Prevent All Soring Tactics Act of 2021

Floor Speech

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Mr. DesJARLAIS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in opposition of H.R. 5441 the Prevent All Soring Tactics (PAST) Act of 2021. This act is an unnecessary overreach that will give the federal government the ability to inflict undue harassment upon the Tennessee Walking Horse community. The call for this kind of federal oversite has been promulgated by targeted misinformation campaigns.

This legislation will add a layer of red tape that will be purposeless, and taxpayers will likely be made to bear the burden of this cost. The Tennessee Walking Horse industry has a multibillion- dollar impact on rural communities in my state and even more specifically in my district. It provides jobs to over 20,000 people and is a tourism staple. It will place an undue ban on equipment making horse shows and events impossible to put on. Equine experts themselves have said these bans are not based on scientific evidence.

No one condones the abuse of animals, but the oversite of this industry should be left up to local officials who know it best. Therefore, I have introduced H.R. 6341 the Protecting Horses from Soring Act of 2021 which will ensure that the Tennessee Walking Horse industry is regulated by state agencies and industry experts, not Washington bureaucrats. Those who participate in the abuse of these animals must be held accountable and brought to justice. For this reason, I implore to vote no on H.R. 5441 and support sensible and practical legislation.

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