Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2020

Floor Speech

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Ms. STEVENS. Mr. Chair, I rise today in support of my amendment to H.R. 3055.

This bipartisan amendment removes and adds $2 million from the Legal Activities account at the Department of Justice.

I would like to make the intent of this amendment clear, that Congress is directing the DOJ's Environment and Natural Resources Division to allocate $2 million to enforce our Nation's animal welfare laws.

Congress has taken meaningful steps over the past several decades, and especially in the past few years, to improve animal welfare and rid this country of heartless cruelty toward animals. These improvements include the passage of legislation like the Horse Protection Act, the crush video law, the Animal Welfare Act and animal fighting laws, which received overwhelming bipartisan support.

While our animal rights laws have improved, there are currently insufficient resources to ensure that these laws are being adequately enforced.

The Environment and Natural Resources Division, or ENRD, oversees many important functions, including pollution cleanup and wildlife protection. This division also has the unique responsibility to prosecute animal welfare crimes. ENRD lawyers at the Department of Justice are doing the best they can to defend the humane treatment of captive, farmed, and companion animals across the country, but there are currently not enough resources being allocated for them to go after animal welfare crimes.

Failure to adequately enforce these laws harms communities and animals--the truly voiceless. Failure to enforce these laws leaves animals to suffer tremendously at the hands of people who force animals to fight to the death for pure entertainment and/or other cruel actions.

Mr. Chair, I use this opportunity to urge DOJ to coordinate with USDA and continue working with the U.S. Attorney's offices to prosecute and investigate animal welfare crimes. Specifically, DOJ should create a dedicated animal cruelty crimes unit and allow for robust enforcement of animal welfare crimes. There should be dedicated personnel, including prosecutors, focused solely on these offenses.

Mr. Chair, I urge my colleagues to support this amendment.

I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Crist).

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Ms. STEVENS. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.

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Ms. STEVENS. Mr. Chair, I demand a recorded vote.

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