I
107TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 2622
To prohibit the interstate transport of horses for the purpose of slaughter
or horse flesh intended for human consumption, and for other purposes.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
JULY 25, 2001
Mr. REYNOLDS introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Agriculture
A BILL
To prohibit the interstate transport of horses for the purpose
of slaughter or horse flesh intended for human consump-
tion, 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 ‘‘Helping Out to Rescue
and Save Equines Act’’.
SEC. 2. INTERSTATE TRANSPORT OF HORSES FOR SLAUGH-
TER PROHIBITED.
(a) PROHIBITION.—It shall be unlawful for any per-
son to willingly and knowingly transport or cause to be
transported between any place in a State and any place
outside of such State—
(1) any horse (other than a downed horse) for
the purpose of slaughtering the horse; or
(2) any horse flesh processed or intended to be
processed for human consumption.
(b) INSPECTIONS.—The Secretary shall make such
investigations or inspections as the Secretary deems nec-
essary to determine whether any person has violated or
is violating any provision of this section or any regulation
issued under this section.
(c) CONFISCATION.—The Secretary shall promulgate
regulations to permit inspectors to confiscate any horse
or horse flesh found to be in transport or to have been
transported in violation of subsection (a).
(d) PENALTIES.—
(1) ILLEGAL TRANSPORT.—Any person who is
found to have violated subsection (a) shall be fined
$5,000. Such a fine shall be assessed per horse that
is transported in violation of subsection (a)(1) and
per property-carrying unit (as defined in section
31112 of title 49, United States Code) for a viola-
tion of subsection (a)(2) regardless of how many
State lines were crossed during that transport. In
addition to such fine, in the case of a violation of
subsection (a)(1), such person shall be fined an
amount determined by the Secretary to defray or
help defray the costs of confiscating, transporting,
boarding, and providing veterinary care to the horse
until it is placed in a rescue facility pursuant to sub-
section (e).
(2) INTERFERENCE
WITH
OFFICIALS.—Any
person who forcibly assaults, resists, opposes, im-
pedes, intimidates, or interferes with any person
while engaged in or on account of the performance
of official duties under this section shall be fined not
more than $5,000, or imprisoned not more than
three years, or both. Whoever, in the commission of
such acts, uses a deadly or dangerous weapon shall
be fined not more than $10,000, or imprisoned not
more than ten years, or both. Whoever kills any per-
son while engaged in or on account of the perform-
ance of official duties under this section shall be
punished as provided under sections 1111 and 1114
of title 18, United States Code.
(e) PLACEMENT OF CONFISCATED HORSES.—After
confiscation of a live horse pursuant to subsection (c), the
Secretary shall donate the horse to a rescue facility that
is an organization described in section 501(c)(3) of the
Internal Revenue Code of 1986 and is exempt from tax
under section 501(a) of such Code. The Secretary shall
make reasonable efforts to place the horse in such a rescue
facility located within the State where the horse last re-
sided.
(f) GRANTS.—
(1) IN
GENERAL.—The Secretary may make
grants to rescue facilities described in subsection (e)
that have given adequate assurances to the Sec-
retary that they are willing to accept horses donated
pursuant to that subsection.
(2) AUTHORIZATION
OF
APPROPRIATIONS.—
There are authorized to be appropriated for the pur-
poses of this subsection amounts equal to amounts
collected under subsection (d).
(g) DEFINITIONS.—For the purposes of this section,
the following definitions apply:
(1) DOWNED
HORSE.—The term ‘‘downed
horse’’ means a horse that is unable to stand and
walk unassisted.
(2) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means
the Secretary of Agriculture.
(3) STATE.—The term ‘‘State’’ means the sev-
eral States, the District of Columbia, and any terri-
tory or possession of the United States.
SEC. 3. REGULATIONS.
Not later than 180 days after the date of the enact-
ment of this Act, the Secretary shall issue final regulations
to carry out this Act, including regulations for enforce-
ment of and inspections under this Act. This Act shall
take effect on the date of the enactment of this Act with-
out regard to whether such regulations have been issued.
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