On November 14, the U.S. House of Representatives approved the Prevent All Soring Tactics (PAST) Act, H.R. 5441, by an overwhelming 304 to 111 bipartisan vote. This legislation will amend the 1970 Horse Protection Act by closing loopholes that have allowed violators to continue the abusive practice of “soring” Tennessee Walking Horses and certain other breeds. The bill also bans devices used for soring and strengthen penalities for those who break the rules.
“For decades, we’ve pressed to end soring by conducting undercover investigations, raising public awareness, lobbying to secure greater funding for enhanced enforcement by the USDA and working with champions in Congress and coalition partners to enact this legislation,” said Kitty Block, president and CEO off the Humane Society of the United States and CEO of Humane Society Legislative Fund. “Now, we’re calling on the Senate to pass the PAST Act and send it to President Biden’s desk. There’s no excuse for further delays or obstruction; these animals have suffered for far too long.”
The Senate companion bill, S. 2295, introduced by Sens. Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, and Mark Warner, D-Va., currently has 53 Senate cosponsors. The Senate Commerce Committee approved identical legislation in 2014.
