Alliance of Wild Horse Advocates

RECOMMENDED ACTION NOTEBOOK

Actions For the Week of May 21 through 27, 2006

SUPPORT THE RAHALL SLAUGHTER BAN AMENDMENT!

Congressman Nick Rahall's amendment passed on a voice vote in Congress last week. Congressman Rahall's amendment prohibits expenditure of Federal funds for the sale or slaughter of protected wild horses. This amendment has to address program financing since it is attached to an appropriations bill. The Rahall amendment does not interfere with the Adopt-a-Wild Horse or Burro Program where adopters can acquire excess wild horses and burros but have to prove at least one year of good care prior to receiving legal title. Appropriations bill amendments are only applicable for one year.

A similar amendment must be taken up in the Senate and/or approved by a Conference Committee appointed to reconcile the House and Senate versions of the appropriations bill for this prohibilition on sale and slaughter to be inluded in the final version of the bill that is sent to the President. Therefore it is important that concerned citizens contact their Senators right away and voice their positions.

Goals for this week:

Everyone needs to phone and write his/her Senators and ask specifically that they support a companion amendment to the Rahall Interior Appropriations Amendment.

• In 1971, Congress passed the Wild Free Roaming Horse and Burro Act without a single dissenting vote. This was the result of a massive public outcry to end the harassment and exploitation of America’s remaining wild horse herds.

• In November 2004, Senator Conrad Burns gutted the 1971 when he attached a rider to the 3300 page budget bill that stripped the federal protections of America’s wild horses. The Burns rider required the BLM to sell "excess" wild horses "without limitation". This rider opened the doors to slaughter for our wild horses.

• In April 2005, our worst fears were confirmed as 41 wild horses were slaughtered under the new Burns legislation.

• In May 2005, Congressmen Nick Rahall and Ed Whitfield succeeded in getting an amendment passed in the House that would have reversed the devastating Burns rider. Unfortunately, that amendment was blocked in the Senate by Conrad Burns and his allies.

• We have another opportunity to fight for the protection of America’s wild horses! Congressman Nick Rahall has once again introduced an amendment to the Interior Appropriations Bill, that was passed by the House, that will prohibit the use of tax dollars for the sale of wild horses to slaughter. This is our opportunity to undo the devastating Burns legislation and prevent the continued slaughter of wild horses. We have to speak up on behalf of our wild horses.

• We must reach every Senator and secure their support for a Senate version of the Rahall Interior Appropriations Amendment.

Ask your Senators to support a Senate version of the Rahall Interior Appropriations Amendment. When a Senate version emerges and is given a name, we will update this bulletin.