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Buchanan Honored by U.S. Humane Society

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BRADENTON – The U.S. Humane Society recently presented Congressman Vern Buchanan (R-Longboat Key) with its Legislative Leader award for his voting record and leadership on key animal welfare issues.

Buchanan said he was honored to receive this distinction from one of the leading animal welfare organizations in the country. The Congressman is a past recipient of the group’s coveted Legislator of the Year Award, the only Floridian ever to win the honor.

"Protecting endangered wildlife and preventing animal cruelty are bipartisan issues that should be important to all Americans," said Buchanan. "I’m optimistic that many of our important priorities will win approval this year in Congress."

Buchanan, co-chair of the Animal Protection Caucus, received an "A“ rating from the Humane Society for his leadership and votes in 2018. Some of the votes and initiatives cited by the group included legislation to stop the slaughter of American horses for human consumption, ban cosmetic testing on animals and protect endangered species in Florida and across the globe.

"Representative Buchanan is forging a path for a more humane future for all types of animals through his demonstrated leadership, and we thank him for his tremendous commitment," said Humane Society Legislative Fund President Sara Amundson. "He delivered again as co-chair of the Congressional Animal Protection Caucus and by successfully pushing two bills enacted as part of the 2018 Farm Bill to prohibit the trade of dog and cat meat and to ensure that federal prohibitions on animal fighting apply everywhere in the U.S., including the territories. He’s also been a leading voice to end the cruel slaughter of horses and to protect endangered species. We, and the animals, are lucky to have him on our side."

Last month, Buchanan’s Rescuing Animals With Rewards Act (RAWR Act) was passed by the House Foreign Affairs Committee. The bill allows the State Department to offer rewards for information leading to the arrest or conviction of wildlife traffickers around the globe. The RAWR would explicitly add wildlife trafficking to the list of criminal activities the State Department can target with financial rewards for whistleblowers.

In April, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) announced that it would list the Gulf of Mexico Bryde’s whale as endangered under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) following a push from Buchanan and Kathy Castor (D-FL). The mammal is one of the most endangered marine mammals on the planet and perilously close to extinction.

He recently opposed the Interior Department’s announcement that it would move to delist the gray wolf from the Endangered Species protection. His strong record of defending animals also includes opposing weaker protections for the Florida manatee and panther, as well as urging the U.S. Department of Agriculture to restore a database of animal cruelty information that the department removed suddenly and without notice.

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