[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1726 Introduced in House (IH)]







110th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 1726

           To promote more humane treatment of farm animals.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             March 28, 2007

Mr. DeFazio (for himself, Mr. Shays, Mr. Kucinich, Ms. Schakowsky, Mr. 
   Frank of Massachusetts, and Mr. Moran of Virginia) introduced the 
 following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Oversight and 
Government Reform, and in addition to the Committee on Agriculture, for 
a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for 
consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the 
                          committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
           To promote more humane treatment of farm animals.

    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 ``Farm Animal Stewardship Purchasing 
Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND DECLARATION OF POLICY.

    (a) Findings.--Congress finds the following:
            (1) More humane treatment of livestock minimizes needless 
        suffering, results in safer and better working conditions for 
        persons engaged in the animal agricultural industry, brings 
        about improvement of products, and generates other benefits for 
        producers, processors, consumers, public health, and the 
        environment, which expedite an orderly flow of livestock 
        products in interstate and foreign commerce.
            (2) The Federal Government can lead by example in the 
        marketplace and encourage more humane practices by purchasing 
        products derived from livestock raised in compliance with this 
        Act.
    (b) Declaration of Policy.--It is the policy of the United States 
that the raising of livestock, including pigs, cattle, bison, chickens, 
turkeys, ducks, geese, goats, sheep, rabbits, ostriches, emus, rheas, 
and other non-aquatic animals used, or intended for use, for food 
production shall be consistent with the basic principles of animal 
welfare.

SEC. 3. MINIMUM COMPLIANCE REQUIREMENTS FOR FEDERAL PROCUREMENT.

    (a) In General.--The Federal Government may not purchase any food 
product derived from a covered animal unless such covered animal is 
raised in compliance with subsection (b).
    (b) Compliance.--A covered animal is raised in compliance with this 
subsection only if the animal is--
            (1) provided adequate space to stand, lie down, move his or 
        her head freely, turn around completely, and fully extend all 
        limbs or wings without touching any part of an enclosure or 
        another animal;
            (2) provided daily access to adequate food and water 
        sufficient to ensure the health and well-being of the covered 
        animal without forced feeding or feed withdrawal;
            (3) provided adequate veterinary care, including prompt 
        treatment or humane euthanasia of a sick or injured covered 
        animal; and
            (4) in the case of a covered animal that is a mammal, the 
        offspring of a dam that was kept in compliance with paragraphs 
        (1) through (3) during the pregancy yielding such offspring.

SEC. 4. EXEMPTIONS.

    Nothing in this Act shall apply to a covered animal--
            (1) during lawful transport;
            (2) in lawful rodeo exhibitions, State or county fair 
        exhibitions, or other similar exhibitions;
            (3) in lawful scientific or agricultural research;
            (4) while undergoing an examination, test, treatment, or 
        operation for individualized veterinary purposes to improve the 
        well-being of such covered animal; or
            (5) in the case of a sow, during the seven day period prior 
        to the date the sow is expected to give birth.

SEC. 5. COVERED ANIMAL DEFINED.

    In this Act, the term ``covered animal'' means any non-aquatic farm 
animal, including a pig, head of cattle, head of bison, chicken, 
turkey, duck, goose, goat, sheep, rabbit, ostrich, emu, or rhea used or 
intended for use in food production.

SEC. 6. EFFECT ON OTHER LAWS.

    Nothing in this Act shall modify, limit, or repeal any law in 
effect upon the date of the enactment of this Act or preempt any State 
or local law.

SEC. 7. EFFECTIVE DATE.

    This Act shall take effect on the date that is two years after the 
date of the enactment of this Act.
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