Ted Poe: “Mr. Speaker, this resolution provides for consideration of legislation to prohibit the creation and sale of so-called…”

“Mr. Speaker, this resolution provides for consideration of legislation to prohibit the creation and sale of so-called ``animal crush videos.'' These videos depict small animals being slowly crushed to death by women using their bare feet or while wearing high heels. The FBI, the U.S. Department of Education, and the U.S. Department of Justice consider animal cruelty to be one of the early warning signs of potential violence by youths. All 50 States and the District of Columbia have laws banning acts of animal cruelty such as these portrayed in those videos. However, animal crush videos often do not reveal the identity of those involved, making it difficult for States to prosecute the perpetrators for the underlying animal cruelty. Federal legislation is necessary to address the interstate sale and distribution of these videos, which is often beyond the reach of many States. Federal penalties will serve as an additional deterrent to those who engage in this behavior. H.R. 5566, the Animal Crush Video Prohibition Act of 2010, responds to the Supreme Court's recent decision in U.S. v. Stevens, which invalidated the Federal animal cruelty statute codified at 18 U.S.C., Section 48.”