119-hr1675

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1675 Introduced in House

    (IH) ]

<DOC>

119th CONGRESS
 1st Session
 H. R. 1675

 To amend the Horse Protection Act to provide increased protection for 
 horses participating in shows, exhibitions, sales, and auctions, and 
 for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

 February 27, 2025

 Mr. DesJarlais (for himself and Mr. Rose) introduced the following 
 bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce

_______________________________________________________________________

 A BILL

 To amend the Horse Protection Act to provide increased protection for 
 horses participating in shows, exhibitions, sales, and auctions, and 
 for other purposes.

 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

 This Act may be cited as the ``Protecting Horses from Soring Act of 
2025''.

SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

 

Section 2 of the Horse Protection Act (15 U.S.C. 1821) is amended--

    (1) by striking the section designation and all that 
 follows through ``requires:'' in the matter preceding paragraph

    (1) and inserting the following:

``

SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

 ``In this Act:'';

    (2) by redesignating paragraphs

    (1) ,

    (2) ,

    (3) , and

    (4) as 
 paragraphs

    (2) ,

    (4) ,

    (5) , and

    (6) , respectively;

    (3) by inserting before paragraph

    (2) (as so redesignated) 
 the following:
 ``

    (1) Horse industry organization.--The term `Horse 
 Industry Organization' means the organization established under 
 

section 4
            (c) (1)
        (A) .''; and

    (4) by inserting after paragraph

    (2) (as so redesignated) 
 the following:
 ``

    (3) Objective inspection.--The term `objective 
 inspection' means an inspection conducted by a veterinarian or 
 veterinarian technician using only an inspection method based 
 on a science-based protocol that consists of, at a minimum, 
 swabbing and blood testing, and that--
 ``
        (A) has been the subject of testing and is 
 capable of producing scientifically reliable and 
 reproducible results;
 ``
        (B) has been subjected to peer review; and
 ``
            (C) has received acceptance in the veterinary or 
 other applicable scientific community, as determined by 
 the Secretary.''.

SEC. 3. FINDINGS.

 

Section 3 of the Horse Protection Act (15 U.S.C. 1822) is amended--

    (1) by redesignating paragraphs

    (4) and

    (5) as paragraphs

    (5) and

    (6) , respectively; and

    (2) by inserting after paragraph

    (3) the following:
 ``

    (4) the Inspector General of the Department of 
 Agriculture has determined that the program through which the 
 Secretary inspects horses is not adequate to ensure compliance 
 with this Act;''.

SEC. 4. INCREASING PROTECTIONS FOR HORSES PARTICIPATING IN HORSE SHOWS, 
 EXHIBITIONS, SALES, OR AUCTIONS.

    (a) Horse Shows and Exhibitions.--

Section 4 of the Horse Protection 
Act (15 U.S.C. 1823) is amended--

    (1) by striking subsection

    (a) and inserting the following:
 ``

    (a) Disqualification of Horses.--
 ``

    (1) In general.--The management of any horse show or 
 horse exhibition shall disqualify any horse from being shown or 
 exhibited if--
 ``
        (A) the horse is determined to be sore by an 
 objective inspection; or
 ``
        (B) the management has been notified that the 
 horse is sore by--
 ``
            (i) a person licensed under subsection
            (c) (3)
        (A) ; or
 ``
            (ii) the Secretary.
 ``

    (2) Duration of disqualification.--Any horse that is 
 determined to be sore by an objective inspection shall be 
 disqualified from being shown or exhibited--
 ``
        (A) for a period of not less than 30 days if it 
 is the first determination; and
 ``
        (B) for a period of not less than 90 days if it 
 is a second or subsequent determination.'';

    (2) in subsection

    (b) --
        (A) by striking ``

    (b) The management'' and 
 inserting the following:
 ``

    (b) Prohibition on Sale, Auction, and Exhibition.--The 
management'';

    (3) by striking subsection
            (c) and inserting the following:
 ``
            (c) Horse Industry Organization.--
 ``

    (1) Establishment.--
 ``
        (A) In general.--Not later than 180 days after 
 the date of enactment of the Protecting Horses from 
 Soring Act of 2025, the Secretary shall establish an 
 organization, to be known as the `Horse Industry 
 Organization' (referred to in this subsection as `the 
 Organization').
 ``
        (B) Board.--
 ``
            (i) In general.--The Organization shall 
 be governed by a board (referred to in this 
 subsection as `the Board') consisting of not 
 more than 9 individuals, of whom--
 ``
            (I) two shall be appointed by the 
 Commissioner of Agriculture for the 
 State of Tennessee;
 ``
            (II) two shall be appointed by 
 the Commissioner of Agriculture for the 
 State of Kentucky;
 ``
            (III) two shall--
 ``

    (aa) represent the 
 Tennessee Walking Horse 
 industry; and
 ``

    (bb) be appointed by the 
 members appointed under 
 subclauses
            (I) and
            (II) , in 
 accordance with a process 
 developed by those members; and
 ``
            (IV) not more than three shall be 
 appointed by the members appointed 
 under subclauses
            (I) through
            (III) .
 ``
            (ii) Quorum.--Five members of the Board 
 shall constitute a quorum for the transaction 
 of business.
 ``
            (iii) Bylaws.--The members of the Board, 
 in consultation with the Secretary, shall 
 develop bylaws and other policies to operate 
 the Organization, establish committees, and 
 fill vacancies on the Board.
 ``
            (C) Vacancies; period of appointment.--
 ``
            (i) Vacancies.--Any vacancy on the 
 Board--
 ``
            (I) shall not impair the 
 authority of the Board; and
 ``
            (II) shall be filled as soon as 
 practicable in the same manner as the 
 original appointment.
 ``
            (ii) Period of appointment.--
 ``
            (I) In general.--Except as 
 provided in subclause
            (II) , a member of 
 the Board shall be appointed for a term 
 of 4 years.
 ``
            (II) Initial appointments.--Of 
 the members first appointed to the 
 Board, the members described in 
 subparagraph
        (B)
            (i) 
            (III) shall be 
 appointed for an initial term of 3 
 years.
 ``

    (2) Responsibilities.--The Organization shall--
 ``
        (A) establish a formal affiliation with the 
 management of each horse sale, horse exhibition, horse 
 sale, and horse auction;
 ``
        (B) appoint inspectors to conduct inspections at 
 each horse sale, horse exhibition, horse sale, and 
 horse auction;
 ``
            (C) identify and contract with equine veterinary 
 experts to advise the Board on--
 ``
            (i) objective scientific testing methods 
 and procedures for objective inspections; and
 ``
            (ii) the certification of objective 
 inspection results;
 ``
            (D) establish licensing requirements under 
 paragraph

    (3) ; and
 ``
        (E) take any other action to ensure compliance 
 with this Act, as determined in coordination with the 
 Secretary.
 ``

    (3) Licensing requirements.--
 ``
        (A) In general.--The Organization shall develop 
 licensing requirements to submit to the Secretary for 
 licensing persons qualified--
 ``
            (i) to detect and diagnose a horse that 
 is sore; or
 ``
            (ii) to otherwise inspect a horse for the 
 purpose of enforcing this Act.
 ``
        (B) Conflicts of interest.--Requirements 
 developed under subparagraph
        (A) shall include the 
 requirement that any person licensed by the 
 Organization, and any member of the immediate family of 
 any person licensed by the Organization, is free from a 
 conflict of interest by reason of any association or 
 connection with the walking horse industry, including 
 through--
 ``
            (i) employment by, or the provision of 
 any service to, any show manager, trainer, 
 owner, or exhibitor of a Tennessee Walking 
 horse, Spotted Saddle horse, or Racking horse; 
 and
 ``
            (ii) training, exhibiting, shoeing, 
 breeding, or selling a Tennessee Walking horse, 
 Spotted Saddle horse, or Racking horse.
 ``

    (4) Certification.--
 ``
        (A) In general.--After the members of the Board 
 described in subclauses
            (I) through
            (III) of paragraph

    (1)
        (B)
            (i) have been appointed, the Secretary shall 
 certify the Organization to train and license 
 individuals, including inspectors, as designated 
 qualified persons in accordance with 

section 11.7

    (b) of 
 title 9, Code of Federal Regulations (or successor 
 regulations).
 ``
        (B) Revocation of certification.--Not later than 
 90 days after the date on which the Secretary certifies 
 the Organization under subparagraph
        (A) , the Secretary 
 shall revoke the certification issued to any other 
 horse industry organization under 

section 11.7 of title 
 9, Code of Federal Regulations (or successor 
 regulations).
 ``

    (5) Federal advisory committee act exemption.--

Section 14

    (a)

    (2)
        (B) of the Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. 
 App.) shall not apply to the Organization.'';

    (4) in subsection
            (d) , by striking ``
            (d) The management'' 
 and inserting the following:
 ``
            (d) Recordkeeping.--The management''; and

    (5) in subsection

    (e) , by striking ``

    (e) For purposes of'' 
 and inserting the following:
 ``

    (e) Right of Inspection.--For purposes of''.

    (b) Unlawful Acts.--

Section 5 of the Horse Protection Act (15 
U.S.C. 1824) is amended--

    (1) by striking the section designation and all that 
 follows through ``The following'' in the matter preceding 
 paragraph

    (1) and inserting the following:

``

SEC. 5. PROHIBITED CONDUCT.

 ``The following'';

    (2) in paragraph

    (3) , by striking ``appoint and retain a 
 person in accordance with 

section 4
            (c) of this Act'' and 
 inserting ``have a formal affiliation with the Horse Industry 
 Organization'';

    (3) in paragraph

    (4) , by striking ``appoint and retain a 
 qualified person in accordance with 

section 4
            (c) of this Act'' 
 and inserting ``have a formal affiliation with the Horse 
 Industry Organization'';

    (4) in paragraph

    (5) , by striking ``appointed and retained 
 a person in accordance with 

section 4
            (c) of this Act'' and 
 inserting ``a formal affiliation with the Horse Industry 
 Organization''; and

    (5) in paragraph

    (6) --
        (A) by striking ``appointed and retained a person 
 in accordance with 

section 4
            (c) of this Act'' and 
 inserting ``a formal affiliation with the Horse 
 Industry Organization''; and
        (B) by striking ``such person or the Secretary'' 
 and inserting ``a person licensed by the Horse Industry 
 Organization''.

SEC. 5. RULEMAKING.

 Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, 
the Secretary of Agriculture shall issue regulations to carry out the 
amendments made by this Act.
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