The Walking Horse Report, according to multiple sources on Capitol Hill, has learned that Senator Kelly Ayotte (R-NH) will reintroduce the PAST Act possibly as early as today.  Sen. Ayotte was the sponsor of the PAST Act in the previous Congress when the legislation failed to come to a vote.

The controversial legislation would eliminate the majority of the show divisions of the Tennessee Walking Horse.  The legislation is a priority of the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) and their involvement landed Rep. Ed Whitfield before the House Ethics Committee.  The committee is looking into the involvement of HSUS lobbyist and wife of Whitfield, Connie Harriman Whitfield, and her extensive lobbying of Whitfield and his staff.  The staff of Whitfield helped set meetings with HSUS and multiple Congressional offices.

It is unclear what type priority Sen. Ayotte will place on the controversial legislation.  Sen. Ayotte if fully aware that Tennessee Republican Senator Lamar Alexander and Kentucky Senator and Majority Leader Mitch McConnell oppose the PAST Act.  Both Sen. Alexander and Sen. McConnell introduced different legislation in the last Congress that didn't eliminate the divisions of the Tennessee Walking Horse but did move inspections to an independent HIO that relies on sound veterinary science and objective inspections that eliminate the uncertainty of pre-show inspection.