Congressman Moran is one of the foremost advocates for animal protection issues in Congress. He believes that animals have been given into our care and we must treat them with respect and dignity.
In the 112th Congress, Representative Moran co-chairs, along with Republican Elton Gallegly (CA), the Congressional Animal Protection Caucus. This bipartisan organization seeks to educate Members of Congress and their staff about important animal welfare issues. The Caucus sponsors non-partisan forums and briefings, tracks the progress of relevant legislation, provides Members of Congress with dependable information on animal welfare issues, and builds broad coalitions in support of common-sense, humane animal welfare laws.
As Ranking Member on the Interior-Environment Appropriations Subcommittee, Moran has oversight of an array of wildlife conservation activities carried out by the Department of the Interior, Environmental Protection Agency, and other agencies. One of the ways he has used this leadership position is to work with the Bureau of Land Management and animal protection organizations to improve the historically mismanaged Wild Horse and Burros Program. He is committed to ensuring our nation’s wild horses are humanely managed on the range and that taxpayer resources are used responsibly
Representative Moran’s most recent legislative successes include a law to require accurate labels on all fur garments and legislation to ban the sale of brutal “animal crush videos.” He has also supported efforts to improve animal care standards on farms and provide the U.S. Department of Agriculture with the resources needed to conduct the proper enforcement of humane slaughter requirements. For his efforts, Moran has received awards from numerous animal protection and wildlife conservation organizations. In 2010, the Humane Society of the United States bestowed on him their highest honor, Humane Legislator of the Year, for his work in passing the fur labeling and “crush video” bills.
In the 112th Congress, Congressman Moran introduced the Traveling Exotic Animals Protection Act (H.R. 3359) to restrict the use of exotic, non-domestic animals in traveling shows. He also spearheaded efforts in opposition to allowing funding for horse slaughter inspections by the USDA. Moran also supports the passage of the Puppy Uniform Protection and Safety (PUPS) Act (H.R. 835) that would prevent the abuse dogs at irresponsible breeding facilities, often referred to as puppy mills. He also champions legislation to improve the minimum care standards for animals used in agriculture. He is cosponsor of the Egg Products Inspection Act Amendments of 2012 (H.R. 3798), which would establish national standard on cage sizes and enriched housing for egg-laying hens, and the Preservation of Antibiotics for Medical Treatment Act (H.R. 1549), which would phase-out the use of non-therapeutic antibiotics on farm animals that is contributing to the nation’s alarming rise in antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections.
Legislative Victories
The Truth in Fur Labeling Act (H.R. 2480) closes a loophole to require accurate labels on all fur garments that was allowing dog and cat fur from China to enter the U.S. marketplace. Before this bill became law, labels were only required on fur products valued greater than $150. Nearly 15 percent of fur products sold in the U.S., typically fur-trimmed items like jackets, hats, and gloves, were not required to have accurate labels.
Animal Crush Video (H.R. 5092) Co-sponsored with Representative Gallegly to prohibit the sale of so-called “animal crush videos.” These videos, originally outlawed by Congress in 1999, often feature scantily-clad women impaling or burning small animals. Despite the fact that the law shut down the market for these inhumane videos, the Supreme Court recently overturned it on a first Amendment challenge. Reps. Moran and Gallegly responded immediately, introducing legislation, H.R. 5092, that would specifically ban “crush videos” while not infringing on protected speech.