The essence of the SAFE Act aimed at banning transporting horses for slaughter moved a step ahead after passage of a surface transportation reauthorization bill by the U.S. House of Representatives’ Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, but it still has a lengthy road to travel before becoming law.
The Van Drew-Titus amendment to the Build America 250 Act, HR 8870, has the same language as the Save America’s Forgotten Equines Act, known as the SAFE Act, which has 229 cosponsors in the House. The bill, which also includes a ban on the shipment of horses in double-decker trailers, now must pass the floor of the House before the Senate addresses it.
In 2025, more than 25,000 horses went from the U.S., where horse slaughter is banned, to be put to death in Canada and Mexico. Conditions on such a journey are barbaric..
“This was a tremendous bipartisan win for our horses in the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, but we still have a long way to go before the bill is signed into law,” said Chris Heyde of Blue Marble Strategy, a governmental affairs firm.
““However, the momentum and truth about the cruelty of horse slaughter won out over the outdated lies spread by those who want to profit from the horses’ suffering. I want to give special thanks to Mike Repole (a top owner of race horses) and Pat Cummings (from the National Thoroughbred Alliance) and (auction house) Fasig-Tipton, as well as my coalition partners who have worked tirelessly to advance this issue. Having worked on the effort to ban slaughter for 25 years, I feel we are so close and it is time to put all our effort into getting this across the finish line this Congress.”
Those who want to see this mandate become law should contact their representatives and in the next phase, their senators, urging passage of HR 8870, the Build America 250 Act.