Congressional Committee Passes Horse-Slaughter Ban

After months of vocal public opposition, Congress is one step closer to reinstating a federal ban on horse slaughter in the US. On Tuesday, the House Appropriations Committee passed an amendment that would ban government funding for USDA inspections of horse-slaughter facilities—cutting funding for inspections hinders the commercial viability of the industry by preventing the meat from being sold for human consumption. A restriction on funding was first implemented in 2006, but a November 2011 vote lifted the five-year ban, leading to concerns that horse-slaughter plants could legally reopen. Opponents of horse slaughter call the industry a financial burden that promotes the needless killing of animals not typically consumed in the US.