Political Animals : House of Horrors

[Guest guest]

THEIR RECORDS SPEAK VOLUMES ABOUT THEIR CONCERN FOR ANIMALS - their lack of concern, that is.

 

Last year, three major animal protection measures came up for consideration by the full House. Of the 435 House members, 31 voted against the animals at every turn - opposing policies designed to prevent needless animal killing and cruelty. And although Americans of all political stripes overwhelmingly support measures to protect animals from abusive treatment, nearly the entire Republican leadership in the House landed on this ignominious list.

 

In March, the House approved the Animal Fighting Prohibition Enforcement Act (H.R. 137) by a 368-39 vote, upgrading federal penalties for illegal dog fighting and cockfighting activities. The Senate passed the bill unanimously in April, and President Bush signed the bill into law.

 

The House approved the Wild Horse Protection Act (H.R. 249) in April by a 277-137 vote. The bill would stop the sale and slaughter of wild horses for human consumption. Action on the measure is pending in the Senate.

 

In June, an amendment offered to prevent American trophy hunters from importing the heads and hides of polar bears killed in Canada, which had already passed the Senate was defeated by a vote of 188-242.

 

The following 31 legislators took the anti-animal position on all three measures - in effect, defending animal fighting, wild horse slaughter, and the needless killing of polar bears.

 

Alabama : Michael D. Rogers (R-3);

Alaska: Don Young (R-at large):

California: John T. Doolittle (R-4);

Colorado: Doug Lamborn (R-5);

Florida: Connie Mack IV (R-14), Cliff Stearns (R-6);

Georgia : Jack Kingston (R-1);

Idaho : Bill Sali (R-1);

Iowa : William King (R-5);

Missouri : Roy Blunt (R-7), Sam Graves (R-6);

Nebraska : Adrian Smith (R-3);

New Jersey : Scott Garrett (R-5);

North Carolina : Robin Hayes (R-8);

Ohio : John Boehner (R-8);

Oklahoma : Dan Boren (D-2), Tom Cole (R-4), Frank Lucas (R-3);

Tennessee : David Davis (R-1);

Texas : Joe Barton (R-6), Kevin Brady (R-8), Mike Conaway (R-11), Louie Gohmert (R-1),

Jeb Hensarling (R-5), Sam Johnson (R-3), Randy Neugebauer (R-19), Ron Paul (R-14),

Ted Poe (R-2), William "Mac" Thornberry (R-13);

Virginia : Eric Cantor (R-7);

Wisconsin : James F. Sensenbrenner (R-5)

- ACT NOW -

 

If one of these elected officials represents you, contact him or her and express your disappointment. And write a letter to the editor of your local paper, publicizing your representative's indefensible record on animal protection issues.

 

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