I 
114TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 4105 
To amend the Horse Protection Act to provide increased protection for horses 
participating in shows, exhibitions, or sales, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
NOVEMBER 19, 2015 
Mr. DESJARLAIS (for himself, Mr. DUNCAN of Tennessee, Mr. FLEISCHMANN, 
Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky, Mr. BARR, Mr. FINCHER, Mrs. BLACK, Mrs. 
BLACKBURN, and Mr. ROE of Tennessee) introduced the following bill; 
which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce 
A BILL 
To amend the Horse Protection Act to provide increased 
protection for horses participating in shows, exhibitions, 
or sales, and for other purposes. 
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 ‘‘Horse Protection 
Amendments Act of 2015’’. 
SEC. 2. DEFINITION. 
Section 2 of the Horse Protection Act (15 U.S.C. 
1821) is amended— 
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(1) by redesignating paragraphs (2) and (3) as 
paragraphs (3) and (4), respectively; and 
(2) by inserting after paragraph (1) the fol-
lowing new paragraph: 
‘‘(2) The term ‘objective inspection’ means an 
inspection conducted using only inspection methods 
based on science-based protocols (including swabbing 
or blood testing protocols) that— 
‘‘(A) have been the subject of testing and 
are capable of producing scientifically reliable, 
reproducible results; 
‘‘(B) have been subjected to peer review; 
and 
‘‘(C) have received acceptance in the vet-
erinary or other applicable scientific commu-
nity.’’. 
SEC. 3. INCREASING PROTECTIONS FOR HORSES PARTICI-
PATING IN HORSE SHOWS, EXHIBITIONS, OR 
SALES OR AUCTIONS. 
(a) FINDINGS.—Section 3 of the Horse Protection 
Act (15 U.S.C. 1822) is amended— 
(1) by redesignating paragraphs (4) and (5) as 
paragraphs (5) and (6), respectively; and 
(2) by inserting after paragraph (3) the fol-
lowing new paragraph: 
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‘‘(4) the Inspector General of the Department 
of Agriculture has determined the program through 
which the Secretary inspects horses is not adequate 
to ensure compliance with this Act;’’. 
(b) HORSE SHOWS AND EXHIBITIONS.—Section 4(c) 
of the Horse Protection Act (15 U.S.C. 1823(c)) is 
amended— 
(1) in the first sentence, by striking ‘‘appoint-
ment by the management of any horse show, horse 
exhibition, or horse sale or auction of persons quali-
fied to detect and diagnose a horse which is sore or 
to otherwise inspect horses for the purposes of en-
forcing this Act’’ and inserting ‘‘that affiliation and 
appointment’’; 
(2) by inserting before the first sentence, the 
following: ‘‘(1) The Horse Industry Organization es-
tablished under paragraph (2) shall establish a for-
mal affiliation with the management of each horse 
sale, horse exhibition, and horse sale or auction, ap-
point inspectors to conduct inspections at each such 
show, exhibition, and sale or auction, and in coordi-
nation with the Secretary, otherwise ensure compli-
ance with this Act.’’; and 
(3) by adding at the end the following new 
paragraph: 
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‘‘(2)(A) Not later than 180 days after the date 
of the enactment of this paragraph, the Secretary 
shall prescribe by regulation the establishment of a 
single horse industry organization (referred to in 
this Act as the ‘Horse Industry Organization’ or the 
‘HIO’). The HIO shall be headed or otherwise gov-
erned by not more than nine individuals appointed 
in accordance with the following: 
‘‘(i) Four individuals shall be appointed by 
the heads of State agencies on agriculture, two 
of whom shall be appointed by the Commis-
sioner of Agriculture for the State of Tennessee 
and two of whom shall be appointed by the 
Commissioner of Agriculture for the Common-
wealth of Kentucky. 
‘‘(ii) Two individuals representing the Ten-
nessee Walking Horse industry shall be ap-
pointed from within such industry by the indi-
viduals appointed under clause (i) in accordance 
with a process developed by the individuals so 
appointed in consultation with the Walking 
Horse Trainers’ Association. 
‘‘(iii) Not more than three individuals shall 
be appointed by the six individuals appointed 
under clauses (i) and (ii). 
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‘‘(B) The nine individuals appointed under 
clauses (i), (ii), and (iii) of subparagraph (A) shall 
establish a process for filling any vacancy and for 
the subsequent appointment of individuals initially 
appointed under such subparagraph. 
‘‘(C) Section 14(a)(2)(B) of the Federal Advi-
sory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.; relating to the 
termination of advisory committees) shall not apply 
to the HIO. 
‘‘(D) The Horse Industry Organization shall 
issue policies establishing requirements for any per-
son licensed by the Horse Industry Organization or 
a member of the immediate family of such a person 
to be free from conflicts of interest, by reason of any 
association or connection with the walking horse in-
dustry including through— 
‘‘(i) being employed by or providing any 
services to any show manager, trainer, owner, 
or exhibitor of Tennessee Walking horses, Spot-
ted Saddle horses, or Racking horses; and 
‘‘(ii) training, exhibiting, shoeing, breeding, 
or selling Tennessee Walking horses, Spotted 
Saddle horses, or Racking horses. 
‘‘(E) Not later than 90 days after the date on 
which the Horse Industry Organization is estab-
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lished pursuant to this paragraph, the Secretary 
shall revoke the certification issued to any horse in-
dustry organization under section 11.7 of title 9, 
Code of Federal Regulations (or any successor regu-
lation), as in effect on such date.’’. 
(c) UNLAWFUL ACTS.—Section 5 of the Horse Pro-
tection Act (15 U.S.C. 1824) is amended— 
(1) in paragraph (3), by striking ‘‘appoint and 
retain a person in accordance with section 4(c) of 
this Act’’ and inserting ‘‘establish a formal affili-
ation with the Horse Industry Organization under 
section 4(c)’’; 
(2) in paragraph (4), by striking ‘‘appoint and 
retain a qualified person in accordance with section 
4(c) of this Act’’ and inserting ‘‘establish a formal 
affiliation with the Horse Industry Organization 
under section 4(c)’’; 
(3) in paragraph (5), by striking ‘‘appointed 
and retained a person in accordance with section 
4(c) of this Act’’ and inserting ‘‘establish a formal 
affiliation with the Horse Industry Organization 
under section 4(c)’’; and 
(4) in paragraph (6)— 
(A) by striking ‘‘appointed and retained a 
person in accordance with section 4(c) of this 
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Act’’ and inserting ‘‘established a formal affili-
ation with the Horse Industry Organization 
under section 4(c)’’; and 
(B) by striking ‘‘such person or the Sec-
retary’’ and inserting ‘‘a person licensed by the 
Horse Industry Organization’’. 
SEC. 4. REGULATIONS. 
Not later than 180 days after the date of the enact-
ment of this Act, the Secretary shall issue regulations to 
carry out the amendments made by this Act. 
Æ 
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