(2) Commercial greyhound racing was first le-
galized in Florida in 1931. 
(3) Modern racetracks require internet-based 
wire communications to process bets and wagers, 
calculate odds, broadcast races, announce results, 
and pay winnings to gamblers. 
(4) Public records reveal that some greyhounds 
used for live commercial racing suffer serious inju-
ries including broken backs, broken necks, head 
trauma, paralysis, seizures, and electrocution. 
(5) State records show that some racing grey-
hounds test positive for drugs including cocaine, am-
phetamines, barbituates, opiods, and steroids. 
(6) State investigatory files document that rac-
ing greyhounds are kept confined for 20-23 hours a 
day in stacked, metal cages, typically with little op-
portunity to socialize with other dogs. 
(7) Many small animals, including but not lim-
ited to rabbits and hares, are bought, sold, delivered, 
transported, and received in interstate and foreign 
commerce for use as live bait in the training of rac-
ing greyhounds and in open field coursing. 
(8) Typically, animals used in the live lure 
training of greyhounds may be dragged on ropes, 
hung from a horizontal pole which rotates around a 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
23:12 Aug 15, 2020
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H7826.IH
H7826
pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS
training track or simply set loose to be chased and 
mauled. Alive or dead, helpless bait animals may be 
used repeatedly until they are torn apart. 
(9) Live lure training is prohibited in more 
than a dozen States, but there is no Federal statute. 
In the late 1970’s, the National Greyhound Associa-
tion, a membership organization representing breed-
ers, trainers and other industry participants, an-
nounced a policy against live lure training in order 
to convince then-Senators Birch Bayh and Robert 
Dole to withdraw their proposed legislation. 
(10) Open field coursing preceded commercial 
dog racing and is an activity in which greyhounds or 
other sighthounds are released to pursue and kill 
bait animals, often in a fenced area. Greyhounds 
often collide and suffer injuries in the chase. 
(11) Dog owners travel from multiple States 
and countries to compete and win prizes and some-
times gamble on open field coursing events. 
(12) As with commercial greyhound racing, 
internet sites are used to promote coursing tour-
naments and post results to a worldwide audience. 
(13) The National Field Coursing Association is 
the umbrella group for coursing clubs nationwide 
and had 12 clubs in California as of 2006. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
23:12 Aug 15, 2020
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H7826.IH
H7826
pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS
(14) Open field coursing is illegal in as many 
as 12 States. 
(15) Open field coursing was prohibited as a 
blood sport in Scotland in 2002 and in the United 
Kingdom in 2004. 
(16) Twenty-five years ago, there were 60 grey-
hound tracks in the United States. Once a voter-ap-
proved ballot measure prohibiting greyhound racing 
takes full effect in Florida in 2020 and the vol-
untary shut down of Southland Park in Arkansas 
takes place as of 2022, no more than 5 tracks will 
remain throughout the country. 
(17) According to the State of Florida, track 
owners had been collectively losing more than $30 
million annually because of sagging attendance and 
decreased wagering. According to a State-commis-
sioned report, the State spent more money regu-
lating the industry in its national hub than it gen-
erated in tax revenue. 
(18) As of December 31, 2022, live commercial 
dog racing will be illegal in 41 States. This dying in-
dustry will remain legal and operational in no more 
than 4 States. 
(b) POLICY.—It is the policy of the Congress in this 
chapter to prohibit the use of wire communications for the 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
23:12 Aug 15, 2020
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00004
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H7826.IH
H7826
pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS
purpose of gambling on live, commercial greyhound racing 
and open field coursing events and to prohibit the trans-
port of animals including but not limited to greyhounds, 
rabbits, and hares in interstate and foreign commerce in 
furtherance of these activities. 
SEC. 3. PROTECTION OF GREYHOUNDS. 
Section 1084 of title 18, United States Code, is 
amended by adding at the end the following new section: 
‘‘(f) Nothing contained in this section shall be con-
strued to authorize gambling on commercial greyhound 
racing taking place domestically or internationally using 
wire communications or to permit the transport of animals 
for the purpose of conducting or furthering commercial 
dog racing, live lure training or field coursing.’’. 
SEC. 4. RULE OF CONSTRUCTION. 
Nothing in this Act, or the amendments made by this 
Act, shall be construed— 
(1) to preempt any State law prohibiting gam-
bling or protecting the welfare of animals including 
but not limited to greyhounds, rabbits, and hares; or 
(2) to alter, limit, or extend the relationship be-
tween the Interstate Horseracing Act of 1978 (15 
U.S.C. 3001 et seq.) as it relates to horse racing 
and other Federal laws in effect on the date of en-
actment of this Act. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
23:12 Aug 15, 2020
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00005
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H7826.IH
H7826
pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS
SEC. 5. EFFECTIVE DATE. 
The amendment made by section 3 shall take effect 
on December 31, 2022. 
Æ 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
23:12 Aug 15, 2020
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00006
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6301
E:\BILLS\H7826.IH
H7826
pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS