S. 1121: PAST Act

114th Congress · introduced 2015-04-28 · Animals · Latest: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2015-04-28 · official record
Who proposed it: Sen. Ayotte, Kelly [R-NH] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. 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.

What does this mean?

Official title

PAST Act

Plain summary

Prevent All Soring Tactics Act of 2015 or the PAST Act This bill amends the Horse Protection Act to establish a new system for inspecting horses for soring, revise penalties for violations of the Act, and modify enforcement procedures. The soring of horses is any of various actions taken on a horse's limb to produce a higher gait that may cause pain, distress, inflammation, or lameness. The Department of Agriculture (USDA) must establish requirements to license, train, assign, and oversee persons hired by the management of horse shows, exhibitions, sales, or auctions to detect and diagnose sore horses. A license may not be issued to a person with conflicts of interest, and USDA must give preference to veterinarians. USDA may revoke a license for unsatisfactory performance. USDA must assign licensed inspectors after receiving notice that management intends to hire the inspectors. An inspector must issue a citation for violations and notify USDA of violations. USDA must publish information on violations of this bill and disqualify a horse that is sore. The bill prohibits a person in any horse show, exhibition, sale, or auction from causing or directing a horse to become sore for the purpose of showing, exhibiting, selling, or auctioning the horse. The bill prohibits the use of specified devices on a Tennessee Walking, a Racking, or a Spotted Saddle horse at a show, exhibition, sale, or auction. The bill increases the maximum criminal and civil liability penalties for certain violations. USDA may disqualify violators from specified activities related to horse shows, exhibitions, sales, and auctions.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate), 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

PAST Act

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate)

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The strongest published arguments

Arguments for (supporters)

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Alternatives

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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Sen. Ayotte, Kelly [R-NH] · 49 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Mark R. Warner (D-VA), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Susan M. Collins (R-ME), Edward J. Markey (D-MA), Gary C. Peters (D-MI), Steve Daines (R-MT), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Jack Reed (D-RI), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Michael F. Bennet (D-CO), Bernard Sanders (I-VT), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Christopher A. Coons (D-DE), Patty Murray (D-WA), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Mike Crapo (R-ID), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Richard J. Durbin (D-IL), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Angus S. King, Jr. (I-ME), Cory A. Booker (D-NJ), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Christopher Murphy (D-CT), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Charles E. Schumer (D-NY), Kirsten E. Gillibrand (D-NY), Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI), Jerry Moran (R-KS)

No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.

Words on this page, explained (1)

Bill: A proposed law. It becomes law only if it passes the legislature and is signed by the president or governor (or a veto is overridden).

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-114s1121.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/114/s>

Record fed-us-cong114-s1121 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong114 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong114