Editor:

On Tuesday, following the example of their colleagues in the House of
Representatives, the U.S. Senate voted 68-29 in favor of the Ensign-Byrd
Amendment to bar federal funds from being used to facilitate horse
slaughter. The House approved a companion measure on June 8 (269-158). It
now goes before a conference committee where we expect the measure to be
approved.

Because the amendment was attached to an annual agricultural spending bill,
it will only halt horse slaughter for one year beginning Oct. 1. However,
the landslide victories in the House and Senate indicate strong support for
the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act (H.R. 503) which would result in
a permanent ban on slaughtering American horses.

"The time has come to put an end to the practice of slaughtering horses in
America," Ensign said. "Horses have an important role in the history of our
country, particularly in the West, and they deserve protection. As a senator
and a veterinarian, I am committed to doing what I can for these magnificent
animals."


Both Illinois senators Dick Durbin and Barack Obama voted in favor of the
amendment, as previously did 14 of 19 Illinois representatives. The House
and Senate votes are truly an outstanding show of bipartisan support by our
Illinois delegates on behalf of their respective constituencies, proving
that our elected officials are indeed listening to the people of Illinois,
and that we do in fact have a voice in Washington.

We commend our Illinois delegates for standing with Illinois horse owners
who have worked tirelessly along with Illinois humane groups, veterinarians,
racetracks and horsemen's groups to protect our horses from the cruelties of
horse slaughter, both at the state and federal levels.

We are extremely proud of, and thankful to, both Senator Durbin and Senator
Obama for recognizing the importance of this issue to the multi-billion
dollar Illinois horse industry and for helping to protect the life-blood of
our industry, the horses.

The time has come to now move forward toward permanently protecting American
horses - both wild and domestic - by passing the American Horse Slaughter
Prevention Act, and we strongly urge senators Durbin and Obama, as well as
all Illinois House delegation, to co-sponsor and work toward passage of this
much-needed and long-overdue legislation.

Gail Vacca


Illinois Coordinator

National Horse Protection Coalition

DeKalb
 

as published in the Daily-Chronicle, September 2005, http://www.daily-chronicle.com/articles/2005/09/27/opinions/letters/letters03.txt