Guest guest Posted June 9, 2008 Report Share Posted June 9, 2008 >Obama also apparently sponsored a bill while in the Senate that >would prevent horse slaughter in Illinois. But the Bill never >passed, so not sure what inferences can be made there, even if he >indeed " sponsored " the bill or was also a participant it's death. >Dekalb's Cavel International Horse Slaughtering Plant may still be >open for business - even rebuilding after a fire; but perhaps Merrit >can report and confirm. From ANIMAL PEOPLE, June 2007: Horse slaughter for human consumption halted SPRINGFIELD, AUSTIN, WASHINGTON D.C.--Horse slaughter for human consumption appeared to be ended within the U.S. on May 24, as result of legislation signed that day by Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich, killed by the Texas legislature the same day, and allowed to stand without comment by the U.S. Supreme Court two days earlier. Illinois House Bill 1711, introduced by state representative Bob Molaro and state senator John Cullerton, prohibits killing horses for human consumption, effective immediately. Cavel International had operated the last horsemeat slaughtering plant in the U.S. in DeKalb, Illinois. The Cavel slaughterhouse was closed in March 2007 after U.S. District Court Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly ruled that the U.S. Department of Agriculture violated the National Environmental Policy Act by allowing the company to pay for USDA inspections, after Congress in 2005 cut off federal funding in an attempt to stop horse slaughter. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit on May 3, 2007 allowed Cavel to resume paying for inspections, and thereby to resume killing horses, while pursuing appeals. The U.S. Supreme Court on May 22, 2007 rejected a horse slaughter industry appeal of a January 2007 ruling by the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals that upheld the constitutionality of a 1949 Texas law against horse slaughter for human consumption. The Texas law was not enforced until more than 50 years after passage. An attempt to undo the law, introduced into the Texas Senate after the appellate ruling, did not advance. Horse slaughter industry representatives argued that slaughtering is a needed means of disposing of old, injured, and ill horses. Responded Humane Society of the U.S. senior vice president for legislation Mike Markarian, " USDA statistics show that more than 92 percent of horses slaughtered in the U.S. are not old and infirm, but are in good condition. " Markarian urged Congress to pass federal anti-horse slaughter legislation which would curtail exporting live horses to be killed abroad. U.S. slaughterhouses killed 108,000 horses in 2006; 30,000 were sent to slaughter in Canada or Mexico. -- Merritt Clifton Editor, ANIMAL PEOPLE P.O. Box 960 Clinton, WA 98236 Telephone: 360-579-2505 Fax: 360-579-2575 E-mail: anmlpepl Web: www.animalpeoplenews.org [ANIMAL PEOPLE is the leading independent newspaper providing original investigative coverage of animal protection worldwide, founded in 1992. Our readership of 30,000-plus includes the decision-makers at more than 10,000 animal protection organizations. We have no alignment or affiliation with any other entity. $24/year; for free sample, send address.] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 9, 2008 Report Share Posted June 9, 2008 Thanks for that update Merritt! I also found out that Obama did not actually sponsor the state bill as reported, but co-sponsored another bill along with 202 other senators that apparently never got out of committee. But the State bill that did pass, HB1711, does not of course have Obama¹s Yea or Neh. Cheers, Jigs Merritt Clifton <anmlpepl Mon, 9 Jun 2008 09:29:28 -0700 <aapn > Re: Obama & Cavel Intl. >Obama also apparently sponsored a bill while in the Senate that >would prevent horse slaughter in Illinois. But the Bill never >passed, so not sure what inferences can be made there, even if he >indeed " sponsored " the bill or was also a participant it's death. >Dekalb's Cavel International Horse Slaughtering Plant may still be >open for business - even rebuilding after a fire; but perhaps Merrit >can report and confirm. From ANIMAL PEOPLE, June 2007: Horse slaughter for human consumption halted SPRINGFIELD, AUSTIN, WASHINGTON D.C.--Horse slaughter for human consumption appeared to be ended within the U.S. on May 24, as result of legislation signed that day by Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich, killed by the Texas legislature the same day, and allowed to stand without comment by the U.S. Supreme Court two days earlier. Illinois House Bill 1711, introduced by state representative Bob Molaro and state senator John Cullerton, prohibits killing horses for human consumption, effective immediately. Cavel International had operated the last horsemeat slaughtering plant in the U.S. in DeKalb, Illinois. The Cavel slaughterhouse was closed in March 2007 after U.S. District Court Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly ruled that the U.S. Department of Agriculture violated the National Environmental Policy Act by allowing the company to pay for USDA inspections, after Congress in 2005 cut off federal funding in an attempt to stop horse slaughter. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit on May 3, 2007 allowed Cavel to resume paying for inspections, and thereby to resume killing horses, while pursuing appeals. The U.S. Supreme Court on May 22, 2007 rejected a horse slaughter industry appeal of a January 2007 ruling by the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals that upheld the constitutionality of a 1949 Texas law against horse slaughter for human consumption. The Texas law was not enforced until more than 50 years after passage. An attempt to undo the law, introduced into the Texas Senate after the appellate ruling, did not advance. Horse slaughter industry representatives argued that slaughtering is a needed means of disposing of old, injured, and ill horses. Responded Humane Society of the U.S. senior vice president for legislation Mike Markarian, " USDA statistics show that more than 92 percent of horses slaughtered in the U.S. are not old and infirm, but are in good condition. " Markarian urged Congress to pass federal anti-horse slaughter legislation which would curtail exporting live horses to be killed abroad. U.S. slaughterhouses killed 108,000 horses in 2006; 30,000 were sent to slaughter in Canada or Mexico. -- Merritt Clifton Editor, ANIMAL PEOPLE P.O. Box 960 Clinton, WA 98236 Telephone: 360-579-2505 Fax: 360-579-2575 E-mail: anmlpepl Web: www.animalpeoplenews.org [ANIMAL PEOPLE is the leading independent newspaper providing original investigative coverage of animal protection worldwide, founded in 1992. Our readership of 30,000-plus includes the decision-makers at more than 10,000 animal protection organizations. We have no alignment or affiliation with any other entity. $24/year; for free sample, send address.] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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