WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Congressman Schweikert voted in support of the Preventing Animal Cruelty and Torture Act, or the PACT Act. Following passage, Congressman Schweikert released the following statement:

“I am proud to be a co-sponsor and support this legislation that will protect animals from inhumane treatment and punish those who choose to exhibit such repulsive acts,” said Congressman Schweikert (AZ-06). “During my time in Congress I have worked to ensure animals are protected from inhumane treatment, and I am pleased to see this legislation take a previous law one step further to protect animals.”

Background:

On December 9, 2010, the Animal Crush Video Prohibition Act was signed into law. The law made it a crime to distribute, or create for purposes of distribution, a video that depicts “nonhuman mammals, birds, reptiles, or amphibians” being “intentionally crushed, burned, drowned, suffocated, impaled, or otherwise subjected to serious bodily injury,” provided that such video is “obscene,” and provided the creation or distribution is done in or affecting interstate or foreign commerce.

However current law does not prohibit or criminalize the crushing, burning, drowning, suffocating, impaling, or other animal cruelty that occurs disconnected from distribution in interstate or foreign commerce. This bill would aim to rectify that.

The PACT Act has 301 cosponsors and passed by voice vote in the U.S. House of Representatives.

###