What is HR503 / S311?

As you may have guessed, it's all about horses. The current bills to protect America's horses from the inhumane transport and slaughter, many while still alive and conscious, of over 100,000 mostly young and healthy horses last year for export to use for human consumption. Yes. Horse steaks being shipped overseas for fine dining in Belgium and Japan. Yeah, we don't like that. Not one bit. Over 80% of American's vehemently oppose this horrific practice. This has been worked on by legislators and supporters for going over ten years now. California outlawed slaughter of horses ten years ago. Yet, they still are trucked over the borders ny 'kill buyers'. Why is this atrocity going on in the U.S. still? For one thing, lack of public information about the ugly practice of slaughtering horses, the plants choose to call "harvesting". There are only three slaughterhouses left in the U.S. that still slaughter horses. [edit 9/07: the 3 have now been closed due to legislation in those states, IL & TX, but we STILL must enact federal legislation, as they are being shipped by the thousands to Mexico and Canada, where conditions are even worse] It is a long, hellish ride to a horrible death for these horses - packed like sardines in double-decker semis without food or water. Sometimes the trip is a thousand miles or more.

Welcome everyone!

Welcome to the blogspot of Campaining for Barbaro/N.C. My name is April Bingham-Stillings and I am the Ambassador for our group for the state of North Carolina. I will give you a brief synopsis of what this group of state ambassadors is about and how you can help if so inclined. I hope that you will find helpful information when you visit and that you will take some time to learn why thousands are "CFB". Some of the information in this blog is not pleasant, and will hopefully bring to you great emotion to realize that as a U.S. citizen, you have a right to know about the things you care about that go on in the U.S. - try as they might to hide them, ignore them, and continue to grease palms. You also have a voice in all such matters in this country, and since Fall 2006, we have proven that these voices can be heard and make a difference, as we believe thousands of calls made by the Friends of Barbaro (which you will learn about if you are visiting and are not an F.O.B. ;) gave the extra push to vote Bill HR503 through the House of Representatives on Sept. 7, 2006. A great victory - but then the bill languished in the lame duck senate, meaning all the supporters of the bill had to completely start over.