Cord Byrd: “for several days--for several days--the news has been saturated with stories about the indictment of a well-known…”

“for several days--for several days--the news has been saturated with stories about the indictment of a well-known professional football player for running a dog-fighting operation. I am not going to comment on that particular case. The man has been accused. He has not been convicted. We must wait until all the facts are in and a verdict is rendered. The man cited in these recent news stories is innocent until proven guilty, and Lord help him if he is proven to be guilty in a court of law. We must wait for the justice system to run its course. But the facts are already in, and the verdict has already been delivered. What is it about? What is it about, Madam President? It is about the scourge of dog fighting in the United States--dog fighting in the United States. According to the Humane Society, there are about 40,000 dog-fighting operations in the United States. The deputy manager of dog-fighting issues for the Humane Society, John Goodman, points out, ``. . . dog fighting is at an epidemic level'' in the United States. It involves urban areas as well as rural areas. It involves all sections of the country. It cuts across cultures and class and other socio and economic differences. Dog fighting continues even though all 50 States have laws on the books prohibiting dog fighting. Dog fighting is a Federal crime. Let me say that again. Dog fighting is a Federal crime, and yet animal welfare officials report that dog fighting is more popular today than ever.…”