Skip to main content
S 1779 109th Congress Senate 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
This bill died when the 109th Congress ended
It never became law before the 109th Congress (2005–2006) adjourned, and bills don't carry over to the next Congress. It would have to be reintroduced. You can still save it for reference, but it won't receive updates.
 Everywhere this bill has been 3 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Sep 28, 2005
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry. (text of measure as introduced: CR S10597)
Sep 28, 2005
Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S10596-10597)
Sep 28, 2005
Introduced in Senate
 Ask about this bill AI · grounded in the bill text

Have a question about what this bill does? Ask in plain English; the answer is drawn from the bill's actual text and official record, and it'll tell you when something isn't in the text rather than guess.

AI answers can be imperfect; always confirm against the full bill text.

 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 September 28, 2005

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry. (text of measure as introduced: CR S10597)

 Related & companion bills 1
 Bill text 1 version

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 1
Cite this page click to expand
APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). S. 1779: Downed Animal Protection Act. 109th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/109-S-1779/
MLA
"S. 1779: Downed Animal Protection Act." 109th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/109-S-1779/.
Bluebook (legal)
S. 1779, 109th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/109-S-1779/.
Markdown link
[S. 1779: Downed Animal Protection Act](https://openamerica.io/bill/109-S-1779/)
Report a problem