Congresswoman is rightly standing in the way of an effort by foreign-owned agricultural giants to gut key animal housing laws that Washington farmers support
Washington D.C. — Animal Wellness Action, a national policy and political organization seeking to enhance and advance legal protections for animals, has endorsed Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez for re-election in the race for Washington’s 3rd congressional district.
As a member of the Agriculture Committee, Rep. Gluesenkamp Perez was a key leader of a bipartisan letter from 171 members of Congress expressing opposition to the Ending Agricultural Trade Suppression (EATS) Act (H.R. 4417). That bill, promoted by the Republican chairman of the House Agriculture Committee, would federally overturn certain state laws to shield farm animals from extreme confinement in cramped cages. H.R. 4417 is being promoted by domestic and foreign-owned factory farming operators, including Smithfield Foods, which is a wholly controlled by the Communist Party of China. The EATS Act would put Washington’s cage-free and crate-free laws on the chopping block and threaten the livelihoods of Washington’s robust egg farmers, who have collectively invested hundreds of millions of dollars in state-of-the-art humane housing systems.
“Marie Gluesenkamp Perez is standing tall against an outrageous plan by some Republican lawmakers to overturn key state agriculture laws, including a law in Washington, that establish sensible humane housing standards and keep our farmers on the land,” said Wayne Pacelle, president of Animal Wellness Action. “She understands that protecting our farmers and advancing animal welfare are core American values.”
The group lauded her support for the Fighting Inhumane Gambling and High-Risk Trafficking (FIGHT) Act (H.R. 2742), to address the cruel practices of dogfighting and cockfighting, the Greyhound Protection Act (H.R. 3894) to phase out domestic greyhound racing, the Save America’s Forgotten Equines (SAFE) Act (H.R. 3475) to end the slaughter and export of horses for human consumption, the Puppy Protection Act (H.R. 1624) to enhance welfare standards for breeding dogs at USDA-licensed facilities, and the Prevent All Soring Tactics (PAST) Act (H.R. 3090) to stop the cruel practice of horse soring.
Gluesenkamp Perez was also praised for supporting federal animal welfare laws such as the Animal Welfare Act, the Horse Protection Act, the Humane Methods of Slaughter Act, and laws prohibiting animal fighting.
“We urge voters in the 3rd congressional district of Washington to back Rep. Gluesenkamp Perez this fall,” Pacelle said.
The full endorsement letter for Rep. Gluesenkamp Perez may be viewed here.