A lot of you don't know what the "Stewart Amendment" is, since it's hidden deep inside the 2017 House Interior Appropriations Bill (HR 5538) as Section 444. And then again in Senates version of the bill (S. 3068) as Section 110. It's really no surprise that we don't know it's there, especially sense it's not only one of the shortest but most poorly and cleverly worded section in the entire bill.

The Amendment reads: Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Secretary of the Interior may transfer excess wild horses or burros that have been removed from the public lands to other Federal, State, and local government agencies for use as work animals:

Provided, That the Secretary may make any such transfer immediately upon request of such Federal, State, or local government agency: Provided further, That any excess animal transferred under this provision shall lose its status as a wild free-roaming horse or burro as defined in the Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act:

Provided further, That any Federal, State, or local government agency receiving excess wild horses or burros as authorized in this section shall not destroy the horses or burros in a way that results in their destruction into commercial products, or sell or otherwise transfer the horses in a way that results in their destruction for processing into commercial products.

– House (H.R. 5538)

https://www.congress.gov/114/bills/hr5538/BILLS-114hr5538rh.pdf

– Senate (S. 3068):

https://www.congress.gov/114/bills/s3068/BILLS-114s3068pcs.pdf

The “Stewart Amendment” that allows the BLM to remove any and all the Mustangs protection under the Wild Horse and Burro Act so that they may give the animals to any “… Federal, State or local government agencies to use as work animals.” (Seriously, how many "Government agencies" need or will use wild mustangs or horses? It's not like we have the Calvary anymore.)

What I also find interesting that it only states that they can't destroy the horses for "processing into commercial products." The only thing this bill will not allow is outside entities to euthanize the burros or horses, BUT any Federal, State or local government agency CAN euthanize them as long as they are not used in commercial products, nor can they turn them over to anyone who would euthanize them to process them into commercial products. This bill does absolutely nothing to protect these animals, just gives the government the authorisation to destroy them! So tell me just how many of these wild horses do you think are just going to disappear. As long as they aren't being killed for product use they can kill as many mustangs as they please. Make no mistake this bill is not being past to protect these horses and burros it's being put in place so that the government may eradicate their existence for selfish gain.

Just think, if our government is going to start slaughtering our wild horses what's going to happen to our "well bred" horses when slaughter houses start going up across the country. This is just the first step into making horse slaughter legal nation wide.

Please take a moment sign this position. We can not let this happen, it's time to take a stand