H.R. 503: To amend the Horse Protection Act to prohibit the shipping, transporting, moving, delivering, receiving, possessing, purchasing, selling, or donation of horses and other equines to be slaughtered for human consumption, and for other purposes.
Before you vote › Federal bills
H.R. 503: To amend the Horse Protection Act to prohibit the shipping, transporting, moving, delivering, receiving, possessing, purchasing, selling, or donation of horses and other equines to be slaughtered for human consumption, and for other purposes.
109th Congress · introduced 2005-02-01 · Animals · Latest: Read the second time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 631.
federal
Follow this bill, step by step
- Where it came from: introduced 2005-02-01 · official record
- Who proposed it: Rep. Sweeney, John E. [R-NY-20] · what a sponsor is
- What happened next: 3 recorded votes in our records. Latest: House roll call 431 (2006): On Agreeing to the Amendment, HR503 (2006-09-07), Failed. See all
- Where it stands now: Read the second time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 631. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
- If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.
Official title
To amend the Horse Protection Act to prohibit the shipping, transporting, moving, delivering, receiving, possessing, purchasing, selling, or donation of horses and other equines to be slaughtered for human consumption, and for other purposes.
Plain summary
Amends the Horse Protection Act to define: (1) "human consumption" as ingestion by people as a source of food; and (2) "slaughter" as the killing of one or more horses or other equines with the intent to sell or trade the flesh for human consumption. Sets forth additional congressional findings. Prohibits the shipping, transporting, moving, delivering, receiving, possessing, purchasing, selling, or donation of horses and other equines to be slaughtered for human consumption. Authorizes the Secretary of Agriculture to detain for examination, testing, or the taking of evidence: (1) any horse at any horse show, horse exhibition, or horse sale or auction which is sore or which the Secretary has probable cause to believe is sore; and (2) any horse or other equine which the Secretary has probable cause to believe is being shipped, transported, moved, delivered, received, possessed, purchased, sold, or donated in violation of such prohibition. Increases the annual authorization of appropriations.
Congressional Research Service summary (Passed House without amendment), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.
What a vote does
A “Yea” vote
If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.
A “Nay” vote
If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.
PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).
What does this mean? (plain words)
Official text
To amend the Horse Protection Act to prohibit the shipping, transporting, moving, delivering, receiving, possessing, purchasing, selling, or donation of horses and other equines to be slaughtered for human consumption, and for other purposes.
Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Passed House without amendment)
AI explanation – may be wrong, check the official text
No AI explanation yet. It takes up to a minute to write and is then saved for everyone.
Limited to a few requests an hour per person.
The strongest published arguments
Arguments for (supporters)
Needs sources: no published arguments on this side yet. We only show items backed by a published source. Suggest one.
Arguments against (opponents)
Needs sources: no published arguments on this side yet. We only show items backed by a published source. Suggest one.
Alternatives
Needs sources: no published alternatives yet (for example a different bill, a law instead of an amendment, or keeping current law). We only show items backed by a published source. Suggest one.
How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes
Officials and money
Sponsor: Rep. Sweeney, John E. [R-NY-20] · 203 cosponsors
Cost estimate: CBO cost estimate: H.R. 503, A bill to amend the Horse Protection Act to prohibit the shipping, transporting, moving, delivering, receiving, possessing, purchasing, selling, or donation of horses and other equines to be slaughtered for human consumption (2006-08-18); CBO cost estimate: H.R. 503, A bill to amend the Horse Protection Act to prohibit the shipping, transporting, moving, delivering, receiving, possessing, purchasing, selling, or donation of horses and other equines to be slaughtered for human consumption (2006-08-18)
Cosponsors on this site
Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Brad Sherman (D-CA), Janice D. Schakowsky (D-IL), Joe Wilson (R-SC), Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), Rick Larsen (D-WA), Betty McCollum (D-MN) and 143 more.
Recorded votes
- House roll call 431 (2006): On Agreeing to the Amendment, HR503 (2006-09-07): Failed
- House roll call 432 (2006): On Agreeing to the Amendment, HR503 (2006-09-07): Failed
- House roll call 433 (2006): On Passage, HR503 (2006-09-07): Passed
Words on this page, explained (2)
- Appropriation
- Money a legislature sets aside by law for a specific purpose. Government agencies may spend public money only as it has been appropriated.
- Authorization
- A law that creates or continues a government program and says what it may do, often with a suggested spending ceiling. An authorization alone does not provide money; a separate appropriation does.
Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.
Sources
- Congressional Research Service summary (Passed House without amendment)
- Congress.gov
- Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-109hr503.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/109/hr>
Record fed-us-cong109-hr503 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong109 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong109