Americans Against Horse Slaughter

Next Tuesday and Wednesday, the Americans Against Horse Slaughter group, some 74 strong at this point, are going to Washington D. C. to lobby for the passage of the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act, House Resolution 503, Senate 311. I am going to be covering this grass roots political movement as part of my research for the book and I am looking forward to meeting some of the organizers of the event with whom I have been corresponding.

From what I have discerned, this is a formidable group exercising their political muscles in strategic fashion. They will not stop until the bills have passed and horses are no longer transported to slaughter plants in Mexico and Canada, which is where they are being taken now that the ones in the United States have been shut down. "It is urgent that we get the federal legislation enacted into law," said Julie Caramante, one of the event's organizers. "Every week Congress delays, a thousand more horses face this horrible fate in Mexico and Canada."

This legislation, which I dub the "Barbaro Bill" in the book, is similar to the one that was almost passed in 2006, when the House voted for passage by a wide bipartisan margin of 263-146. This was during the time that Barbaro was at New Bolton Center and Gretchen went to Washington to lobby for its passage. Unfortunately, the session ended without a Senate vote and the bill had to start all over again.

The 110th Congress voted unanimously to let the bill out of committee in the Senate but it is currently being blocked by Senator Larry Craig of Idaho, the very same Larry Craig who was caught with his pants down in an airport restroom.

The strategy for the Lobby Days in Washington is focused, organized and an example of what happens when thoughtful, committed people realize they can indeed make a difference. I will be covering this event as a journalist--which means an an observer, not an advocate--but if you are interested in learning more about this legislation, I urge you to visit Alex Brown's website which will be hosting a chat this evening at 7:00 PM EST to answer any questions you might have.