Hi Folks -

Just wanted to update you on the PAST Act as of 11/18/21. I had dinner last night with Sen. Mike Crapo (R-ID). He's the leader of the Senate PAST Act and has been a tireless advocate for reform and the end of soring. I am in awe at his dedication to this issue. Of all the sponsors of the House and Senate PAST Acts he is the most consistent, and a pragmatic public servant who truly wants to solve this problem. 

We are now up to 51 cosponsors in the Senate (including Crapo) and more than 240 cosponsors in the House. But the bill is quite honestly dead as a doornail.

It might move in the House but the vote count won't be as good as the 333 to 96 we got in 2019 by renaming the bill after Sen. Joe Tydings (D-MD), our late, great leader: the Father of the Horse Protection Act of 1970. And then it's dead on arrival in the Senate with not only Tennessee and Kentucky Senators opposing it, but now some more vocal than they have been in the past from North and South Carolina, Alabama, and even Georgia with the two new Senators from that state - a safe haven for soring that produced the 'big lick' World Grand Champion, 'Honors.' 

There's also an Obama-era regulation that would ban stacks and chains, but it's dead according to the chief advisor and top staff person in USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack's office - Andy Green - I spoke to last week. It's not just that regulation, it's all regulations that date back to 2016-17 in that bracket, they will have to start over from scratch to revive any of them, no matter the topic. 

More news will be coming soon, and we'll be asking for your help. 

I wanted to keep you all posted with information directly from Washington, D.C. as it comes to me. Consider me your source for all things soring and if you have any questions email me at marty@animalwellnessaction.org. 

Here's a photo of the sound, flat-shod, Tennessee Walking Horse we all love at the University of Tennessee Homecoming last week courtesy of Cat and Doug Dye. 

Until next week, Blessings to you all!

Marty Irby