At the current moment, Congress is in the middle of deciding whether or not to appropriate funds to horse slaughterhouses in the United States, according to TheHorse.com.
Since 2006, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has denied funding for any U.S. horse processing plants. In turn, that means no horse slaughterhouse can operate in the United States.
The last slaughterhouse closed down in 2007 due to lack of government funding and all horses meant for processing were shipped to Canada and Mexico. However, in November 2011, Congress passed an appropriations bill that did not say specifically whether or not funds could be diverted for horse slaughterhouse plant inspections.
Since no words directly forbid the possibility of funds, one related slaughterhouse, Valley Meat Co., LLC in New Mexico, have applied for a USDA inspection permit, according to TheHorse.com.
In response to this application, the "FSIS (Food Safety and Inspection Service) must still complete it's inspector training, but at that point, the department will legally have no choice but to go forward with inspections, which is why we urge Congress to reinstate the ban," said a spokesman for Tom Vilsack, Agriculture Secretary.
The ban in question is an amendment introduced by U.S. Rep. Jim Moran. The amendment, which was submitted to and passed by the U.S. House Appropriations Committee, wants to reduce meat facility inspections funding below the 2012 fiscal level. The amendment will also deprive funds to inspect horse processing plants.
"At a time when USDA's budget is diminished by budget cuts and sequestration...every dollar spent at horse slaughter plants would divert necessary resources away from meat actually consumed by Americans," Moran wrote in a letter to Agriculture Secretary Vilsack. "I strongly urge you to exercise all available options to prevent the resumption of this industry."
Last week, the Full Year Continuing Appropriations Act of 2013 was passed, but Moran's amendment was left out. However, Moran wrote that letter to Vilsacks office in attempt to deny any USDA applications for horse processing facilities.
The same spokesperson from Vilsacks office further said that they will review the amendment upon their budget proposal in April.
"We expect that (budget) proposal in early April," said Moran's spokeswoman Anne Hughes. "If it is included in the agency proposal, it should be easier to ensure (defunding) language in the bill."
