[Congressional Bills 107th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2622 Introduced in House (IH)]







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 consumption, and for other 
                               purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives 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 SLAUGHTER PROHIBITED.

    (a) Prohibition.--It shall be unlawful for any person 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 necessary 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 violation 
        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 subsection (e).
            (2) Interference with officials.--Any person who forcibly 
        assaults, resists, opposes, impedes, 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 person while engaged in or on account of the 
        performance 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 resided.
    (f) Grants.--
            (1) In general.--The Secretary may make grants to rescue 
        facilities described in subsection (e) that have given adequate 
        assurances to the Secretary that they are willing to accept 
        horses donated pursuant to that subsection.
            (2) Authorization of appropriations.--There are authorized 
        to be appropriated for the purposes 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 several States, 
        the District of Columbia, and any territory or possession of 
        the United States.

SEC. 3. REGULATIONS.

    Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this 
Act, the Secretary shall issue final regulations to carry out this Act, 
including regulations for enforcement of and inspections under this 
Act. This Act shall take effect on the date of the enactment of this 
Act without regard to whether such regulations have been issued.
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