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Legislation Introduced to
Protect Wild Horses & Burros

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Representative Rep Nick J. Rahall (D-WV) introduced the following legislation on January 25, 2005.

109TH CONGRESS

1ST SESSION H. R. 297

To restore the prohibition on the commercial sale and slaughter of wild free-roaming horses and burros.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Mr. RAHALL (for himself and Mr. WHITFIELD) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on _________________

A BILL

To restore the prohibition on the commercial sale and slaughter of wild free-roaming horses and burros.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SALE OF WILD FREE-ROAMING HORSES AND BURROS.

(a) IN GENERAL - Section 3(d)(5) of Public Law 92-195 (16 U.S.C. 1333(d)(5)) is amended -

    (1) by striking the period and inserting the following: "Provided, That no wild free-roaming horse or burro or its remains may be sold or transferred for consideration for processing into commercial products."; and
    (2) by striking subsection (e).
(b) CRIMINAL PROVISIONS.—Section (8)(a)(4) of Public Law 92-195 (16 U.S.C. 1338(a)(4)) is amended by striking "except as provided in section 3(e),"

What the bill means:

If H.R.297 passes, it will

  1. Prohibit sales of BLM wild horses and burros for purposes of rendering into any commercial products (e.g., they can't be sold for slaughter.)

  2. Repeal the section in the Burns rider that exempts the older animals and "three strikes" animals from the protection of the Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act. (Those protections would again be in force.)

  3. Repeal language eliminating criminal penalties for using wild horses and burros for unlawful commercial purposes.

Note: This bill still has to clear committee, be passed by the House of Representatives, a companion bill, S.576 has to pass the Senate and be signed by the President before it becomes law. Public support is still needed!

Action needed:

  1. Contact Congressmen Rahill and Whitfield and offer thanks and support.

  2. Contact your own Congressman and ask him/her to support H.R.297.
    • Locate your Congressman here

  3. Contact your Senators and ask them to cosponsor S.576.
    • Locate your Senator here

Download a Printable Version

For a related story, please see: Animal rights group wants to give doomed horses to tribes.