I 
115TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 2651 
To improve the integrity and safety of horseracing by requiring a uniform 
anti-doping and medication control program to be developed and enforced 
by an independent Horseracing Anti-Doping and Medication Control Au-
thority. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MAY 25, 2017 
Mr. BARR (for himself and Mr. TONKO) introduced the following bill; which 
was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce 
A BILL 
To improve the integrity and safety of horseracing by requir-
ing a uniform anti-doping and medication control pro-
gram to be developed and enforced by an independent 
Horseracing Anti-Doping and Medication Control Au-
thority. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Horseracing Integrity 
Act of 2017’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
Congress finds the following: 
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(1) Recognizing the substantial relation that 
horseracing has to interstate commerce, Congress 
enacted the Interstate Horseracing Act of 1978 (15 
U.S.C. 3001 et seq.) to regulate pari-mutuel wager-
ing on horseracing in order to protect and further 
the horseracing industry of the United States. This 
Act does not modify or supplement the Interstate 
Horseracing Act of 1978 or impair or restrict the 
operation and enforcement of State law or regulation 
of horseracing with respect to matters unrelated to 
anti-doping and medication control or for violations 
of State or Federal criminal law. 
(2) Approximately 40 percent of the 740,239 
starts by Thoroughbred, Quarter Horse, and 
Standardbred racehorses in 2015 were made by 
horses that competed in more than one State. Those 
Thoroughbred, Quarter Horse, and Standardbred 
racehorses which participated in races in more than 
one State in 2015 made over 55 percent of all 
United States racing starts that year. 
(3) Uniform adoption of national anti-doping 
and medication control standards for horseracing in 
the United States will promote interstate commerce, 
encourage fair competition and a level playing field, 
assure full and fair disclosure of information to pur-
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chasers of breeding stock and to the wagering pub-
lic, will improve the marketplace for domestic and 
international sales of United States horses, will pro-
vide a platform for consistency with all major inter-
national horseracing standards, address growing do-
mestic concerns over disparities with international 
rules, and provide for the safety and welfare of 
horses and jockeys. 
(4) The use of therapeutic medications in horse-
racing in the United States must place the health 
and welfare of the horse at the highest level of pri-
ority while achieving consistency with the uses per-
mitted in major international horseracing jurisdic-
tions. Because the various States have been unable 
to adopt a national uniform anti-doping and medica-
tion control program, national uniform regulations 
with respect to the use of, and testing for, drugs ca-
pable of affecting the results of a horse race and 
therapeutic medications used in horseracing, such 
rules, procedures, and enforcement policies should be 
implemented, consistent with internationally accept-
ed best practices, by an independent anti-doping and 
medication control organization authorized by an act 
of Congress. 
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(5) For human sports, Congress has dem-
onstrated its commitment to fair competition 
through legislation, oversight, funding, and by its 
execution of an international treaty, the UNESCO 
International Convention Against Doping in Sport. 
By ratifying the UNESCO Convention, the United 
States agreed to adopt appropriate measures con-
sistent with the principles of the World Anti-Doping 
Code and to take appropriate action, including legis-
lation, regulation, policies, or administrative prac-
tices to implement that commitment. 
(6) In the context of Olympic sports, Congress 
has recognized the United States Anti-Doping Agen-
cy as an independent anti-doping and medication 
control organization possessing high-level expertise 
and credibility in the development and administra-
tion of an anti-doping and medication control pro-
gram. 
(7) Congress supports the establishment of an 
independent anti-doping and medication control or-
ganization to ensure the wagering public’s con-
fidence in the fairness of horseracing and to 
strengthen and harmonize anti-doping and medica-
tion control rules and sanctions for horseracing in 
order to ensure fair and transparent horseraces and 
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