HR 503 IHCommentsClose CommentsPermalink

To amend title 18, United States Code, to prohibit certain conduct relating to the use of horses for human consumption.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

January 14, 2009CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

Mr. CONYERS (for himself, Mr. BURTON of Indiana, Mr. ACKERMAN, Ms. BERKLEY, Mr. BILBRAY, Mrs. BONO MACK, Ms. BORDALLO, Mr. BROWN of South Carolina, Mr. CAPUANO, Mr. CASTLE, Mr. COHEN, Mr. CUMMINGS, Mr. DEFAZIO, Mr. DELAHUNT, Ms. DELAURO, Mr. GALLEGLY, Mr. GERLACH, Mr. GRIJALVA, Mr. GUTIERREZ, Mr. HALL of New York, Mr. HINCHEY, Mr. INGLIS, Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas, Mr. JONES, Mr. KING of New York, Mr. KIRK, Mr. KLEIN of Florida, Mr. KUCINICH, Mr. LEWIS of Georgia, Mr. LOBIONDO, Ms. ZOE LOFGREN of California, Mrs. MALONEY, Mrs. MCCARTHY of New York, Mr. MCCOTTER, Mr. MCGOVERN, Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California, Mr. MITCHELL, Ms. MOORE of Wisconsin, Mr. MORAN of Virginia, Mr. PATRICK J. MURPHY of Pennsylvania, Mr. NADLER of New York, Mr. PAYNE, Mr. PLATTS, Mr. RAHALL, Mr. RANGEL, Mr. ROTHMAN of New Jersey, Mr. RUPPERSBERGER, Ms. SCHAKOWSKY, Mr. SCOTT of Virginia, Mr. SERRANO, Mr. SHERMAN, Mr. SMITH of New Jersey, Ms. SUTTON, Mr. VAN HOLLEN, Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ, Ms. WATSON, Mr. WEXLER, Mr. WHITFIELD, Ms. WOOLSEY, Mr. WU, and Mr. YOUNG of Florida) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the JudiciaryCommentsClose CommentsPermalink

To amend title 18, United States Code, to prohibit certain conduct relating to the use of horses for human consumption.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

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

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ‘Prevention of Equine Cruelty Act of 2009’.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SEC. 2. SLAUGHTER OF HORSES FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION.

(a) In General- Chapter 3 of title 18, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

‘Sec. 50. Slaughter of horses for human consumption

‘(a) Except as provided in subsection (b), whoever knowingly--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(1) possesses, ships, transports, purchases, sells, delivers, or receives, in or affecting interstate commerce or foreign commerce, any horse with the intent that it is to be slaughtered for human consumption; orCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(2) possesses, ships, transports, purchases, sells, delivers, or receives, in or affecting interstate commerce or foreign commerce, any horse flesh or carcass or part of a carcass, with the intent that it is to be used for human consumption;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than three years or both.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(b) If--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(1) the defendant engages in conduct that would otherwise constitute an offense under subsection (a);CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(2) the defendant has no prior conviction under this section; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(3) the conduct involves less than five horses or less than 2000 pounds of horse flesh or carcass or part of a carcass;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





the defendant shall, instead of being punished under that subsection, be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than one year, or both.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(c) As used in this section, the term ‘horse’ means any member of the family Equidae.’.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(b) Clerical Amendment- The table of sections for chapter 3 of title 18, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new item:CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘50. Slaughter of horses for human consumption.’.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink