Roskam’s anti-animal fighting amendment advances in House passage of 2018 Farm Bill

U.S. Rep. Peter Roskam’s (R-IL) bipartisan amendment to prohibit animal fighting has been passed as part of the U.S. House-approved Agriculture and Nutrition Act, H.R. 2, the 2018 Farm Bill.

“This is a heartfelt issue, obviously,” said Rep. Roskam during a House floor speech on the bill, “but we’re talking about rough stuff.”

“We’re talking about stuff that attracts gangs. We’re talking about stuff that attracts drug trafficking. We’re talking about stuff that attracts violence. We’re talking about stuff,” he continued passionately, “that you’d be ashamed to bring a child to.”

“We’re talking about things that if they were allowed to happen in the well of this chamber,” the congressman said pointing to the center of the House floor, “many of us would look away because we would be shocked at the gratuitous violence.”

House Amendment 630 was introduced on May 18 by Rep. Roskam and U.S. Reps. Earl Blumenauer (D-OR), Rodney Davis (R-IL) and Vern Buchanan (R-FL), among others. It is among 48 amendments House lawmakers accepted for the newly approved H.R. 2. The amendment would strengthen prohibitions against animal fighting by ensuring the law applies to all United States territories, according to a congressional record summary.

“Animal fighting is cruel and inhumane no matter where it happens. It is time that our laws reflect this belief,” Rep. Roskam said. “I am pleased to see overwhelming bipartisan support for this legislation that protects animals against atrocious cruelty.”

The bill also has the support of The Humane Society of the United States. “Dogfighting and cockfighting are barbaric practices, more widely criminalized than any other form of animal cruelty in the world, and the prohibitions should apply to every part of the country,” Wayne Pacelle, president and CEO of The Humane Society, said last year in a statement of support for Rep. Roskam’s bill, originally known as the Parity in Animal Cruelty Enforcement (PACE) Act, H.R. 4202.

The congressman said such practices are wrong whether they occur in the states or U.S. territories and “we ought not be complicate with it.” And to think this amendment would drive animal fights underground “is a hackneyed argument … that hasn’t proved persuasive,” he added.

Rep. Roskam’s amendment received House agreement on May 18 in a vote of 359 to 51, according to the congressional record. The Farm Bill passed the House and advanced to the U.S. Senate for consideration on June 21.