[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 52 (Tuesday, April 1, 2014)]
[Senate]
[Pages S1935-S1936]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. ALEXANDER (for himself, Mr. McConnell, Mr. Isakson, and 
        Mr. Paul):
  S. 2193. A bill to amend the Horse Protection Act to provide 
increased protection for horses participating in shows, exhibitions, or 
sales, and for other purposes; to the Committee on Commerce, Science, 
and Transportation.
  Mr. ALEXANDER. Mr. President, today I am introducing a bill with 
Senators McConnell, Isakson and Paul that will preserve the Tennessee 
Walking Horse tradition while stopping the contemptible practice of 
illegal soring.
  The Horse Protection Act Amendments Act of 2014, will preserve the 
century-old Tennessee Walking Horse tradition and stop the contemptible 
practice of illegal soring.
  This legislation builds upon a bill introduced in the House of 
Representatives by Congressman Marsha Blackburn that has support of 11 
other congressmen and the American Farm Bureau. The Tennessee Farm 
Bureau commented about Congressman Blackburn's bill in a letter to me 
that said her legislation would ``allow the vast majority of horse 
owners, trainers and breeders and those who play by the rules to 
confidently participate in the horse shows.''
  A competing bill, advocated by the Humane Society of the United 
States, has also been introduced in the Senate and would ban many 
industry-standard training and show devices. This legislation has been 
described by the Performance Show Horse Association as legislation that 
would ``do little more than create another layer of bureaucracy at the 
USDA while denying horse enthusiasts the opportunity'' to participate 
in competitions that are the

[[Page S1936]]

basis of the Tennessee Walking Horse industry.
  The Humane Society Bill goes too far. In baseball, if a player 
illegally uses steroids, you punish the player--you don't shut down 
America's national pastime. With Tennessee Walking Horse shows, when 
trainers, owners or riders illegally sore a horse, we should find a 
more effective way to punish and stop them--not shut down one of 
Tennessee's most treasured traditions. The problem with the Humane 
Society bill is that it destroys a Tennessee tradition known around the 
world.
  Julius Johnson, Commissioner of Agriculture for Tennessee, said that 
the Humane Society legislation will, ``damage the industry 
significantly and potentially eliminate the performance horse all 
together.''
  When I first went to Japan in 1979 to recruit Nissan, the Tennessee 
Walking Horse was one of the things the Japanese knew best about our 
state. In fact, the emperor had his own Walking Horse because it has an 
enjoyable gait that makes riding a more pleasurable experience. When 
the first major supplier of Nissan, Calsonic, came to Shelbyville, the 
company's gift to Tennessee was Calsonic Arena, where the Tennessee 
Walking Horse National Celebration is held.
  In 2013 the Tennessee Walking Horse tradition included more than 360 
affiliated shows, and it featured more than 220,000 registered horses 
nationwide, including more than 55,000 in Tennessee, according to the 
Tennessee Walking Horse Association.
  Our goal is to find a way to preserve the Tennessee Walking Horse 
tradition and stop the cruelty to horses. We need a balanced approach, 
and that is what this bill provides.
  This legislation takes four primary steps to preserve the Tennessee 
Walking Horse tradition while ending the illegal practice of soring. 
The bill would create consistent oversight by consolidating the 
numerous ``horse industry organizations'' that currently handle 
inspections into one organization overseeing inspections, governed by a 
board. The board would be composed of appointees by the States of 
Tennessee and Kentucky, as well as experts in the Tennessee Walking 
Horse industry.
  Next the bill requires the use of objective, scientific testing to 
determine whether trainers, riders or owners are using soring 
techniques. Examples of this objective testing include blood samples 
and swabbing the horse for chemicals used to sore a horse.
  Lastly, the legislation would ensure the integrity of horse 
inspectors by instructing the horse industry organization to establish 
requirements to prevent conflicts of interest with trainers, breeders 
and owners involved in showing the Tennessee Walking Horse.
  We have proposed three improvements to the legislation introduced in 
the House. First, the new consolidated horse industry organization 
would be required to identify and contract with equine veterinary 
experts to advise the horse industry organization on testing methods 
and procedures, as well as the certification of test results.
  Next the legislation creates a suspension period for horses that are 
found to be sore. Owners whose horses are found to be sore will have 
their horses suspended from showing for 30-days for the first offense, 
with additional offenses requiring 90-day suspensions. This is on top 
of existing penalties already in the Horse Protection Act. For a first 
time offense a person could spend one-year in jail and also pay a $3000 
fine. For a second or future offense a person could spend two-years in 
jail and also pay a fine of $5000.
  Lastly, the legislation creates four-year term limits for board 
members of the horse industry organization that would oversee 
inspections.
  We can end the contemptible practice of illegal soring without 
shutting down the century-old tradition of the Tennessee Walking Horse. 
I urge my colleagues to carefully consider this legislation and the 
balanced approach it provides.
                                 ______