The Government Affairs section supports public policies—principally at the state and federal levels—to protect animals. Look up legislative efforts in each state.

The 111th Congress is now in session, and we're at an unprecedented point in history when it comes to animal protection legislation.

We look forward to working with the new Administration and the 111th Congress. Here's a look at some issues we will focus on this year. Be sure to make your voice heard in support of these bills.

Horse Slaughter (H.R. 503/S.727)
The Conyers-Burton Prevention of Equine Cruelty Act would finally end the suffering endured by more than 100,000 horses each year who are hauled across the country and into Mexico and Canada, to be cruelly slaughtered for human consumption in foreign markets. Tell your legislators to support this legislation to stop horse slaughter.

Puppy Mills
Puppy mills are cruel, factory-style breeding businesses that produce puppies in large numbers and sell them to unsuspecting consumers. We need Congress to crack down on these mass dog-breeding facilities and require businesses that sell puppies online and directly to the public to meet welfare standards.

Fur Labeling
Recent tests by The HSUS showed that animal fur is frequently unlabeled, mislabeled or marked as faux. We hope the 111th Congress will pass legislation to require truth-in-labeling for all fur products so that consumers can make informed choices.

Downed Animals
Downed animals suffer terribly on their way to slaughter and are at a higher risk of carrying diseases. We are working to end the use in human food of animals too sick or injured to stand or walk on their own, and require that they be immediately and humanely euthanized.

Ape Protection (H.R. 1326)
Approximately 1,200 chimpanzees are languishing in laboratories across the United States. We need Congress to phase out the use of chimpanzees in invasive research and retire the estimated 500 federally-owned chimpanzees to permanent sanctuary. Tell your legislators to support this legislation to help chimpanzees.

Other important legislation we will be working on includes:

• Primates as Pets (H.R. 80/S. 462) to prohibit interstate and foreign commerce in nonhuman primates for the pet trade
• Shark Finning (H.R. 81) to end the cruel practice of cutting off sharks’ fins and throwing the sharks back in the water, often while still alive.
• Wild Horses and Burros (H.R. 1018) to restore the prohibition on commercial sale and slaughter of wild horses and burros, and encourage broader implementation of immunocontraception as a long-term solution to eliminate round-ups and “storage” of wild horses.
• Canadian Seal Hunt (S. Res. 84) to urge Canada to end its commercial seal hunt.
• Class B Dealers to prohibit sale for research of dogs and cats by Class B dealers, who obtain these animals from random sources such as pet theft and free-to-good-home ads.
• Farm Animal Stewardship Purchasing Act to require that suppliers of meat, egg, and dairy products to federal programs provide enough space so that animals raised for these products can stand up, turn around, and lie down.
  

These are just some of the issues we will be tackling in the 111th Congress. Click here for a more complete roster of pending and anticipated bills. For a list of important actions we hope the Obama Administration will take, read our 100-point Change Agenda for Animals. We hope you’ll work with us to achieve these important reforms. And don't forget that you can see how all legislators in the 110th Congress scored on animal protection issues at www.humanescorecard.org.