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. Steve Cohen for re-election in the race for Tennessee’s 9th congressional district.
The congressman won praise for his work as the lead Democratic co-sponsor of the Prevent All Soring Tactics (PAST) Act (H.R. 3090) to end the abusive practice of horse soring, in which the front limbs of Tennessee Walking Horses are intentionally injured to produce an exaggerated gait for horse shows.
“Steve Cohen fights for animal welfare at every turn,” said Wayne Pacelle, president of Animal Wellness Action. “He understands that cruelty to animals matters, whether the victims are wild or domesticated animals, and he’s working hard to drive policies to address these societal problems.”
In his current term, Rep. Cohen co-sponsored multiple key animal welfare bills including the Save America’s Forgotten Equines (SAFE) Act (H.R. 3475) to end the slaughter of horses for human consumption, the Greyhound Protection Act (H.R. 3894) to phase out greyhound racing in the United States, and the Animal Cruelty Enforcement (ACE) Act (H.R. 8923), which would establish a dedicated division within the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate and prosecute felony animal cruelty crimes.
Pacelle also commended Rep. Cohen 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 ensuring the humane housing of farm animals, including Proposition 12 in California and Question 3 in Massachusetts. Prop 12 was ultimately upheld by a bloc of conservatives and liberals on the U.S. Supreme Court in an opinion authored by Justice Neil Gorsuch, a Trump appointee. Nevertheless, the EATS Act remains a top priority for foreign agribusiness giants, including the Chinese-owned Smithfield Foods, as it would allow them to undercut a multi-million-dollar investment many American family farmers have already made in more humane animal housing systems.
“Animal Wellness Action urges voters in the 9th congressional district of Tennessee to return Rep. Cohen to Congress this fall,” Pacelle said.
The full endorsement letter for Rep. Cohen may be viewed here.