I 

109TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 503 

To amend the Horse Protection Act to prohibit the shipping, transporting, 

moving, delivering, receiving, possessing, purchasing, selling, or donation 

of horses and other equines to be slaughtered for human consumption, 

and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

FEBRUARY 1, 2005 

Mr. SWEENEY (for himself, Mr. SPRATT, Mr. WHITFIELD, Mrs. BONO, Mr. 

BROWN of Ohio, Mr. COX, Mrs. CAPPS, Mr. ENGEL, Ms. ESHOO, Mr. 

FERGUSON, Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas, Mr. PALLONE, Mr. TOWNS, Mr. 

GALLEGLY, Mr. MORAN of Virginia, and Mr. SHAYS) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce 

A BILL 

To amend the Horse Protection Act to prohibit the shipping, 

transporting, moving, delivering, receiving, possessing, 

purchasing, selling, or donation of horses and other 

equines to be slaughtered for human consumption, and 

for other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
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1 SECTION 1. PROHIBITION ON SHIPPING, TRANSPORTING, 

2 MOVING, DELIVERING, RECEIVING, POS3 SESSING, PURCHASING, SELLING, OR DONA4 TION OF HORSES AND OTHER EQUINES FOR 

5 SLAUGHTER FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION. 

6 (a) DEFINITIONS.—Section 2 of the Horse Protection 

7 Act (15 U.S.C. 1821) is amended— 

8 (1) by redesignating paragraphs (1), (2), (3), 

9 and (4) as paragraphs (2), (3), (5), and (6), respec10 tively; 

11 (2) by inserting before paragraph (2), as so re12 designated, the following new paragraph: 

13 ‘‘(1) The term ‘human consumption’ means in14 gestion by people as a source of food.’’; and 

15 (3) by inserting after paragraph (3), as so re16 designated, the following new paragraph: 

17 ‘‘(4) The term ‘slaughter’ means the killing of 

18 one or more horses or other equines with the intent 

19 to sell or trade the flesh for human consumption.’’. 

20 (b) FINDINGS.—Section 3 of the Horse Protection 

21 Act (15 U.S.C. 1822) is amended— 

22 (1) by redesignating paragraphs (1) through 

23 (5) as paragraphs (6) through (10), respectively; 

24 (2) by adding before paragraph (6), as so redes25 ignated, the following new paragraphs: 
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1 ‘‘(1) horses and other equines play a vital role 

2 in the collective experience of the United States and 

3 deserve protection and compassion; 

4 ‘‘(2) horses and other equines are domestic ani5 mals that are used primarily for recreation, pleasure, 

6 and sport; 

7 ‘‘(3) unlike cows, pigs, and many other animals, 

8 horses and other equines are not raised for the pur9 pose of being slaughtered for human consumption; 

10 ‘‘(4) individuals selling horses or other equines 

11 at auctions are seldom aware that the animals may 

12 be bought for the purpose of being slaughtered for 

13 human consumption; 

14 ‘‘(5) the Animal and Plant Health Inspection 

15 Service of the Department of Agriculture has found 

16 that horses and other equines cannot be safely and 

17 humanely transported in double deck trailers;’’; and 

18 (3) by striking paragraph (8), as so redesig19 nated, and inserting the following new paragraph: 

20 ‘‘(8) the movement, showing, exhibition, or sale 

21 of sore horses in intrastate commerce, and the ship22 ping, transporting, moving, delivering, receiving, 

23 possessing, purchasing, selling, or donation in intra24 state commerce of horses and other equines to be 
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1 slaughtered for human consumption, adversely affect 

2 and burden interstate and foreign commerce;’’. 

3 (c) PROHIBITION.—Section 5 of the Horse Protection 

4 Act (15 U.S.C. 1824) is amended— 

5 (1) by redesignating paragraphs (8) through 

6 (11) as paragraphs (9) through (12), respectively; 

7 and 

8 (2) by inserting after paragraph 7 the following 

9 new paragraph: 

10 ‘‘(8) The shipping, transporting, moving, deliv11 ering, receiving, possessing, purchasing, selling, or 

12 donation of any horse or other equine to be slaugh13 tered for human consumption.’’. 

14 (d) AUTHORITY TO DETAIN.—Section 6(e) of the 

15 Horse Protection Act (15 U.S.C. 1825(e)) is amended— 

16 (1) by striking the first sentence of paragraph 

17 (1); 

18 (2) by redesignating paragraphs (1) and (2) 

19 and as paragraphs (2) and (3), respectively; and 

20 (3) by inserting before paragraph (2), as so re21 designated, the following new paragraph: 

22 ‘‘(1) The Secretary may detain for examination, test23 ing, or the taking of evidence— 

24 ‘‘(A) any horse at any horse show, horse exhi25 bition, or horse sale or auction which is sore or 
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1 which the Secretary has probable cause to believe is 

2 sore; and 

3 ‘‘(B) any horse or other equine which the Sec4 retary has probable cause to believe is being shipped, 

5 transported, moved, delivered, received, possessed, 

6 purchased, sold, or donated in violation of section 

7 5(8).’’. 

8 (e) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—Section 

9 12 of the Horse Protection Act (15 U.S.C. 1831) is 

10 amended by striking ‘‘$500,000’’ and inserting 

11 ‘‘$5,000,000’’. 

Æ