[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 152 (Wednesday, September 12, 2018)]
[House]
[Pages H8117-H8118]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




             DOG AND CAT MEAT TRADE PROHIBITION ACT OF 2018

  Mr. ABRAHAM. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 6720) to prohibit the slaughter of dogs and cats for human 
consumption, and for other purposes.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 6720

       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 ``Dog and Cat Meat Trade 
     Prohibition Act of 2018''.

     SEC. 2. PROHIBITION ON SLAUGHTER OF DOGS AND CATS FOR HUMAN 
                   CONSUMPTION.

       (a) In General.--Except as provided in subsection (c), no 
     person may--
       (1) knowingly slaughter a dog or cat for human consumption; 
     or
       (2) knowingly ship, transport, move, deliver, receive, 
     possess, purchase, sell, or donate--
       (A) a dog or cat to be slaughtered for human consumption; 
     or
       (B) a dog or cat part for human consumption.
       (b) Scope.--Subsection (a) shall apply only with respect to 
     conduct--
       (1) in interstate commerce or foreign commerce; or
       (2) within the special maritime and territorial 
     jurisdiction of the United States.
       (c) Exception for Indian Tribes.--The prohibition in 
     subsection (a) shall not apply to an Indian (as defined in 
     section 4 of the Indian Self-Determination and Education 
     Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 5304)) carrying out any activity 
     described in subsection (a) for the purpose of a religious 
     ceremony.
       (d) Penalty.--Any person who violates subsection (a) shall 
     be subject to a fine in an amount not greater than $5,000 for 
     each violation.
       (e) Effect On State Law.--Nothing in this section--
       (1) limits any State or local law or regulation protecting 
     the welfare of animals; or
       (2) prevents a State or unit of local government from 
     adopting and enforcing an animal welfare law or regulation 
     that is more stringent than this section.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Louisiana (Mr. Abraham) and the gentlewoman from the Virgin Islands 
(Ms. Plaskett) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Louisiana.


                             General Leave

  Mr. ABRAHAM. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks 
and include extraneous material on the bill under consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Louisiana?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. ABRAHAM. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 6720, to prohibit the 
slaughter of dogs and cats for human consumption, and for other 
purposes.
  While this practice is completely unacceptable in the United States, 
only four States explicitly ban it. This patchwork of State laws does 
not signal the appropriate protection we Americans expect for our 
beloved pets and companions.
  To credibly condemn the international dog and cat meat trade, 
including the Yulin Dog Meat Festival in China, the United States must 
send a clear message that this practice is completely unacceptable. 
This overwhelmingly bipartisan legislation is a crucial step in doing 
just that.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this measure, and I 
reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. PLASKETT. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  I rise in support of H.R. 6720, the Dog and Cat Meat Trade 
Prohibition Act of 2018.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of my colleague, the gentleman 
from Louisiana (Mr. Abraham) and this bipartisan legislation. The Dog 
and Cat Meat Trade Prohibition Act calls for an end to the global dog 
and cat meat trade.
  Sixty-eight percent of Americans own pets. We treat our pets as 
members of the family. That is why I am surprised to learn that we 
don't already have a law on the books that prevents the killing of dogs 
and cats for their meat.
  While this remains an extremely rare issue in the United States, the 
practice does occur elsewhere in the world. By passing this bill, 
Congress will outlaw the slaughter and transfer of dogs and cats for 
human consumption in the United States.
  The farm bill currently in conference includes similar language from 
both the House and the Senate, so regardless of what our colleagues 
across the Hill do on this important issue, we can send an important 
message today.
  With this legislation, we have the chance to be a leader and set an 
example for those countries in which the cat and dog meat trade is most 
prevalent, including South Korea, Vietnam, Thailand, China, and 
elsewhere. By passing

[[Page H8118]]

this bill, we draw a clear line on this issue and send a message to the 
world that we will hold countries who abide this practice accountable.
  It should be pointed out that while prohibiting the killing of dogs 
and cats for food may be seen as a no-brainer, this legislation does 
take a sensitive approach to the issue with regard to the diverse 
cultural practices within our great Nation.
  I appreciate the work of the two gentlemen from Florida, Messrs. 
Buchanan and Hastings, and their leadership on this issue. It is an 
opportunity to come together, and we should be united in our opposition 
to this unconscionable practice.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and I reserve 
the balance of my time.
  Mr. ABRAHAM. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the 
gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Fitzpatrick), my distinguished 
colleague.
  Mr. FITZPATRICK. Mr. Speaker, I join my colleagues today to voice my 
strong support for H.R. 6720, the Dog and Cat Meat Trade Prohibition 
Act of 2018. It is critical that every single Member of this Chamber 
live up to our responsibilities to be a voice for the voiceless, and 
banning the individual sale of dog and cat meat is vital, clearly, to 
fulfilling that obligation.
  Mr. Speaker, in my district of Bucks and Montgomery Counties, as is 
the case across this Nation, our pets are members of the family who 
contribute greatly to our society. In particular, dogs serve as 
invaluable partners in law enforcement, our military, and as service 
animals.
  Today, we have before us bipartisan, commonsense legislation that 
protects these animals at the most basic level. It seems obvious that, 
in this day and age, dogs and cats are not edible species, period.
  Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend from Florida (Mr. Buchanan) for 
introducing this vital legislation, and I urge my colleagues to support 
it in a bipartisan fashion to show a united front against the horrors 
of the dog and cat meat trade.
  Ms. PLASKETT. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the 
gentleman from Florida (Mr. Hastings), my very distinguished colleague.
  Mr. HASTINGS. Mr. Speaker, I thank my distinguished colleague and 
good friend from the Virgin Islands as well as the distinguished 
gentleman from Louisiana for putting this measure forward today.
  Obviously, I support H.R. 6720, to prohibit the slaughter of dogs and 
cats for human consumption. I was pleased to join my distinguished 
colleague and co-chairman of the Florida delegation, Congressman Vern 
Buchanan, in reintroducing the measure.
  It might surprise you to learn that consumption of dogs and cats is 
still legal in 44 States, where there are no laws prohibiting the 
purchasing, shipping, transporting, selling, or donating of dogs or 
cats to be slaughtered for human consumption. This bill would prohibit 
these actions and impose penalties to ensure that individuals involved 
in the dog or cat meat trade are held accountable.
  The United States' position on this cruel and brutal practice should 
be unequivocal: Dogs and cats should not be killed in this country for 
the consumption of their meat. It is with the utmost importance that we 
unify our animal cruelty laws in all 50 States and explicitly ban the 
torture and killing of dogs and cats for human consumption.

  Mr. Speaker, I thank Congressman Buchanan for his steadfast 
leadership in raising awareness on animal welfare issues in Congress, 
and I also give a big shout-out to all those who have helped us put 
this measure together in the United States, the number of people who 
have been involved.
  I hope this body will expeditiously pass the measure. Doing so will 
reaffirm the United States' commitment to the humane treatment of our 
most beloved companions.
  I might add, I misspoke a minute ago when I said the 50 States. I 
mean the 50 States and its territories should explicitly ban the 
torture.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge a ``yes'' vote on the bill.
  Mr. ABRAHAM. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I simply urge all Members to join me in support of this 
bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.
  Ms. PLASKETT. Mr. Speaker, I urge all Members to support the passage 
of H.R. 6720, and I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. McCaul). The question is on the motion 
offered by the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Abraham) that the House 
suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 6720.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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