Congressman deserves support for steadfast leadership on numerous animal welfare issues
Washington, D.C. — Animal Wellness Action, a national policy and political organization seeking to enhance and advance legal protections for animals, has endorsed Rep. Josh Harder for re-election in the race for California’s 10th congressional district.
The group lauded Rep. Harder for co-sponsoring the Greyhound Protection Act (H.R. 3894) to phase out greyhound racing in the United States and the Save America’s Forgotten Equines (SAFE) Act (H.R. 3475) to end the slaughter of horses for human consumption. Rep. Harder also won praise for signing a letter of opposition to the Ending Agricultural Trade Suppression (EATS) Act (H.R. 4417), which would federally overturn certain voter-approved state laws governing the humane housing of farm animals, including California’s Proposition 12. Passed in a landslide ballot measure in 2018, Prop 12 was ultimately upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court in an opinion authored by Justice Neil Gorsuch, a Trump appointee.
“Josh Harder is a strong supporter of animal welfare in the U.S. Congress,” said Wayne Pacelle, president of Animal Wellness Action. “He understands that cruelty to animals matters, whether the victims are wild or domesticated animals.”
Earlier this year, Rep. Harder voted against two measures the House Republican leadership brought up on the House floor that would have been disastrous for wildlife. The first bill (H.R. 764) would have stripped Endangered Species Act protections for gray wolves across much of the lower 48 states, opening the door to trophy hunting and commercial trapping. Such a policy might also expose wolves to being recreationally run over with snowmobiles – a practice that came to light earlier this year in Wyoming. The second bill (H.R. 615) would have restricted land management officials from regulating the use of hazardous lead ammunition on public lands and waterways. Every year, ingested spent lead poisons millions of wild scavenger species, including our nation’s iconic bald eagles.
“Animal Wellness Action urges voters in the 10th congressional district of California to return Rep. Harder to Congress this fall,” Pacelle said.
The full endorsement letter for Rep. Harder may be viewed here.