AWI Quarterly Articles | Government/Legal

The Committee on Natural Resources in the House of Representatives has jurisdiction over many bills supported by AWI. Fortunately, Chairman Raúl Grijalva (D-AZ) is a champion of animal welfare and environmental protection.

In August, the Trump administration released final regulations that severely weaken critical Endangered Species Act (ESA) protections at a time when increased threats from habitat destruction and climate change necessitate full enforcement of the ESA.

Illinois has joined California, Nevada, and more than 30 countries worldwide in banning the sale of animal-tested cosmetics. SB 241, sponsored by Senator Linda Holmes (D-Aurora) and signed by Governor J.B. Pritzker on August 9...

Several states have added new protections for domestic violence survivors and their pets, bringing to 37 the number of states that allow for the inclusion of pets in domestic violence protection orders or include animal...

At long last, legislation to end equine abuse at horse shows received a vote in Congress. The Prevent All Soring Tactics (PAST) Act (HR 693) passed the House of Representatives by an overwhelming vote of...

AWI President Cathy Liss joined Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL) and other animal welfare advocates in August at DuPage County Animal Services in Wheaton, Illinois, as Krishnamoorthi announced the introduction of legislation designed to protect animals...

The dismantling of the Animal Welfare Act (AWA) by the USDA continues unabated. The entire program—inspections, long-standing policies, and enforcement—is in shambles, leaving animals with virtually no protection. And gleaning what is happening is no...

To facilitate better information about the co-occurrence of child abuse and animal abuse, Representatives Ann McLane Kuster (D-NH) and John Katko (R-NY) introduced the Child and Animal Abuse Detection and Reporting Act of 2019. Recognizing...

The US Department of Agriculture published a proposed rule in March that should end the rubber-stamping of renewals for dealers and exhibitors licensed under the Animal Welfare Act, regardless of whether they comply with the...

To protect some of the world’s most endangered marine species, the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation unanimously approved two bills: the Shark Fin Sales Elimination Act (S 877) and the Driftnet Modernization and...