[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 160 (2014), Part 5]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 6623-6625]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                 PREVENT ALL SORING TACTICS (PAST) ACT

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. ED WHITFIELD

                              of kentucky

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, April 30, 2014

  Mr. WHITFIELD. Mr. Speaker, this Wednesday is National Animal 
Advocacy Day. On this day, citizens are invited to help enact 
meaningful protections for animals at the federal, state and local 
level by being an effective voice for animals.
  On National Animal Advocacy Day, Mr. Speaker, I'd like to renew my 
call for the House of Representatives to pass the Prevent All Soring 
Tactics Act, or PAST Act. This important measure will stop the soring 
of horses, an abusive practice used by horse trainers in the Tennessee 
Walking, Racking, and Spotted Saddle Horse industries. Congress passed 
the Horse Protection Act more than 40 years ago in order to protect 
horses from soring. Unfortunately, a failed self-policing enforcement 
system and inadequate penalties in the statute have allowed this 
cruelty to continue.
  This bipartisan legislation is already cosponsored by well over half 
of the House and is supported by many organizations in the equine 
industry, veterinary medicine, and animal protection communities. I am 
pleased to provide a copy of the list of support for the record to the 
full House. I urge my colleagues to take swift action to bring this 
important bill to the floor. Below is a current list of supporters of 
the PAST Act, H.R. 1518:

       Endorsements for the Prevent All Soring Tactics (PAST) Act


                          Horse Organizations

       1. American Horse Council
       2. American Quarter Horse Association
       3. American Morgan Horse Association
       4. American Paint Horse Association
       5. American Saddlebred Horse Association
       6. Appaloosa Horse Club
       7. Arizona Coalition for Equines
       8. Carolina Walkers, Inc. (South Carolina)
       9. Delaware Equine Council
       10. Equine Voices Rescue & Sanctuary (Arizona)
       11. European Tennessee Walking Horse Association
       12. Fenway Foundation for Friesian Horses
       13. For The Tennessee Walking Horse
       14. Friends of Sound Horses
       15. Friesian Horse Association of North America
       16. Gaitway Walking Horse Association (Missouri)
       17. Idaho Horse Council
       18. International Friesian Show Horse Association
       19. International Walking Horse Association
       20. Maryland Horse Council
       21. Michigan Horse Council
       22. Minnesota Horse Council
       23. Mountain Pleasure Horse Association (Kentucky)
       24. National Plantation Walking Horse Association
       25. National Walking Horse Association
       26. Natural Walking Horses (Europe)
       27. New York State Horse Breeders Association
       28. New York State Horse Council
       29. New York State Plantation Walking Horse Club

[[Page 6624]]


       30. Northern California Walking Horse Association
       31. One Horse at a Time, Inc. (Kentucky)
       32. Pennsylvania Equine Council
       33. Pennsylvania Pleasure Walking Horse Association
       34. Pinto Horse Association of America
       35. Plantation Walking Horse Association of California
       36. Plantation Walking Horses of Maryland
       37. Professional Horsemen's Association of America
       38. Pure Pleasure Gaited Horse Association (Oklahoma)
       39. Rocky Mountain Horse Association (Kentucky)
       40. Sound Trails and Rails Society (Georgia)
       41. South Carolina Horse Council
       42. South Dakota Quarter Horse Association
       43. Southern Comfort Gaited Horse Club (Idaho)
       44. Speak Up for Horses, Inc. (Kentucky)
       45. Tennessee Walking Horse Exhibitors Association of 
     Montana
       46. Tennessee Walking Horse Association of New Jersey, Inc.
       47. Tennessee Walking Horse Association of Oklahoma
       48. Tennessee Walking Horse Exhibitors Association of 
     Oregon
       49. Tennessee Walking Horse Heritage Society
       50. Texas State Horse Council
       51. United Pleasure Walking Horse Association (Missouri)
       52. United Professional Horsemen's Association
       53. United States Equestrian Federation
       54. Walking Horse Association of Michigan
       55. World Walking Horse Association
       56. Yankee Walkers/Gaited Horses of New England (Maine/New 
     Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island/Connecticut, and 
     Vermont)


                      Veterinary and Animal Health

       1. American Veterinary Medical Association
       2. American Association of Equine Practitioners
       3. National Association of Federal Veterinarians
       4. U.S. Animal Health Association
       5. Humane Society Veterinary Medical Association
       6. Veterinarians for Equine Welfare
       7. Alabama Veterinary Medical Association
       8. Alaska Veterinary Medical Association
       9. Arizona Veterinary Medical Association
       10. Arkansas Veterinary Medical Association
       11. California Veterinary Medical Association
       12. Colorado Veterinary Medical Association
       13. Connecticut Veterinary Medical Association
       14. Delaware Veterinary Medical Association
       15. District of Columbia Veterinary Medical Association
       16. Florida Association of Equine Practitioners
       17. Florida Veterinary Medical Association
       18. Georgia Veterinary Medical Association
       19. Hawaii Veterinary Medical Association
       20. Idaho Veterinary Medical Association
       21. Illinois Veterinary Medical Association
       22. Indiana Veterinary Medical Association
       23. Iowa Veterinary Medical Association
       24. Kansas Veterinary Medical Association
       25. Kentucky Veterinary Medical Association
       26. Louisiana Veterinary Medical Association
       27. Maine Veterinary Medical Association
       28. Maryland Veterinary Medical Association
       29. Massachusetts Veterinary Medical Association
       30. Michigan Veterinary Medical Association
       31. Mississippi Veterinary Medical Association
       32. Missouri Veterinary Medical Association
       33. Montana Veterinary Medical Association
       34. Nebraska Veterinary Medical Association
       35. Nevada Veterinary Medical Association
       36. New Hampshire Veterinary Medical Association
       37. New Jersey Veterinary Medical Association
       38. New Mexico Veterinary Medical Association
       39. New York State Veterinary Medical Association
       40. North Carolina Veterinary Medical Association
       41. North Dakota Veterinary Medical Association
       42. Ohio Veterinary Medical Association
       43. Oklahoma Veterinary Medical Association
       44. Oregon Veterinary Medical Association
       45. Pennsylvania Veterinary Medical Association
       46. Puerto Rico Veterinary Medical Association
       47. Rhode Island Veterinary Medical Association
       48. South Carolina Association of Veterinarians
       49. South Dakota Veterinary Medical Association
       50. Tennessee Veterinary Medical Association
       51. Texas Veterinary Medical Association
       52. Utah Veterinary Medical Association
       53. Vermont Veterinary Medical Association
       54. Virginia Veterinary Medical Association
       55. Washington State Veterinary Medical Association
       56. West Virginia Veterinary Medical Association
       57. Wisconsin Veterinary Medical Association
       58. Wyoming Veterinary Medical Association
       59. Donna Preston Moore, DVM, former head of USDA's Horse 
     Protection Program
       60. Tracy A. Turner, DVM, MS
       61. Michelle Abraham, Resident, New Bolton Center, 
     University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine
       62. John C. Haffner, DVM, ABVP(Eq)
       63. Susan Botts, DVM
       64. Angela M. Dion, DVM
       65. Michelle Abraham, Resident, New Bolton Center, 
     University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine
       66. Hanna Galantino-Homer, VMD, PHD
       67. Alicia Grossman, DVM
       68. Sue Lindborg, CVT Research Specialist New Bolton 
     Center, University of PA School Of Veterinary Medicine
       69. Midge Leitch, VMD, former head of Radiology, New Bolton 
     Center, University of PA School Of Veterinary Medicine
       70. Harry Werner, VMD, past president, American Association 
     of AAEP
       71. Judith L. Ford, Veterinary Technician
       72. Benson B. Martin, DVM, Associate Professor Sports 
     Medicine, New Bolton Center, University of PA School of 
     Veterinary Medicine
       73. Nat Messer, DVM, University of Missouri College of 
     Veterinary Medicine
       74. Mary A. Robinson, VMD, PhD
       75. Mary Lynn Stanton, DVM
       76. Joy Tomlinson, DVM
       77. Steve O'Grady, DVM, APF


                           Animal Protection

       1. American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to 
     Animals
       2. Animal Law Coalition
       3. Animal Legal Defense Fund
       4. Animal Protection Voters (New Mexico)
       5. Animal Welfare Institute
       6. Best Friends Animal Society
       7. Dakin Humane Society (Massachusetts)
       8. Equine Welfare Alliance
       9. Homes for Horses Coalition
       10. Horse Harbor Foundation (Washington State)
       11. Horse Haven of Tennessee
       12. Humane Society Legislative Fund
       13. Michigan Horse Welfare Coalition
       14. Mississippi Horses
       15. Nevins Farm & Equine Center, Massachusetts Society for 
     the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
       16. Oregon Horse Welfare Council
       17. Richmond Friends of Animals (Virginia)
       18. Second Chance Ranch (Washington State)
       19. Tennessee Voters for Animal Protection
       20. The Humane Society of the United States
       21. Virginia Alliance for Animal Shelters
       22. Virginia Equine Welfare Society
       23. Virginia Federation of Humane Societies
       24. Virginia Beach Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to 
     Animals


                      Horse Industry Professionals

       1. Bill Harlin, Past President, Tennessee Walking Horse 
     Breeders and Exhibitors Association and owner of Harlinsdale 
     Farm
       2. Clay Harlin, former Senior Vice-President, Tennessee 
     Walking Horse Breeders and Exhibitors Association
       3. Marty Irby, Past President, Tennessee Walking Horse 
     Breeders and Exhibitors Association
       4. Chuck Cadle, Past Executive Director, Tennessee Walking 
     Horse Breeders and Exhibitors Association
       5. Georgina Bloomberg, professional equestrian sponsored by 
     Ariat International
       6. Rick Wies, Tennessee Walking Horse Breeders and 
     Exhibitors Association former VP, Pleasure Horse Division
       7. Susan Kayne, host of ``Unbridled'' television show
       8. Pat Parelli, founder of Parelli Natural Horsemanship
       9. Tom Seay, Best of America by Horseback, trail riding TV 
     show
       10. Jan Ebeling, dressage trainer, member of the 2012 
     Olympic dressage team for the USA and co-owner of Rafalca
       11. Dr. April Austin, USDF Bronze, Silver and Gold medalist
       12. Monty Roberts, award-winning trainer, best-selling 
     author of The Man Who Listens to Horses
       13. Carl Bledsoe, former member of Walking Horse Trainers' 
     Association
       14. Pamela Reband, MD, Board of Directors member and former 
     Vice President of TWHBEA
       15. Dr. Rebecca Gimenez, Technical Large Animal Emergency 
     Rescue
       16. Eric Gray, walking horse farrier
       17. Leslie Desmond, natural horsemanship clinician and 
     author

[[Page 6625]]


       18. Gael Borquin, dressage and eventing coach
       19. Karl Mikolka, Former Chief Rider, Spanish Riding 
     School, Vienna, Austria and USDF Hall of Fame
       20. E. Allen Buck, Sympathetic Horsemanship
       21. Steffen Peters, American Olympian and FEI rider
       22. Shannon Peters, dressage instructor and FEI rider
       23. Sheryl Rudolph, FITS/Fun in the Saddle, Inc.
       24. Heather Barklow, Equine Connections, LLC
       25. Diane Sept, Connected Riding Senior Instructor
       26. Anita Adams, dressage trainer and FEI rider
       27. Mary Werning, dressage trainer and FEI Rider, USDF 
     Medalist
       28. Maria Lisa Eastman, Raintree Equine Assisted Services, 
     equine therapy program
       29. Dr. Christine Teicheira, equine and human chiropractor
       30. Gigi Nutter, USDF Gold Medalist, dressage trainer, 
     owner Touch-N-Go Farm
       31. Lisa Kelly Simmons, Lipizzan breeder, Past Director of 
     the United States Lipizzan Federation
       32. Jayne Fingerhut, MA, CMT, USDF Regional Champion Rider, 
     equine business patent holder and manufacturer
       33. Michelle Andrews Sabol, director of an equestrian 
     therapy program
       34. Holly Mason, Equine Biomechanics Specialist, author of 
     It's Never Too Late
       35. Terri Farley (author, the Phantom Stallion series)


                       Newspaper Editorial Boards

       1. The Tennessean
       2. Chattanooga Times Free Press


                            Law Enforcement

       1. Association of Prosecuting Attorneys
       2. National Sheriffs' Association
       3. Sheriff Harrison Moss, Adair County, KY
       4. Sheriff Stan Hudson, Caldwell County, KY
       5. Sheriff Bill Marcum, Calloway County, KY
       6. Sheriff Keith Cane, Daviess County, KY
       7. Sheriff Rick Clemons, Grayson County, KY
       8. Sheriff Bruce Hampton, Harrison County, KY
       9. Sheriff Frank Latham, Hopkins County, KY
       10. Sheriff Charles Lee Korzenborn, Kenton County, KY
       11. Sheriff Merle Edlin, Larue County, KY
       12. Sheriff Jimmy Clements, Marion County, KY
       13. Sheriff Patrick Boggs, Mason County, KY
       14. Sheriff William ``Butch'' Kerrick, Meade County, KY


   Public Opinion in Key States with Largest Tennessee Walking Horse 
                                Industry

       A poll conducted in December 2012 by Mason-Dixon Polling & 
     Research found that 75% of Tennessee voters and 69% of 
     Kentucky voters support federal legislation to strengthen the 
     Horse Protection Act by ending the current, failed system of 
     industry self-policing, banning the use of chains and stacks 
     (devices implicated in the soring process) on horses at 
     shows, and increasing penalties for violating the law.


                              Legislators

       Sponsor of original Horse Protection Act of 1970: Former 
     Senator Joseph Tydings
       Current bipartisan cosponsors of the PAST Act: 51 Senators 
     on S. 1406 / 269 Representatives on H.R. 1518 (320 total)


                         Celebrity Endorsements

       1. Alyssa Milano, actress, Charmed, Project Runway All-
     Stars
       2. Priscilla Presley, film and TV actress, Dallas, The 
     Naked Gun
       3. Emmylou Harris, singer-songwriter and 12-time Grammy 
     winner
       4. Kesha, platinum recording singer-songwriter
       5. Viggo Mortensen, actor, The Lord of the Rings
       6. Wendie Malick, actress, Hot in Cleveland
       7. Loretta Swit, stage and TV actress, MASH
       8. Jillian Michaels, trainer on The Biggest Loser
       9. Mark Miller, musician, Sawyer Brown
       10. Lynn Anderson, singer-songwriter
       11. Jenna Morasca, actress, model, grand prize winner of 
     Survivor: The Amazon
       12. Alexandra Paul, actress, Baywatch
       13. Dawn Olivieri, film and TV actress, True Blood
       14. Joe Camp, director of Benji films, author of Soul of a 
     Horse
       15. Kelly Carlson, actress, Nip/Tuck
       16. Mary Ann Kennedy, singer-songwriter
       17. Lacy J. Dalton, singer-songwriter

                          ____________________