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Equine Protection Groups Urge US Government to Pass Bill to Stop Slaughter of American Horses

Edited Press Release

A coalition of equine advocacy groups representing supporters across the United States has joined together to urge members of Congress to move a bill to the floor of the House for a vote.

The bill (H.R. 3355/S. 2732), also known as the Save America's Forgotten Equines (or SAFE) Act, prevents the transport of horses, mules, and donkeys across national borders for the purpose of slaughtering them for their meat or skins, and would permanently ban horse slaughter on U.S. soil.

“Until a ban is in place, every American horse, wild and domestic, is at risk of falling into the hands of the predatory horse slaughter industry,” said Scott Beckstead, director of campaigns for Animal Wellness Action and the Center for a Humane Economy.

“We cannot call ourselves a civilized nation if we're still allowing such cruelty to these beloved horses,” said Clare Staples, founder of Skydog Sanctuary, an equine rescue and sanctuary on the frontlines of the fight against horse slaughter.

Ginger Fedak, wild horse and burro campaign director for In Defense of Animals, said, “It is time to heed the will of the American people and mark this well-sponsored, bi-partisan bill up to the full House for a vote.”

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Legislation Introduced to Ease Tax Burden

U.S. Congressman Andy Barr, a Kentucky Republican who represents Lexington, has reintroduced the Equine Tax Fairness Act, which, if passed would make changes to the tax laws favorable to horse owners and breeders, it was announced by his office Wednesday.

The bill calls for new regulations that would make the three-year depreciation schedule permanent for racehorses, no matter their age when put into service. Currently, Congress must reauthorize this provision in the tax law on an annual basis.

The legislation would also reduce the holding period for equine assets to be considered long term capital gains, putting them on a level playing field with other similar assets.

“Permanently delivering tax incentives for owners and breeders will strengthen investment in our signature equine industry,” Congressman Barr, who serves as Co-Chair of the Congressional Horse Caucus, said in a statement. “I want to continue the momentum started with the enactment of the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act to push another key industry initiative across the finish line that will help solidify the sport for decades to come.”

Barr's bill has been endorsed by the National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA), the Kentucky Thoroughbred Association, the Jockey Club, the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association, Keeneland, and the American Horse Council.

“The three-year depreciation of racehorses (similar to other investment assets) is critically important to encourage robust investment in Thoroughbred horses and to maintain the vibrant economy and trade we have seen throughout this Thoroughbred sales cycle and consistently over the past 85 years at Keeneland,” Shannon Arvin, President and CEO of Keeneland said in a statement. “We appreciate Congressman Barr's consistent support of this legislation and the entire Thoroughbred industry.”

“The Jockey Club wholeheartedly supports the Equine Tax Fairness Act, introduced by Congressman Andy Barr,” Jockey Club President & CEO Jim Gagliano said in a statement. “This bill will put horse ownership on par with other investment assets. The bill addresses two key deficiencies of the tax code. First, the bill will decrease the depreciation schedule eligible to racehorses from seven years to three, permanently rescheduling racehorses that are put into service before the age of two into the three-year depreciation asset class. The three-year depreciation schedule accurately reflects the typical career of a racehorse since nearly three-quarters of foals that race have a career of four years or less. This change has been enacted by Congress on a temporary, year-to-year basis since 2008, and needs to be permanent law.

“Second, the Equine Tax Fairness Act will reduce the holding period required for equine assets to be considered long-term capital assets from 24 months to 12 months, putting them in line with other investments, such as homes, stocks and bonds.”

Along with Congressman Paul Tonko, Barr was the original sponsor in the House of Representatives of the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act.

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Congressman Rooney Named NTRA President & CEO

Thomas J. (Tom) Rooney, a former U.S. Congressman, has been named to succeed Alex Waldrop as the president and CEO of the National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA). As has been previously announced, Waldrop will retire at the end of this year.

Rooney is an owner and breeder and has been part of his family's Shamrock Farm, a Thoroughbred breeding and lay-up operation in Maryland. The farm was founded by his grandfather, Art Rooney, Sr. He has also served on the board of the Maryland Horse Breeders Association for the past year. The Rooney family has been the majority owners and operators of the National Football League's Pittsburgh Steelers since 1933. Rooney family members also own the Palm Beach Kennel Club in Florida, owned Yonkers Raceway in New York until 2019, and owned former racetracks Green Mountain in Vermont and Liberty Bell in Pennsylvania.

“It is a great privilege for me to join the NTRA and serve as the organization's next leader,” said Rooney. “Having been immersed in horse racing my entire life, I know the issues and have a solid understanding of the needs of the industry. Coupled with my 10 years serving as a member of Congress, I know how to get things done in Washington, D.C. and look forward to increasing our advocacy efforts with our nation's lawmakers. I'm excited to join the team and look forward to working with all our member organizations to move our agenda forward.”

Rooney served with the U.S. Army as a lawyer in the JAG Corps. During his tenure, he was Special Assistant U.S. Attorney at Fort Hood, Texas, prosecuting all civilian crimes on post, and he served in the 1st Cavalry Division. After completing active duty with the rank of captain, Rooney taught constitutional and criminal law at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point.

“On behalf of the NTRA Board, I am excited to confirm Tom Rooney's appointment as the next president and CEO of the NTRA,” said Alan Foreman, Chairman and CEO of the Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association (THA) and the NTRA Board member who led the NTRA's transition and search committee. “We are incredibly fortunate to have engaged such a talented and experienced individual as Tom as we position the NTRA to address the challenges facing our industry. I believe Tom's taking on this position will be a game-changer for the NTRA and the Thoroughbred racing industry. Tom's track record of experience and leadership will be invaluable as we move forward and as we expand our presence and advocacy on the federal level.”

In conjunction with Rooney's appointment, the NTRA will conduct a strategic review of the organization and its activities as it places additional focus on its role as the trade association for the Thoroughbred racing and breeding industry. The NTRA plans to open an office in Washington, D.C., where it will focus primarily on federal legislative and policy issues. As part of his appointment, Rooney will also become President of Horse PAC, the NTRA's political action committee.

As a Congressman, Rooney focused on economic, agricultural, national security, and military issues. He was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives from Florida from 2009 to 2019. He served on the Committee on Agriculture, the Committee on Armed Services, and the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence where he played a prominent role in the House Intelligence Committee's investigation of Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election.

Rooney lives in Florida with his wife, Tara, and three sons.

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Congressmen File Amicus Brief In Support of HISA

The lead congressional sponsors of the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act (HISA), Senator Mitch McConnell (R-KY) and Representatives Andy Barr (R-KY) and Paul Tonko (D-NY), have filed a 14-page amicus ('friend of the court') brief in response to a lawsuit filed by the National Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association and some of its affiliates, challenging its constitutionality.

The brief lays out the reasons why HISA is necessary to protect and preserve the future of horse racing, deliberations in Congress over the course of several years that included input from all sectors of the horse racing industry–which resulted in broad, bipartisan support for the bill–and the reasons why HISA is, in fact, constitutional. HISA was signed into law by President Trump in December 2020.

“The National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA) commends Sen. McConnell, Rep. Barr and Rep. Tonko for their forceful defense of the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act of 2020,” said NTRA President and Chief Executive Officer Alex Waldrop. “The need for a national body to enforce stringent integrity and safety standards for Thoroughbred racing has never been greater. Organizations and individuals representing virtually every segment of our industry are committed to working cooperatively with the HISA Authority and its standing advisory committees to assist the Authority in carrying out its federal mandate to propose to the Federal Trade Commission for that agency's adoption an innovative, affordable federal regulatory system that prioritizes first and foremost the safety of horse and rider and the integrity of our sport.”

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