionable young people. PETA is a $24 million menace to children of all ages -- and most parents don't even know their kids are being targeted."
To read CCF's letter to Redding Middle School principal Dr. Sue Dutton and the report, "Your Kids, PETA's Pawns," visit http://www.consumerfreedom.com.
The Center for Consumer Freedom is a nonprofit coalition supported by restaurants, food companies, and consumers, working together to promote personal responsibility and protect consumer choices.
The Center for Consumer Freedom has written to Dr. Sue Dutton (the principal of the young Johnston girl's school), along with the members of the local school board, asking them to reconsider putting their stamp of approval on PETA propaganda. A sampling from our letter:
The debate shouldn't be about whether animal welfare is a valuable thing to teach. No one, after all, wants to endorse cruelty to animals. But it's equally irresponsible to lend a school's imprimatur to the teachings of a group that values lab rats over human children, believes giving milk to kids constitutes "child abuse," actively recruits an "army of animal rights rebels" in and around schools, encourages children to regard their non-vegetarian parents as "murderers," and has even funded the operations of arsonists and other violent felons.
Administrators in Mr. Johnston's school district will also receive copies of "Your Kids, PETA's Pawns," the Center for Consumer Freedom's report detailing PETA's plan to indoctrinate millions of American children behind their parents' backs. Skeptical? PETA activists appeared outside a Wisconsin middle school at 7:30 this morning, handing anti-chicken trading cards to young kids as they walked to school.
Parents: If your child brings home animal-rights propaganda materials (often masquerading as "humane education" booklets), drop us a note and tell us your story. We'll be happy to educate your school administrators.
Teachers and other education professionals: Printed copies of "Your Kids, PETA's Pawns" are available to you free of charge. Just let us know where to send them.