The Senate Appropriations Committee on Monday unveiled the Fiscal Year 2018 Interior Appropriations bill that would bar the Bureau of Land Management from killing healthy wild horses and burros.
“Appropriations herein made shall not be available for the destruction of healthy, unadopted, wild horses and burros in the care of the Bureau or its contractors or for the sale of wild horses and burros that results in their destruction for processing into commercial products,” the bill reads.
The language was released as part the Fiscal Year 2018 chairmen’s recommendation and explanatory statement for the Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies.
The inclusion of protective language for wild horses and burros is a big win made possible by the thousands of calls made by you and other advocates – thank you! — and we’re pleased the committee has heard the voices of the American people.
This fight is not over yet, however.
Senate appropriators have stood against both horse slaughter (as part of the Fiscal Year 2018 Agriculture Appropriations bill) and against allowing BLM to kill wild horses (as part of the Fiscal Year 2018 Interior bill).
In July, the House Appropriations Committee first rejected language barring horse slaughter, then approved an amendment that would throw open the door to BLM killing tens of thousands of healthy unadopted wild horses and burros.
We need your help to ensure that the Senate’s protective language remains as the bill text its next step. We are starting with the Senate but will be diligent in providing you with additional action items in the days ahead.
Take Action
Please call the senators listed below.
Sen. Mitch McConnell: (202) 224-2541; Sen. Chuck Schumer: (202) 224-6542; Sen. Thad Cochran: (202) 224-5054; Sen. Patrcky Leahy: (202) 224-4242; Sen. John Hoeven: (202) 224-2551; Sen. Jeff Merkley: (202) 224-3753; Sen. Lisa Murkowski: (202)-224-6665; Sen. Tom Udall: (202) 224-6621
Tell them:
- Thank you for listening to the American people, who overwhelmingly support an end to horse slaughter and who wish to see wild horses and burros protected from being killed to cover up BLM mismanagement.
- There are humane solutions for managing wild horses and burros on the range that should be promoted – and they do not include the misguided proposals that include killing them.
- Please stand strong on protecting horse slaughter defund language.
- Please stand strong on protecting wild horses and burros from destruction, either by the BLM or by being sold to someone who would slaughter them.