S 2037 118th Congress Senate Agriculture and Food Animal protection and human-animal relationships Mammals Meat Trade restrictions

SAFE Act of 2023

Introduced: June 15, 2023 See on congress.gov

Everywhere this bill has been 2 steps

Introduced

In committee

Reported out

Passed House

Passed Senate

To President

Became law

Jun 15, 2023

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.

Jun 15, 2023

Introduced in Senate

Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Save America's Forgotten Equines Act of 2023 or the SAFE Act of 2023

This bill permanently prohibits the slaughter of equines (e.g., horses and mules) for human consumption. (Current law prohibits the slaughter of dogs and cats for human consumption. This bill extends the prohibition to equines.)

Specifically, this bill prohibits a person from knowingly

slaughtering an equine for human consumption; or
shipping, transporting, possessing, purchasing, selling, or donating an equine to be slaughtered for human consumption or equine parts for human consumption.

The bill subjects a violator to a fine.

The bill applies to conduct in or affecting interstate or foreign commerce or within the special maritime and territorial jurisdiction of the United States. However, it does not apply to an activity carried out by an Indian for a religious ceremony.

In recent years, appropriations acts have prohibited the Department of Agriculture (USDA) from using federal funds to inspect horses before they are slaughtered for human consumption. Therefore, there are currently no USDA-inspected horse slaughter facilities in the United States.

What's happening now June 15, 2023

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.

Committees of jurisdiction 1