Make calls MONDAY to get more funds to enforce Animal Welfare Act & Humane Slaughter Act

[Guest guest]

URGENT: Please make two phone calls MONDAY MORNING to ensure sufficient

funding for enforcement of the Animal Welfare Act & the Humane Slaughter

Act.

 

INFO: Congress will soon begin deliberations on the appropriations bills, 13

different bills that set the budget for the federal government. We need to

make sure the Agriculture Appropriations bill (which will be discussed

possibly as early as Tuesday) includes a funding increase for enforcement of

the Animal Welfare Act and the Humane Slaughter Act. The Bush

administration wants to CUT funding for the Animal Welfare Act by several

million dollars. This would mean that some of the 100 USDA inspectors, who

have to monitor 10,000 laboratories, puppy mills, zoos and circuses, would

be fired. While we know that 100 inspectors simply isn't enough to monitor

10,000 establishments, the Bush administration proposal would make the

situation worse.

 

Going the other way, Senator Rick Santorum and Senator John Kerry are

circulating a letter in the Senate that would request an increase in funding

for the AWA, while also specifying some money would be used to for a task

force to combat cockfighting and dog fighting. Representatives Chris Smith

and Dennis Kucinich are circulating a nearly identical letter in the House.

Their efforts could offset any attempt by the Bush administration to gut the

AWA, while guaranteeing more money to help protect animals.

 

WHAT YOU CAN DO: Please make phone calls MONDAY MORNING: (1) to Senator

Barbara Boxer (202/224-3553) to ask her to sign on to the Santorum-Kerry

letter being circulated in the Senate (Sen. Feinstein has already signed

onto this letter), and (2) to Rep. Nancy Pelosi (202/225-4965) to ask her to

sign on to the Smith-Kucinich letter in the House (Tom Lantos has already

signed onto the letter). Don't wait -- make the calls Monday morning.

Thanks.