Congressman
Elton Gallegly
Serving the 24th District of California

http://www.house.gov/gallegly/media/media2007/media2007.htm

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

April 11, 2007

 Contact: Tom Pfeifer
(202) 225-5811

Senate Passes Gallegly Animal Fighting Bill

WASHINGTON, DC—The U.S. Senate late Tuesday passed a bipartisan bill by Congressman Elton Gallegly (R-Ventura and Santa Barbara Counties) that makes violations of federal animal fighting law a felony punishable by up to three years in prison, makes it a felony to transport an animal across state or international borders for the purpose of animal fighting, and prohibits the interstate and foreign commerce in knives and gaffs designed for use in cockfighting.

The Senate passed Gallegly’s Animal Fighting Prohibition Enforcement Act of 2007 by unanimous consent. The House of Representatives previously passed the bill, on March 26, on a 368-39 vote. It is expected to be sent to the White House for the President’s signature in a few days.

Gallegly thanked U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell of Washington for pushing the bill through the Senate.

“Overwhelming bipartisan majorities in both houses of Congress recognize the need to give local law enforcement the tools they need to combat this cruel criminal enterprise,” Gallegly said. “Other crimes often go hand-in-hand with animal fighting, including illegal gambling, drug trafficking and acts of human violence. In the last six months, virtually every reported arrest at an animal fight also led to additional arrests for at least one of these criminal activities.”

“During his career in Congress, Rep. Gallegly has helped to pass a series of major animal protection laws,” said Wayne Pacelle, president and CEO of The Humane Society of the United States. “But I think his animal fighting legislation will have the greatest impact of them all. There is a vast underground network of dogfighting and cockfighting operations at work throughout the country, and his legislation will give law enforcement the tools to crack down on the barbaric practice of staged animal fights.”