Political Quotes

“I am thankful for the opportunity to express my strong opposition to the amendment. It is deeply unfair to the United States Territories and contrary to the original intent of the Federal law in question: the Animal Welfare Act amendment, under which States have always been defined to include the territories. First, the characterization of this amendment is closing a loophole and bringing the territories in with the States is highly misleading. The Animal Welfare Act adequately addresses interstate and foreign commerce of fowl for gaming purposes. The intent of the Federal law in this area has always been to aid States and other local law enforcement in jurisdictions where gamefowl events are illegal, and to prohibit the transport of animals from areas where they are, in fact, allowed. The reason that there is a ban in all 50 States is not because of Federal law, but because of States' laws, and those States have banned them in their States. So for the Federal Government to impose that on the territories at this time, I believe, is deeply unfair. This is a highly regulated, cultural, and historic activity in the territories. Let's not forget that the real author of this bill is The Humane Society which--when the Federal Government gets into this--becomes a slippery slope, as The Humane Society also wants to ban sporting activities or hunting activities in which animals hunt another animal.…”