On November 7, 2019 the Louisville City Council unanimously approved a resolution, introduced by Council member Marcus Winkler, urging the United States Department of Agriculture to reinstate the final rule that was adopted in 2017 but never finalized after the election of President Donald Trump. In addition the resolution calls for Kentucky Senators Mitch McConnell and Rand Paul to vote in favor of the PAST Act.
The resolution, which is non-binding, is another attempt by the Humane Society of the United States to gain attraction and attention to the bill it authored. The lobbying practices of the Humane Society Legislative Fund with Rep. Ed Whitfield from Kentucky led to his resignation from Congress amidst ethics investigations. Whitfield’s wife, Connie Harriman Whitfield was a lobbyist with HSLF, causing most of the violations alleged against Rep. Whitfiled.
The legislation, which has not passed the United States Senate, capitalizes on the majority of misinformation that has been spread to areas of the country with little to no Walking Horse activity and Members of Congress who are misinformed on the industry and subject matter. In the recent vote in the House of Representatives, touted as an overwhelming show of support by the HSUS, members from states with significant Walking Horse activity, competitions and knowledge voted overwhelmingly (70%) against the PAST Act.
The Louisville resolution comes on the heels of the attempt by HSUS to get an ordinance passed in the Nashville Metro Council banning the use of pads and action devices in Nashville. The attempt at getting the tenants of the PAST Act passed by the Metro Council failed and only resulted in a non-binding resolution urging passage of the PAST Act.
In the states of Tennessee and Kentucky, 73% of the representatives in the House of Representatives voted against the PAST Act and 92% of the Republicans from Tennessee and Kentucky voted against the PAST Act. It is evident in states affected by the Tennessee Walking Horse there is an overwhelming opposition to the PAST Act.
To view the Louisville resolution in its entirety
click here.