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WASHINGTON (Jan. 27, 2010) — Citing him as a leader on animal welfare policy in the U.S. House of Representatives, the Humane Society Legislative Fund announced that it has endorsed U.S. Rep. Mark Kirk in the Republican primary for U.S. Senate in Illinois.
“Mark Kirk has been a strong and effective champion for animal protection in Congress, and has helped to pass common-sense measures protecting pets and wildlife,” said Michael Markarian, president of the Humane Society Legislative Fund. “In order to pass humane laws, we need humane lawmakers like Mark Kirk. Voters in the primary who care about animal welfare should support his candidacy.”
Currently representing the 10th Congressional District, Kirk has consistently been a strong supporter of animal protection issues during his five terms in the U.S. House of Representatives. He has supported numerous animal welfare issues, including:
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Animal Welfare Act: He was a lead sponsor of the Animal Protection Accountability Improvement Act, to ban the use of live animals in sales or marketing demonstrations and to upgrade penalties for violations of the Animal Welfare Act. A portion of this legislation was enacted as part of the final Farm Bill in 2008.
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Primates as Pets: He is a lead sponsor of the Captive Primate Safety Act, legislation to bar the interstate commerce in primates for the exotic pet trade. The bill passed the House in 2009 by a vote of 323-95, and is now pending in the Senate.
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Animal Fighting: He co-sponsored the Animal Fighting Prohibition Enforcement Act to strengthen the penalties for illegal dogfighting and cockfighting, making it a felony to transport animals across state lines for these gruesome and barbaric fights.
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Horse Slaughter: He is a co-sponsor of the Prevention of Equine Cruelty Act and has consistently supported legislation to end the slaughter of tens of thousands of American horses for food exports to France, Belgium, and other countries. He has also supported legislation to restore federal protections to wild horses on western public lands.
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Pets in Disasters: He supported the Pets Evacuation and Transportation Standards (PETS) Act to require emergency planning for pets and service animals, keeping people and pets together during disasters.
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Fur Labeling: He is a co-sponsor of the Truth in Fur Labeling Act, which would require accurate labeling of fur-trimmed garments and provide consumers with information about what species of animals are used in fur apparel.
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Species Conservation: He supported a number of bills which passed the House in 2009 to assist with the conservation of cranes, great cats and rare canids, marine turtles, and other imperiled species.
HSLF is a nonpartisan organization that evaluates candidates based only on a single criterion: where they stand on animal welfare. HSLF does not judge candidates based on party affiliation or any other issue.
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Media Contact: Heather Sullivan, 301-548-7778, hsullivan@hslf.org
The Humane Society Legislative Fund is a social welfare organization incorporated under section 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code and formed in 2004 as a separate lobbying affiliate of The Humane Society of the United States. The HSLF works to pass animal protection laws at the state and federal level, to educate the public about animal protection issues, and to support humane candidates for office. On the web at www.hslf.org.
Paid for by Humane Society Legislative Fund and not authorized by any candidate or candidate’s committee. HSLF, 519 C Street, NE, Washington, DC 20002. |
