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SAPL News 107th Congress Legislative Issues On May 13, 2002 President Bush signed the Farm Bill (Public Law 107-171) into law. This law includes a Resolution expressing the sense of Congress that the Humane Methods of Slaughter Act of 1958 should be fully enforced so as to prevent needless suffering of animals. It further calls on the Secretary of Agriculture to track violations of the humane slaughter act “and report the results and relevant trends annually to Congress.” On May 13, 2002 President Bush signed the Farm Bill (Public Law 107-171) into law which included language from the anti-cockfighting bill. While the law retained the bans on interstate shipment of gamecocks and export of fighting animals, the committee did reduce the penalty from a felony to a misdemeanor and stipulated that the measure not take effect for one year. Reauthorization of the Rhinoceros and Tiger Conservation Act was signed into law by President Bush on 1/8/2002, Public Law No: 107-112. Reauthorization of the African Elephant Conservation Act was signed into law by President Bush on 1/8/2002, Public Law No: 107-111. Reauthorization of the Asian Elephant Conservation Act was signed into law by President Bush on 2/12/2002, Public Law No: 107-141.
106th Congress Legislative Issues On December 21, 2000, the Shark Finning Prohibition Act (PL 106-557) was signed into law. This law effectively prohibits the practice of cutting off a shark's fins and discarding the live shark to die slowly and painfully in the ocean. Shark fins are considered an Asian culinary delicacy and shark fin soup can sell for as much as $100 a bowl. The Chimpanzee Health Improvement, Maintenance, and Protection (CHIMP) Act (PL 106-551) was signed into law on December 20, 2000. The goal of the CHIMP Act is to enrich the lives of chimpanzees no longer used in medical testing by creating a congressionally-chartered non-profit retirement sanctuary system for chimpanzees who had been used for experimentation. Click here for more information. On December 14, 2000 efforts were successful to protect mourning doves in Michigan. The Michigan State Senate defeated legislation that would have repealed the 95 year-old humane law protecting the mourning dove. The bill, supported by the National Rifle Association (NRA) and the Michigan Union Conservation Clubs (MUCC) failed to receive the 20 votes needed to pass this bill in the Senate. Click here for more information. On November 6, 2000, legislation was signed into law (PL 106-446) that requires the immediate termination of the Department of Defense practice of euthanizing military working dogs at the end of their useful working life and facilitates the adoption of retired military working dogs by law enforcement agencies, former handlers of these dogs, and other persons capable of caring for these dogs. On November 1, 2000, the Great Ape Conservation Act (PL 106-411) was signed into law. This law will assist in the conservation of great apes (including chimpanzees, bonobos, gorillas, orangutans and gibbons) by establishing a fund of up to five million dollars a year to support conservation programs of countries within the range of great apes and projects of persons with demonstrated expertise in the conservation of great apes. Click here for more information. On August 2, 2000, the Federal Law Enforcement Animal Protection Act of 2000 (PL 106-254) was signed into law. The law will provide strict penalties for harming police dogs and horses used by federal agencies. On April 5, 2000, President Clinton signed into law the Aviation Investment and Reform Act (PL 106-181), which includes important new protection for animals during air travel. Airlines will now be required to report to the Department of Transportation any incidents involving the loss, death, or injury of any animal while in their care; this information will be made available to the public, and also will be sent to the U.S. Department of Agriculture to investigate for possible violations of the Animal Welfare Act. The airlines also must better train their employees better in the humane handling and care of their animal passengers. These steps are critical to making air travel safer for animals. "Crush" Videos: President Signs Bill on December 9, 1999 The Drug Kingpins Bankruptcy Act of 1999: President Signs Bill on December 3, 1999 |