mr. chairman , first question , what is the effect of this amendment ? 
this amendment in simple terms will stop the slaughter or human consumption of horses , the meat of which will be exported to foreign countries . 
it does not stop , affect or any way impede euthanasia by veterinarians . 
it stops the brutal slaughter at slaughterhouses . 
sometimes horses are jacked up by their hind legs and have their throats slit . 
this is the kind of slaughter that this bill will prohibit so that the meat can be exported to europe and other places . 
secondly , who is affected ? 
slaughterhouses in two states . 
that is it . 
three different slaughterhouse locations in two states . 
that is it . 
those are the net effects because , you see , americans do not eat horse meat . 
these horses are not slaughtered in this country , 65 , 000 last year , for consumption here . 
they are slaughtered for consumption in europe and asia , and 35 , 000 were not trucked to mexico and canada only to be euthanized there . 
they were shipped there to be slaughtered . 
so this affects foreign consumers of american horse meat . 
that is all . 
no americans are affected , and only three plants in two states are actually affected . 
who is for it and who is against it ? 
i will leave this 7-page memorandum which shows individuals , organizations , horse raisers , horse racers , horse farmers , horse lovers of all kinds who support it , including a substantial number of veterinarians . 
seven pages long , that is how many people are in favor of it . 
next question : what do we know about the consequences of this ? 
what happens when you stop the slaughter of horses at , albeit , just three plants ? 
well , we know from practical experience in five states , including california , the largest state for the last 7 years , this law has been in effect statewide in california and four other states and in california since 1998 . 
what has been the effect ? 
have there been horses that have been left for neglect , derelict horses ? 
no , there have been no effects . 
have there been horses that have been too numerous to be euthanized ? 
no . 
practically , in the five states that have implemented this law , there has been no effect whatsoever . 
finally , what is the legislative history of this bill ? 
the legislative history is we filed a bill like this in the last congress . 
we filed it again in this congress . 
in the last congress , after we put on an effort to win support for it , we collected 225 co-sponsors . 
we never had a hearing . 
we were entitled to one . 
so we come here today using a different parliamentary procedure . 
but this bill has been thoroughly exposed , thoroughly supported , thoroughly argued for and against ; and today we are entitled to this vote on the house floor . 
and if the 225 members who have supported our bill in the past come forward , we will see that the will of the house is that this becomes the law of the land . 
