Public Policy & NGOs
Here's a look at documents from public policy and non-governmental organizations
Featured Stories
Policy Matters Ohio: Data Center Tax Break Costs Ohio 12x What State Forecast for 2025
COLUMBUS, Ohio, May 23 -- Policy Matters Ohio, a nonpartisan policy research institute, posted the following news release:
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Repeal overdue: Data center tax break costs Ohio 12x what state forecast for 2025
New reporting by Signal Ohio's Jake Zuckerman reveals that Ohio's data center sales tax exemption cost the state more than $1.5 billion in 2025, far exceeding earlier projections and confirming longstanding concerns from Policy Matters Ohio that the true cost of the subsidy has been significantly understated.
"These numbers confirm that lawmakers were working with wildly inaccurate information,"
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COLUMBUS, Ohio, May 23 -- Policy Matters Ohio, a nonpartisan policy research institute, posted the following news release:
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Repeal overdue: Data center tax break costs Ohio 12x what state forecast for 2025
New reporting by Signal Ohio's Jake Zuckerman reveals that Ohio's data center sales tax exemption cost the state more than $1.5 billion in 2025, far exceeding earlier projections and confirming longstanding concerns from Policy Matters Ohio that the true cost of the subsidy has been significantly understated.
"These numbers confirm that lawmakers were working with wildly inaccurate information,"said Zach Schiller, Research Director at Policy Matters Ohio and author of the January 2025 report that first articulated concerns about the cost of the credit as data centers proliferated in Ohio. "Forecasts weren't just off--they missed the mark by more than a billion dollars, undermining responsible policymaking and public trust."
Promises of job creation simply do not justify this level of taxpayer-funded giveaways.
It's clear that data center development does provide meaningful employment to the construction industry, creating opportunities for expanding apprenticeships and pathways to high road jobs with good pay and strong benefits. However, Ohio is already a uniquely attractive location for data centers, and their development produces relatively few permanent jobs. Policymakers should not continue subsidizing data center development.
"This is a massive public subsidy going to some of the richest corporations on the planet," Schiller said. "At a time when Ohio is struggling to fund schools, childcare, and many other public services, we cannot afford giveaways on this scale with so little return, and rapidly dwindling public accountability for those taxpayer dollars." Unfortunately, with House Bill 184 approved last year, the General Assembly took a major step backward and made public records on local economic development assistance confidential. No longer can residents expect to get the basic details on what applicants for such assistance promise in jobs and investment.
"The question now is not whether this tax break is too big--it clearly is," Schiller said. "The question is what Ohio is going to do about it. Even if the legislature reduces the subsidy by repealing Governor DeWine's veto, as they should, that will only impact new agreements. Ohioans need legislators to also figure out how to undo some of the damage -- reflected in these new numbers -- by reining in incentives involved in existing agreements. The state's new joint committee should take up this discussion immediately."
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Original text here: https://policymattersohio.org/news/2026/05/22/repeal-overdue-data-center-tax-break-costs-ohio-12x-what-state-forecast-for-2025/
[Category: Economics]
Peterson Institute for International Economics Issues Commentary: Why a Scandal in Brazil May Be Good News for EU-Mercosur
WASHINGTON, May 23 -- The Peterson Institute for International Economics issued the following commentary on May 21, 2026, by senior research staffer Monica De Bolle: Why a scandal in Brazil may be good news for EU-Mercosur.
The EU-Mercosur trade agreement between the European Union and the South American bloc of Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay is, on a generous reading, the most important piece of economic news to come out of Brazil over the past 20 years. Europe's ratification seems on track, but a recent dramatic turn of events may have improved its chances of ratification in Brazil.
That
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WASHINGTON, May 23 -- The Peterson Institute for International Economics issued the following commentary on May 21, 2026, by senior research staffer Monica De Bolle: Why a scandal in Brazil may be good news for EU-Mercosur.
The EU-Mercosur trade agreement between the European Union and the South American bloc of Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay is, on a generous reading, the most important piece of economic news to come out of Brazil over the past 20 years. Europe's ratification seems on track, but a recent dramatic turn of events may have improved its chances of ratification in Brazil.
Thatoccurred with the disclosure of a potential financial scandal involving Senator Flavio Bolsonaro, former president Jair Bolsonaro's son and a presidential candidate himself, who would be in a position to block the deal if he is elected later this year. Earlier this month, Intercept Brasil, a new independent nonprofit journalism organization, reported links between the younger Bolsonaro and Daniel Vorcaro, the jailed owner of Banco Master, which recently collapsed amid accusations of financial fraud.
Surfaced audio recordings appeared to capture Flavio personally pressuring Vorcaro about overdue payments for the production of "Dark Horse," a film about Jair Bolsonaro. The accompanying bank transfer records published by Intercept Brasil show that substantial funds were transferred to the Bolsonaro family, directly implicating Flavio Bolsonaro in yet another major, still-unfolding corruption scandal.
As a result, within a few days, new polls showed President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva opening a 7-point lead against Flavio. Meanwhile, two opposition parties filed to strip Bolsonaro's son of his Senate mandate. It is too early to say that Flavio Bolsonaro's candidacy is finished, but the possibility that the Bolsonaro name may be absent from the ballot in October reduces the likelihood that the EU-Mercosur agreement will be rejected.
The EU-Mercosur partnership agreement was signed in Asuncion, Paraguay, on January 17 and has been applied provisionally since May 1. On January 21, the European Parliament voted 334 to 324 to refer the agreement to the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) for a ruling on whether it can be applied before all member states ratify it and whether it constrains the European Union's environmental and consumer protection powers. That referral could delay full ratification by up to two years.
Years of negotiations on the trade deal ran into a major obstacle in the form of former president Bolsonaro's appalling record on environmental policies, including Amazon deforestation. Lula reversed these policies, which helped to bring the deal back from the dead. Jair Bolsonaro's direct heir, Flavio, is seen as likely to follow in his father's footsteps and block the deal.
There has been a temptation to read Flavio Bolsonaro as a more tractable, less ideological version of his father, that is, a politician who would govern with less climate denialism and more institutional restraint. That reading does not survive contact with anything Flavio has said about foreign policy. His pitch to Brazilian voters is that only a Bolsonaro can work with President Donald Trump. He has telegraphed, mostly through his brother Eduardo Bolsonaro, currently living in the United States, concessions to Washington on rare earth elements, narcoterrorism designations for domestic groups, and bilateral trade terms, all of which would undermine the multilateral approach Lula has been rebuilding over the past four years.
Lula managed to defuse some of these arguments through his successful visit to the White House earlier this month. But a Flavio presidency would make the Brazilian government again the principal political obstacle to EU-Mercosur ratification on the European side. Every European agriculture minister whose farmers are nervous about Brazilian beef and Argentine grains would, overnight, regain the political cover to vote "no." The CJEU referral, which currently appears to be a procedural delay, would deal a potential fatal blow, a risk that markets have not priced.
The trade, growth, and investment implications for Brazil would be massive. Locking in preferential access for the bulk of Brazilian agricultural exports to the European Union and exposing Brazil's manufacturing to a productivity shock that decades of protectionism had prevented is worth more to Brazil's development potential than any other policy discussion the current candidates could present.
The route by which Flavio's candidacy may now be derailed--the leaked audios, ongoing investigations by Brazil's Federal Police, and a Supreme Court whose impartiality the Brazilian right has spent three years disputing--is not what anyone would opt for. The Banco Master investigation has already cost the Supreme Court a justice and forced the Central Bank to defend its supervisory record in court. The institutional damage is real and will not undo itself.
The comparison, however, is not between this and a clean election, but rather between the scandal and a Flavio Bolsonaro presidency credible enough to negotiate Brazil's posture through the entire 2027-29 ratification window. The scandal has shifted the runoff probability enough that the EU-Mercosur ratification window is now likelier to close with a Brazilian government able to sit across the table from European parliaments without instantly making the deal untenable.
There are at least two things to watch. First, whether the European Parliament's CJEU referral is resolved fast enough that ratification happens before the elections in October. The Brazilian government has every incentive to push for the procedural acceleration that French and Polish opposition will try to slow down. Second, whether the Lula administration uses the political opening to sign the side letters on enforcement, deforestation monitoring, and agricultural safeguards that European parliaments will need to vote "yes."
Ironically, a major financial fraud scandal is opening the door to long-term economic gains. While this is a route no one wanted to take, it provides an opportunity for the country to lock in an international agreement that would pave the way for Brazil's development. Whether Brazil seizes the opening, however, will depend less on the courts and the headlines than on whether the Lula administration finally treats EU-Mercosur as the economic priority it has long deserved.
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Original text here: https://www.piie.com/blogs/realtime-economics/2026/why-scandal-brazil-may-be-good-news-eu-mercosur
[Category: Economics]
Food and Water Watch: Hudson Valley Residents Rally Against Massive Data Center Proposal in East Fishkill
WASHINGTON, May 23 -- The Food and Water Watch posted the following news release:
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Hudson Valley Residents Rally Against Massive Data Center Proposal in East Fishkill
Impacted residents from three communities urge local and state leaders to pass moratoria on new data centers
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Hopewell Junction, NY -- Dozens of Hudson Valley residents and community leaders gathered today outside East Fishkill's Town Hall to demand the Town Board enact a local moratorium mirrored off of the minimum three-year data center pause proposed in New York State Senate (S9144A) and Assembly (A10141).
Impacted
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WASHINGTON, May 23 -- The Food and Water Watch posted the following news release:
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Hudson Valley Residents Rally Against Massive Data Center Proposal in East Fishkill
Impacted residents from three communities urge local and state leaders to pass moratoria on new data centers
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Hopewell Junction, NY -- Dozens of Hudson Valley residents and community leaders gathered today outside East Fishkill's Town Hall to demand the Town Board enact a local moratorium mirrored off of the minimum three-year data center pause proposed in New York State Senate (S9144A) and Assembly (A10141).
Impactedcommunity members in the Hudson Valley in three different areas where AI data centers are proposed are calling for federal representatives, New York state legislators, and municipal officials to pass moratoriums to create regulations for the significant environmental impacts, loss of public funds, and electricity costs associated with data centers.
Mike Lawler, who has several data center proposals in his district, including proposals in Orangeburg, East Fishkill, and at Indian Point in Buchanan, has not yet supported the Artificial Intelligence (AI) Data Center Moratorium Act introduced by Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.
"New York cannot afford to ignore the growing strain on our electric grid while approving projects that demand enormous amounts of power. Innovation and economic development matter -- but so do affordability, reliability, and protecting working families from even higher utility costs. Before we expand large-scale data center development, we must ensure our state has the energy infrastructure and generation capacity necessary to support it responsibly," said Assemblyman Anil R. Beephan Jr. (R-East Fishkill)
"It is clear that opposition to data centers is a popular issue, and for good reasons. The explosive growth of AI data centers is the greatest environmental and affordability threat facing our nation," said Melissa Hoffmann, organizer with Food & Water Watch. The people of East Fishkill have spoken. Now, we call on our elected officials to do the same and stand with their constituents. Thank you to Assemblymember Anil Beephan for co-sponsoring the statewide data center moratorium bill. Mike Lawler must do the same at the federal level and stop the AI frenzy from harming our communities before it's too late."
The rally came amidst growing opposition to AI data centers across the state and country. Residents of towns where data centers are being proposed are stepping up to fight back against noise pollution, increased water consumption and electricity costs, grid instability, and environmental damage that would result if data centers are built. A petition started by East Fishkill residents opposing the Treetop data center garnered over 1000 signatures, and a letter was sent by residents to the Town Board in support of an immediate moratorium on data centers.
"It would be reckless to green-light a massive new data center in East Fishkill while Hudson Valley residents are already struggling with extreme energy costs. The proposed facility would require a truly enormous amount of energy, creating an even bigger burden that will ultimately raise rates. We cannot afford our bills as it is--which means we cannot afford to subsidize Big Tech's greedy energy consumption, especially when Governor Hochul is actively rolling back our climate laws. It is unacceptable to prioritize data centers like this one over New York's working families. We call on all local elected officials to oppose this data center and pass moratoriums now." said Xaver Kandler, political director at For the Many.
"My family and I moved to the area because we love the small-town character of the community, the scenic mountains, wetlands, creeks, and lakes," said Mike Schade, Fishkill resident. "A massive AI data center is not what we signed up for. In recent years, communities across the country have been besieged by these mammoth data centers that drive up energy costs for local homeowners and renters, deplete precious water supplies, and contribute to mind-numbing noise pollution in neighborhoods. Our energy bills are already off the charts, and this new facility would likely only further burden area residents. Allowing this data center to proceed would be out of step with the character of our beloved community. We are here to say no - enough is enough! East Fishkill and New York have a historic opportunity to make this right, by passing a moratorium on massive AI data centers."
"My family and I have lived in East Fishkill for almost 37 years. We moved to the area because of its beauty, open space and a strong sense of community. Over the years the town has allowed the intrusion of massive warehouses. A 1-Gig data Center will further change the character of the area and is not aligned with the New Master Plan soon to be implemented. Too much is at stake, and a three-year moratorium is needed to study the impact of a data center of any size" said Fran Caracappa, a concerned citizen of the East Fishkill Community.
There are two applications with the New York Independent System Operator for data centers in East Fishkill: one filed in July 2025 for what would be the second largest data proposal in the state - Treetop's 1 gigawatt data center, and a second for iPark 84 on Lime Kiln Road.
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Original text here: https://www.foodandwaterwatch.org/2026/05/22/hudson-valley-residents-rally-against-massive-data-center-proposal-in-east-fishkill/
[Category: Science]
ENVEST - IFPTE Partners With TVA, Paradigm in Establishing STEM Apprenticeship Program
WASHINGTON, May 23 -- The International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers issued the following news:
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ENVEST - IFPTE Partners with TVA, Paradigm in Establishing STEM Apprenticeship Program
Led by Secretary-Treasurer Gay Henson, IFPTE made history last Friday by finalizing a first of its kind STEM apprenticeship program.
The program is entitled ENVEST Jobs - Empowerment Network for Engineering, Science and Technology Jobs, and will help to fund worker training programs to meet IT, cyber-security, and other needs of employers like TVA and others.
The ENVEST Trust Board,
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WASHINGTON, May 23 -- The International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers issued the following news:
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ENVEST - IFPTE Partners with TVA, Paradigm in Establishing STEM Apprenticeship Program
Led by Secretary-Treasurer Gay Henson, IFPTE made history last Friday by finalizing a first of its kind STEM apprenticeship program.
The program is entitled ENVEST Jobs - Empowerment Network for Engineering, Science and Technology Jobs, and will help to fund worker training programs to meet IT, cyber-security, and other needs of employers like TVA and others.
The ENVEST Trust Board,chaired by Secretary-Treasurer Henson, includes IFPTE Local 400 President/Northeastern Area Vice President, Denise Robinson, EA/IFPTE Local 1937 President, Anthony Chorney, two TVA representatives and one representative from Paradigm Technology.
Secretary-Treasurer Henson commented on ENVEST, saying that, "this is not only a historic agreement when it comes to bringing apprenticeship programs in STEM fields to fruition, it has huge potential that could result in significant growth among IFPTE's membership. We at IFPTE are very excited that we have launched this historic apprenticeship program."
IFPTE Assistant to the Executive Officers, Brian Kildee, who has worked closely with Henson to get this project off the ground, along with IFPTE General Counsel, Teresa Ellis, and IFPTE President, Matt Biggs, also attended last week's inaugural ENVEST trustee meeting.
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Original text here: https://www.ifpte.org/news/envest-ifpte-partners-with-tva-paradigm-in-establishing-stem-apprenticeship-program
[Category: Engineering]
Catholic League Issues Commentary: Media Reaction To Colbert's Exit
NEW YORK, May 23 -- The Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights, an organization that defends the right of Catholics to participate in American public life without defamation or discrimination, issued the following commentary on May 22, 2026, by President Bill Donohue:
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MEDIA REACTION TO COLBERT'S EXIT
Media stories on the end of "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert" lament the decision by CBS to terminate the show, and some are heralding him as the great Catholic evangelizer. This cries out for a rebuttal.
Father James Martin, known for his ministry to gays and transpersons, declares
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NEW YORK, May 23 -- The Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights, an organization that defends the right of Catholics to participate in American public life without defamation or discrimination, issued the following commentary on May 22, 2026, by President Bill Donohue:
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MEDIA REACTION TO COLBERT'S EXIT
Media stories on the end of "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert" lament the decision by CBS to terminate the show, and some are heralding him as the great Catholic evangelizer. This cries out for a rebuttal.
Father James Martin, known for his ministry to gays and transpersons, declaresthat Colbert is "one of today's best Catholic evangelists." The first three reasons he gives for making this assessment are (1) "he is normal, or at least as normal as a famous late-night talk show host can be" (2) "people understand that he is not paid to promote the church," and (3) "he does it all with a sense of humor." Nice qualities but if that makes him "one of today's best Catholic evangelists," the bar is set pretty low.
Mark Kennedy writes for Crux and notes that Colbert is different from his competitors because he wears "his Catholic faith and his adoration of his wife and frequent guest, Evie McGee Colbert, on his sleeve." He is also someone who allegedly "could quote Psalms by heart." Let's assume this is true. How does this justify Kennedy's observation, "Many Catholics Mourning the Loss of Late-Night Host Stephen Colbert's Show"?
Mary McNamara has a piece in the Los Angeles Times titled, "We Will Miss the Divine and Very Human Ministry of Stephen Colbert." She explains her reasoning by noting that he is "the single greatest argument for married Catholic clergy." Others may see it as "the single greatest argument" to maintain celibacy.
I like Colbert. He invited me twice to appear on his Comedy Central show, "The Colbert Report." But he is not St. Colbert. His commentary includes defending a Doritos commercial that substituted the snack for the Eucharist. One of his shows featured a close-up photo of a priest distributing condoms instead of the consecrated Host. Regarding the play, "Jesus Christ Superstar," he said, "It is the least gay musical because it's got Jesus in it. Just this one guy with great abs hanging out with 12 of his buddies for three years in the countryside. Absolutely. Nothing gay about that at all."
Colbert's joke about President Trump performing oral sex on Vladimir Putin--using an obscenity--did not come off as an evangelizing moment. Ditto for his comment heralding a bald British bisexual black actress for playing Jesus in "Jesus Christ Superstar."
Kennedy and McNamara, like so many in the media, are angry at CBS for firing Colbert. They smell politics. They should instead look at the bottom line.
Colbert's CBS show had a budget of over $100 million annually, and he was earning $15 million a year. The show lost almost half its advertising revenue since 2018, and was losing $40 million a year.
CBS cannot make miracles. Indeed, not even the "greatest Catholic evangelizer in the world" can be expected to survive with numbers like that. It's time the media stopped portraying him as a poor Catholic soul who was victimized by corporate greed.
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Original text here: https://www.catholicleague.org/media-reaction-to-colberts-exit/
[Category: Sociological]
Animal Welfare Groups Celebrate Committee Passage of the Van Drew-Titus Amendment to Ban Horse Slaughter
WASHINGTON, May 23 [Category: Animals] -- The Animal Welfare Institute issued the following news release:
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Animal Welfare Groups Celebrate Committee Passage of the Van Drew-Titus Amendment to Ban Horse Slaughter
The amendment, approved as part of the BUILD America 250 Act, would ban the transportation of horses for slaughter for human consumption in the US and abroad
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By a vote of 34-30, the US House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee passed its five-year surface transportation reauthorization bill, which includes a bipartisan amendment led by US Reps. Jeff Van Drew (R-NJ) and
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WASHINGTON, May 23 [Category: Animals] -- The Animal Welfare Institute issued the following news release:
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Animal Welfare Groups Celebrate Committee Passage of the Van Drew-Titus Amendment to Ban Horse Slaughter
The amendment, approved as part of the BUILD America 250 Act, would ban the transportation of horses for slaughter for human consumption in the US and abroad
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By a vote of 34-30, the US House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee passed its five-year surface transportation reauthorization bill, which includes a bipartisan amendment led by US Reps. Jeff Van Drew (R-NJ) andDina Titus (D-Nev.), joined by Reps. Tim Burchett (R-Tenn.) and Jimmy Patronis (R-Fla.), to prohibit the transportation of horses for slaughter for human consumption. Following passage out of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, the bill moves on to await consideration on the House floor.
"Americans cherish horses; no one wants to see these majestic and loyal companions meet a brutal end. And yet, each year, tens of thousands of American horses--from ex-racehorses to lesson ponies--are trucked across our borders to be butchered for meat," said Dr. Joanna Grossman, equine program director for the Animal Welfare Institute." Including language that would prohibit the transport of horses to slaughter in the surface transportation package could finally end this gruesome and unnecessary practice once and for all. We are grateful to Reps. Van Drew, Titus, Burchett, and Patronis for leading this effort in Committee and to Reps. Buchanan and Schakowsky for their longstanding commitment to protecting our horses. We urge Congress to bring this widely supported measure to the finish line."
According to recent surveys, more than 80% of Americans oppose horse slaughter. The entire process is inherently cruel, subjecting animals to long and dangerous transportation and brutal treatment at slaughterhouses, culminating in ineffective stunning methods that can leave horses conscious during dismemberment. Kill buyers--individuals who purchase equines to turn a profit by selling them to slaughter--prey on healthy horses who could potentially find new homes, making rehoming and rescuing horses more difficult.
The Van Drew-Titus Amendment achieves the same policy goal as the Save America's Forgotten Equines (SAFE) Act (H.R.1661/S.775), which has 230 cosponsors in the US House of Representatives, and is supported by equine industry groups, as well as leading animal welfare organizations, including the Animal Welfare Institute (AWI), the ASPCA(R) (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals(R)), and Return to Freedom Wild Horse Conservation. The amendment's exact language was also included in the surface transportation reauthorization package that passed the full House of Representatives in the 117th Congress; however, the amendment to include such language in the Senate package was not brought for a vote.
"America's horses helped build this country. They carried our soldiers into battle, worked our farms, and remain beloved companions to millions of Americans today," said Congressman Van Drew. "They deserve dignity and humane treatment, not to be packed into dangerous trailers and shipped across our borders for slaughter. I am proud this amendment was included in the final BUILD America 250 Act because it takes an important step toward protecting these animals from unnecessary suffering."
"As a senior member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, I am proud to have helped secure a ban on horse slaughter in the Build America 250 Act," said Congresswoman Dina Titus. "This legislation would end the inhumane practice of horse slaughter for human consumption. These creatures are beloved pets, working partners, and military heroes; they deserve protection, dignity, and compassion."
"Protecting American horses from slaughter reflects our values as a nation, and I'm proud that my SAFE Act will finally end this inhumane practice permanently," said Congressman Vern Buchanan. "The SAFE Act moving through the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee today is an enormous victory, and I'm grateful for the support of advocates across the country who have helped make this a reality. But we're not done yet--I will keep pushing forward to get the SAFE Act signed into law."
"As a former horse owner and long-time animal lover, I have been proud to champion the fight against horse slaughter for decades," said Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky. "I am grateful for the efforts of Rep. Titus, Rep. Van Drew, and others for their work on this amendment, and for Rep. Buchanan, who has worked with me to introduce legislation each Congress to ban the slaughter of horses for human consumption once and for all. I also want to credit all the animal welfare advocates who are with us each step of the way pushing and making progress on this important issue. Let's keep up the fight, get this over the finish line, and finally close the door on the practice of horse slaughter."
"Despite overwhelming public opposition to horse slaughter and Congressional efforts that shuttered horse slaughterhouses on US soil in 2007, a legal loophole still allows tens of thousands of American horses to be shipped to other countries for slaughter each year. Not only is horse slaughter cruel and unnecessary, but the existence of the slaughter pipeline itself stifles rescue and rehoming efforts, putting equine welfare at risk," said Nancy Perry, senior vice president of Government Relations for the ASPCA. "Equine industry and animal welfare groups are working daily to solve equine welfare issues on the ground, but we cannot fully succeed while the slaughter pipeline remains open. The passage of the Van Drew-Titus Amendment brings us one step closer to a permanent ban on horse slaughter, and we urge Congress to ensure the final transportation bill retains this critical language to protect American horses and end this cruelty once and for all."
"Wild horses that once roamed freely on our public lands, pets, racehorses, work horses--no American horse deserves to be shipped to an inhumane death in a foreign slaughterhouse," said Neda DeMayo, president of Return to Freedom Wild Horse Conservation. "Horse slaughter is wholly un-American and needs to end once and for all. Thank you to Reps. Van Drew, Titus, Burchett, Patronis, and everyone on the Committee who recognized the will of the American people, who overwhelmingly oppose horse slaughter, by voting for this important bipartisan amendment."
"As a long time and active supporter of the SAFE Act, The Jockey Club is encouraged to see an amendment to the House Transportation bill now includes the provisions to make it illegal under federal law to transport horses for slaughter," said Jim Gagliano, president of The Jockey Club. "We join with the many other supporters of the SAFE Act in urging Congress to now pass this important act that will protect Thoroughbreds in the United States."
"The NTRA is very happy to see language included in the Transportation and Infrastructure Reauthorization that would keep horses in the US safe and unable to be shipped out of the country for slaughter," said Tom Rooney, president and CEO of the National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA). "Horses in our care are world-class athletes, and it is imperative that we take care of them even when their racing days are over. This language safeguards our equine partners from any harmful loopholes. We would like to thank all our partners in Washington and across the country for helping to get this done."
"Protecting these horses requires industries, advocates, and lawmakers willing to confront difficult issues directly," said Aidan Butler, President of 1/ST. "This action by the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee marks meaningful progress toward lasting protections for America's horses, and 1/ST is proud to stand alongside the Lost Horses campaign, bipartisan lawmakers, and the broader racing and equine community to help drive that change forward."
"After going undercover into the slaughter pipeline, I witnessed firsthand the fear and suffering these horses endure, which compelled me to create The Lost Horses campaign and ignite a national cinematic spotlight on this issue," said Ashley Avis, founder of the Wild Beauty Foundation and The Lost Horses campaign. "Through storytelling combined with advocacy, we are proud to stand alongside organizations, individuals, and industries to finally close this loophole and end a system that has operated in the shadows for far too long."
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About AWI and Partners
The ASPCA(R) (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals(R)) believes every animal deserves to live free from suffering. For more than 160 years, we've been on the frontlines to save, transform and protect millions of lives in the fight against animal cruelty. As the nation's first and leading animal welfare organization, we assist animals in need through on-the-ground disaster and cruelty interventions, behavioral rehabilitation, animal relocation and placement, legal and legislative advocacy, and the advancement of the sheltering and veterinary communities through research, training and resources. As a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit corporation with more than 2 million supporters nationwide, our commitment to eliminating animal cruelty is unwavering. For more information visit aspca.org, and follow the ASPCA on Facebook, X, Instagram, LinkedIn and TikTok.
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About AWI
The Animal Welfare Institute (awionline.org) is a nonprofit charitable organization founded in 1951 and dedicated to alleviating animal suffering caused by people. We seek to improve the welfare of animals everywhere: in agriculture, in commerce, in our homes and communities, in research, and in the wild. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Threads, Bluesky, and LinkedIn for updates and other important animal protection news.
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About RTF
Return to Freedom, Wild Horse Conservation (RTF) is a pioneering wild horse conservation organization focused on the preservation of wild horses and burros since 1997. RTF operates the American Wild Horse Sanctuary at two California locations, caring for nearly 500 rescued mustangs and burros in bonded family bands and social groups. The sanctuary hosts experiential learning in nature's classroom and models holistic regenerative grazing and minimally intrusive management solutions that can be implemented on the range as an alternative to traumatic and costly roundups. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, X, BlueSky, TikTok and Youtube.
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Original text here: https://awionline.org/news/animal-welfare-groups-celebrate-committee-passage-of-the-van-drew-titus-amendment-to-ban-horse-slaughter/
A Better Wisconsin Together: Paying More for Gas and Food This Holiday Weekend? Thank Tom Tiffany
MONONA, Wisconsin, May 23 -- A Better Wisconsin Together, a state-based research and communications hub for progressives, posted the following news:
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Paying More for Gas and Food This Holiday Weekend? Thank Tom Tiffany
Tiffany cast the deciding vote to allow Trump's unpopular and costly war of choice in Iran to continue with no added oversight
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Recent reporting shows that over 800,000 Wisconsinites will travel at least 50 miles for Memorial Day this year, which is a decrease from 2025.
But it doesn't take much digging to uncover the likely culprit behind the sudden drop in Wisconsinites'
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MONONA, Wisconsin, May 23 -- A Better Wisconsin Together, a state-based research and communications hub for progressives, posted the following news:
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Paying More for Gas and Food This Holiday Weekend? Thank Tom Tiffany
Tiffany cast the deciding vote to allow Trump's unpopular and costly war of choice in Iran to continue with no added oversight
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Recent reporting shows that over 800,000 Wisconsinites will travel at least 50 miles for Memorial Day this year, which is a decrease from 2025.
But it doesn't take much digging to uncover the likely culprit behind the sudden drop in Wisconsinites'holiday travel plans: a lot of people simply can't afford it this year.
Since Trump started the war in Iran, gas prices in Wisconsin have gone up nearly 40%, according to the Center for American Progress. In turn, rising gas prices have also pushed up the price of food and other essential goods.
Yet just last week, Wisconsin Republican Congressman and gubernatorial candidate Tom Tiffany cast the deciding vote to allow Trump's unpopular and costly war of choice in Iran to continue with no added oversight as Wisconsinites continue to feel the consequences. And that wasn't the first time.
Tiffany has voted in favor of continuing the war with no added oversight more than once, and has also voted at least 7 times to continue Trump's tariffs that are causing deep financial distress for Wisconsin families and small businesses alike.
So, at a time when most would normally be traveling to spend time with family or honor a lost loved one this Memorial Day, we're instead paying the price for Trump and Tiffany's war that an overwhelming majority of Americans don't support.
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A Better Wisconsin Together is a state-based research and communications hub for progressives and is an affiliate of ProgressNow.
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Original text here: https://abetterwisconsin.org/op-ed-paying-more-for-gas-and-food-this-holiday-weekend-thank-tom-tiffany/
[Category: Economics]
