Monday’s news that the Senate Appropriations Committee has maintained protections for wild horses against killing and slaughter was a major positive development in the fight to protect wild horses and burros from Interior Secretary Zinke’s plan to destroy tens of thousands of these iconic animals in holding and on the range. But the fight’s not over yet. Here’s what’s next and what you can do.
BLM Continues to Round Up Wild Horses as their Fate Hangs in Balance
As the BLM waits to hear whether Congress will grant its request to kill tens of thousands of wild horses and burros in holding facilities, the agency is moving ahead with a handful of roundups. In a new twist, captured horses are being taken directly to private holding facilities, where the public is unable to see them to identify captured horses or ascertain their condition. Read more about the roundup pending in Utah next week and the one just completed in Nevada by clicking below.
As the holidays approach, you can show your love to friends and family and protect wild horses by purchasing gifts that will benefit our work. Click here to find great holiday giving ideas, including our spectacular 2018 calendar, magnificent art by renowned photographer Kimerlee Curyl, and or very special (and delicious!) Wild Grounds Coffee by Thanksgiving Coffee Company. A great way to launch the holiday season!
The American Wild Horse Campaign is dedicated to preserving American wild horses and burros in viable free-roaming herds for generations to come, as part of our national heritage.
The American Wild Horse Campaign is a 501(c)3 non-profit. Please consider making a tax-deductible donation to support our work.
As Congress continues to negotiate a final spending package for FY2018, the horse industry and its allies have an opportunity to assure that lawmakers include H-2B guest worker visa relief in the final bill. Federal lawmakers must address this issue prior to the expiration of the FY2017 appropriations measure, which occurs on December 8. This creates a three week window to contact your elected officials in Washington and tell them you need common-sense, guest worker visa flexibility.
Please contact your federal lawmakers today! By clicking on the TAKE ACTION button below, you canurge them to support any provision that will provide H-2B visa cap relief within the context of FY2018 appropriations bills.
Our video tool lets you easily record a short video on your phone or laptop. It won’t take more than a few minutes, and the video will be sent directly to your members of Congress.
We know you’ll have plenty to say but a few points we hope you’ll include:
Congress must maintain the longstanding prohibition on destroying healthy wild horses and burros and oppose any effort that would open the door to slaughter.
80% of Americans oppose the slaughter of America’s wild horses.
The PZP birth control vaccine is a scientifically-proven, low-cost alternative that can used to humanely manage wild populations and maintain their wild free-roaming behaviors.
So record your own video now. It’s really easy. It’ll take just a few minutes of your time. And it will help us cut through the clutter in Washington and be heard on this critical issue.
For the horses,
Grace Kuhn
P.s. Camera shy? You can support us and help get ads like this up by donating here.
The equine industry and its partners in the agriculture and small business sectors continue to engage Congress and the Administration on key elements of the GOP’s “unified framework for tax reform,” released on September 27. While the framework outlines broad themes for reform, AHC and its partners are focusing efforts on repeal of the estate tax, also known as the “death tax,” as a pillar for a 21st century tax code. Below are summaries of tactics used to move the legislative process forward, and highlights from conversations with congressional and administration officials.
Congress Hears from Small Business, Agriculture
On September 12 – two weeks prior to release of the GOP framework – AHC joined nearly 150 small business groups in a coalition letter to congressional leadership urging full repeal of the estate tax. When the government imposes estate taxes on an equine operation, surviving family partners may be forced to sell equipment and other assets to save the family business. Signatories represent a cross-section of American business, including builders and contractors, grocers, truckers and cattlemen. Advocates emphasized the fact that repeal of the estate tax would not only cost the treasury relatively little revenue in the short term, but ultimately increase tax revenues by $145 billion over a ten year period. Underscoring minimal, short-term impacts on the federal budget is crucial to moving tax reform through the budget reconciliation process, which requires Congress to demonstrate that the new and improved tax code will ultimately achieve deficit reduction.
“Budget Reconciliation,” a Procedural High Jump
Before moving forward with a tax reform bill, Congress must first pass a federal budget for FY2018 which includes instructions for tax legislation. The process, known as “budget reconciliation,” allows the Senate to pass a bill with 51 votes, therefore bypassing the 60 vote threshold necessary to avoid the filibuster that applies to most legislation. This parliamentary tactic is crucial for tax reform legislation, where Republicans must receive the support of the vast majority of their Senate members to pass a bill. On October 4, AHC joined more than 40 agriculture groups – including the American Farm Bureau Federation and American Veterinary Medical Association – in a letter to Congress expressing support for passage of a budget resolution with reconciliation instructions for tax reform. On October 5, the House of Representatives passed its $1.132 trillion budget, which it claims will achieve $6.5 trillion in deficit reduction over ten years.
Attention now turns to the Senate, which is expected to consider a $1.5 trillion budget during the next four weeks. To make sure lawmakers remain focused on the tax reform process, please call your senators and tell them “to pass a budget today that paves the way for tax reform.” You can contact your senators’ Washington offices by calling the Capitol switchboard at 202-225-3121.
Status of the Debate
AHC and its partners have met this week with congressional leadership offices and White House staff, who remain optimistic that substantial progress toward tax reform will take place during the weeks ahead. Policy makers have also made it clear that to push tax reform across the finish line, the legislation must include major provisions that bolster the middle class. To that end, officials have underscored the importance of mortgage interest and charitable giving deductibility, the prospect of lower rates through consolidated deductions, and the overall simplicity of a streamlined code. The House Ways and Means Committee has created a template “postcard” to illustrate the taxpayer-friendly approach favored by proponents of reform. To view a copy of the proposed, streamlined tax form, click on the following link: https://waysandmeans.house.gov/tax-form-simple-fit-postcard/.
Horsemen and horsewomen can deliver a timely message by contacting their elected officials and expressing the need to modernize the code in general, and specifically to repeal the outdated death tax . Other issues that will emerge as the debate moves forward will include deductibility of business interest, expensing of depreciable assets, and establishing a top rate of 25% for sole proprietorships, Subchapter S-Corporations, and other small business entities. If you would like more information related to tax reform, please contact Bryan Brendle at bbrendle@horsecouncil.org.
Today, we’re launching a new effort to convince Congress to maintain the longstanding prohibition on the destruction and slaughter of healthy wild horses and burros. We’ve called. We’ve emailed. Now, let’s send a personal video message about why we’re fighting to protect these national icons.
With our new video tool you can easily record a short video that will be sent directly to your members of Congress. I just recorded mine — watch it now and then record your own.
We know you’ll have plenty to say but a few points we hope you’ll include:
Congress must maintain the longstanding prohibition on destroying healthy wild horses and burros and oppose any effort that would open the door to slaughter.
80% of Americans oppose the slaughter of America’s wild horses.
The PZP birth control vaccine is a scientifically-proven, low-cost alternative that can used to humanely manage wild populations and maintain their wild free-romaning behaviors.
So record your own video now. It’s really easy. It’ll take just a few minutes of your time. And it will help us cut through the clutter in Washington and be heard on this critical issue.
Guest Worker Visa Reform Gains Momentum, Tell Congress to Finish the Job!
Status update:
On September 15, the House of Representatives passed a $1.2 trillion funding bill for Fiscal Year (FY) 2018 that will serve as a benchmark for negotiations with the Senate on a final package. Congress must negotiate a final bill by December 8, when the current continuing resolution (CR) to fund federal programs at FY2017 levels will expire. While the equine industry and its allies have taken an important first step by inserting some H-2B visa reform measures within the text of the current House spending bill (such as wage-survey flexibility), the fight to insert broader visa cap relief in a final spending bill continues.
Fortunately, Congress can fix the broken guest worker visa program by acting on legislation currently moving through the legislative process. AHC members can help push the legislative process forward by weighing in with your elected officials in Washington. Contact your federal lawmakers today and urge them to support H2B visa reform through the following vehicles:
FY2018 Appropriations – Tell your lawmakers to include H-2B visa cap relief provisions in the final spending bill. This must-pass legislation is the most active vehicle moving through Congress. Meaningful cap relief includes common-sense exemptions for returning guest workers.
Strengthen Employment and Seasonal Opportunities (SEASON) Act (H.R. 2004) – Tell your representative to cosponsor H.R. 2004, which will provide cap relief by establishing an exemption for well-vetted workers who have already held a visa. This bill currently has 30 co-sponsors, a number which must grow to gain more political traction. If your representative is already a sponsor, tell him to contact leadership to assure passage.
Save Our Small and Seasonal Businesses Act of 2017 (S. 792) – Call both of your senators and tell them to cosponsor S. 792, legislation that will expedite applications to meet labor demands during peak seasons. This bipartisan bill currently has 12 sponsors, and will need many more to win floor time in the Senate. If your senators are already sponsors, tell them to contact leadership to make the bill a high priority.
To contact your lawmaker’s Washington office, please call the Capitol switchboard at 202-225-3121, and ask to be connected to your elected official’s office. Also, you can your representative and senators by using #SaveH2B on social media.
Emerging Legislation, Next Steps
House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte (R-VA) is soon expected to introduce the Agricultural Guest Worker Act of 2017, legislation that would replace the cumbersome H-2A program with more flexible H-2C visas. The draft text shared with AHC from House Judiciary Committee staff would accomplish the following benefits for large segments of the equine sector:
The bill would replace the H-2A program outright, with a new program that creates incentives to hire foreign labor through legal channels;
Reduce financial and paperwork burdens on agricultural employers by discarding H-2A mandates such as free housing and transportation;
Create marketplace flexibility by establishing “at will” employment between visa holders and agricultural employers;
Establish a baseline of 500,000 visas, with a built-in “escalator” that can result in 10% increases in the number of guest visas issued in subsequent years. According to State Dept. stats, the number of H2A visas has fluctuated between 65,000 and 135,000 during the past five fiscal years.
The House Judiciary Committee postponed a hearing scheduled for Wednesday, October 4 to formally introduce and review the bill. AHC will keep you updated on developments related to the Agriculture Guest Work Act, and other legislation impacting hiring practices for the equine sector. If you would like a summary of the draft bill, or have perspectives on immigration policy and priorities you would like to share, please contact Bryan Brendle at bbrendle@horsecouncil.org.
Congress Must Address Federal Funding Before Moving to Major Agenda Items
As Congress returns from their August recess, they will immediately consider a Continuing Resolution (CR) to fund the federal government beyond September 30, which marks the end of the current fiscal year
Where does your member of Congress stand on protecting wild horses? If you don’t know, now’s the time to find out. And if they’re supporting slaughter, now is the time to change their mind. Votes are expected in September that may decide the fate of American wild horses.
Take action right now while your member of Congress is home for August recess:
If they are, please attend and ask them if they will stop any attempts towards the slaughter, euthanasia, or destruction of healthy wild horses. If they answer, make sure to let us know their answer: contact@americanwildhorsecampaign.org.
2) No town hall? Call your member’s district (not Washington D.C.) officeand ask them if you can schedule a meeting with your congressperson or legislative aide. You can find the number for your congressperson here. And you can look up talking points here. Be sure to email us if you schedule a meeting!
On July 26, Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR) and Rep. Rob Bishop (R-UT) introduced the “Recreation Not Red-Tape Act (RNR)” (S. 1633, H.R. 3400), legislation that expands the scope of the National Forest System Trails Stewardship Act (PL 114-245), signed into law in late 2016. While the RNR focuses on streamlined permitting to access public lands, the bill includes provisions that would authorize the Department of the Interior, through the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), to enter into cooperative agreements with private parties to promote the role of volunteers in trail maintenance. The bill also authorizes the Department of Agriculture (USDA) and BLM to develop an interagency trail management plan that will assure uniform maintenance standards for trails crossing jurisdictional lines between the two agencies.
The Trails Act outlines a detailed program including goals and timetables by which the USDA will leverage private partners to clear trails long overdue for maintenance. Unlike the RNR Act, which applies to both the BLM and USDA’s National Forest System (NFS), the Trails Act focuses only on trails under the jurisdiction of the NFS.
Chairman Bishop and Sen. Wyden worked closely on the bill to emphasize key issues – especially outdoor recreation permit streamlining – that will likely attract bipartisan support. GOP staff with the House Natural Resources Committee, which is the committee of jurisdiction for federal land issues, are encouraging AHC and allies to help drive cosponsors for the legislation, which currently has none. Committee staff also state that the Subcommittee on Federal Lands will conduct a markup in late September or October, giving members the opportunity to offer technical corrections and amendments to the text.
The following post comes from the American Wild Horse Preservation.
We anticipate that the U.S. House of Representatives will vote next week on the 2017 Interior Appropriations Bill, which currently includes dangerous language that opens the door to large-scale killing of wild horses and burros via transfer to other federal, state and local government agencies. The bill also contains report language that encourages sterilization of wild horses and burros, including by inhumane, invasive and dangerous surgical means.
This is the most serious threat to wild horses and burros since the 2004 Burns Amendment authorized the unrestricted sale of older and unadopted animals! Even if you have previously done so, it’s important to continue to contact your Congresspersons to let them know that you want them to uphold the will of the people and protect our wild horses and burros from slaughter for commercial or non-commercial purposes, and from barbaric sterilization practices. Please remember that calling as well as emailing will help to ensure that your message on behalf of wild horses and burros is heard!
