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HR 3931 109th Congress House Agriculture and Food Administrative procedure Agricultural industries Animal diseases Animals Bovine spongiform encephalopathy Commerce Crime and Law Enforcement Department of Agriculture Euthanasia Fines (Penalties) Government Operations and Politics Health Labeling Law Livestock Meat inspection Meat packing industry Protection of animals Veterinary medicine

Downed Animal Protection Act

Introduced: September 28, 2005 See on congress.gov
 Everywhere this bill has been 3 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Oct 6, 2005
Referred to the Subcommittee on Livestock and Horticulture.
Sep 28, 2005
Referred to the House Committee on Agriculture.
Sep 28, 2005
Introduced in House
 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Downed Animal Protection Act - States that it is U.S. policy that all nonambulatory livestock in interstate and foreign commerce be immediately and humanely euthanized when such livestock become nonambulatory.

Amends the Humane Methods of Slaughter Act of 1958 to direct the Secretary of Agriculture to promulgate regulations providing for the humane treatment, handling, and disposition of nonambulatory livestock by a covered entity, including a requirement that nonambulatory livestock be humanely euthanized.

Requires an entity to: (1) humanely euthanize nonambulatory livestock (while not limiting the Secretary's ability to test nonambulatory livestock for disease, such as bovine spongiform encephalopathy); and (2) not move nonambulatory livestock while such livestock is conscious, and ensure that such livestock remains unconscious until death.

Prohibits an inspector at an establishment covered by the Federal Meat Inspection Act to pass nonambulatory livestock, carcass, or carcass parts through inspection. Requires an inspector or other employee at such establishment to label such material as "inspected and condemned."

Defines "covered entity," "nonambulatory livestock," and "humanely euthanize."

What's happening now October 6, 2005

Referred to the Subcommittee on Livestock and Horticulture.

 Committees of jurisdiction 2