Congressman is fighting China’s attempts to overturn farm animal housing laws that American farmers have invested in by the hundreds of millions of dollars
Washington, D.C. — Animal Wellness Action, a national policy and political organization seeking to enhance and advance legal protections for animals, has endorsed Jeff Van Drew for re-election in the race for New Jersey’s 2nd congressional district.
Earlier this term, Rep. Van Drew signed a Republican letter in opposition to the Ending Agricultural Trade Suppression (EATS) Act (H.R. 4417), which would federally overturn certain voter-approved state laws to shield farm animals from extreme confinement, including Proposition 12 in California and Question 3 in Massachusetts. A top priority for the Chinese-owned factory farming company Smithfield Foods, the EATS Act threatens to undercut multi-million-dollar investments American family farmers have already made in more humane animal housing systems.
“We shouldn’t allow China to drive agriculture policy in the United States and overturn U.S. elections, including the landslide election favoring Prop 12,” noted Wayne Pacelle, president of Animal Wellness Action. “Jeff Van Drew is standing in the way of Smithfield Food and its federal policy goal that would cripple American egg and pig farmers.”
Pacelle also commended Rep. Van Drew for supporting key animal welfare measures including the Fighting Inhumane Gambling and High-Risk Trafficking (FIGHT) Act (H.R. 2742) to crack down on illegal dogfighting and cockfighting, the Greyhound Protection Act (H.R. 3894) to end greyhound racing in the United States, the Minks in Narrowly Kept Spaces (MINKS) are Superspreaders Act (H.R. 7670) to address the public health threat of domestic mink farming, and the Save America’s Forgotten Equines (SAFE) Act (H.R. 3475) to end the slaughter of horses for human consumption.
“Animal Wellness Action urges voters in the 2nd congressional district of New Jersey who care about animal welfare and who abhor animal cruelty to send Rep. Van Drew back to Congress this fall,” Pacelle said.
The full endorsement letter for Rep. Van Drew may be viewed here.