A Message from the National Trappers Association ...................
ALERT
The Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act (S.3880)
Dear Trappers and Friends,
After working on it for the past four years, the Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act (S.3880) is finally on a fast tract and the NTA needs your immediate support to assure this legislation is passed by the U.S. House of Representatives.
Please call, fax or email your US Congressional Representative urging passage of S.3880 no later than Monday, November 13 by 10:00am.
To find out the name and contact information of your Congressman is: http://www.house.gov/ or you may call your local Post Office or the County Clerks Office.
You will find a sample letter and talking points at the bottom of this alert.
S.3880, passed the Senate on September 30 by unanimous consent and will be taken up by the House during its lame duck session.
The Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act was designed to provide prosecutors and law enforcement with the tools necessary to address the evolving nature of the threat to property and individuals posed by animal rights extremists. The legislation also reaffirms, in no uncertain terms, the protections of the First Amendment for those who engage in legitimate protest. The opponents of this legislation would have the members of the House of Representatives turn their attention away from the crimes that have plagued animal use industries such as our own.
NTA needs you to call and/or fax a letter asking your Congressional Representative and ask them to join in supporting the broad based support that this legislation has engendered from both Democrats and Republicans on the House and Senate Judiciary Committees, and vote in favor of S.3880 when it is brought to the floor.
The Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act is the product of extensive bipartisan cooperation between majority and minority members of the House and Senate Judiciary Committee. The legislation would allow the criminal prosecution of anyone who intentionally damages, disrupts or causes the loss of property used by an animal enterprise or any person or organization having a relationship with, or transactions with an animal enterprise. The bill also prohibits veiled threats and harassment of individuals and their families, and it would make it a crime to intentionally place a person in reasonable fear of death, or serious bodily injury to that person or their family by a course of conduct involving threats, acts of vandalism, property damage, trespass, harassment, or intimidation.
In crafting this legislation, the members of the Senate and House Judiciary Committees also consulted with civil libertarian groups like the American Civil Liberties Union to ensure that the legislation would not prohibit any activity that might be protected by the First Amendment.
Many of the changes that have been incorporated into the version of the bill that passed the Senate were adopted based on discussions with the ACLU. The changes explicitly provide that the legislation not criminalize non-violent activities designed to change public policy or private conduct.
Despite these protections, and the fact that the Senate passed this legislation by unanimous consent, animal rights groups are mounting a last minute campaign to defeat this bill in the House. The campaign relies on the dissemination of misinformation regarding the legislation's effect, and this misleading campaign refuses to acknowledge the existence of the substantial First Amendment protections that have been incorporated into the legislation.
Few industries have been as victimized over the past decade by animal rights extremists as the fur industry. Fur farms have been raided; feed facilities and retail establishments have been vandalized and fire bombed. Damage to property has amounted to tens of millions of dollars. More recently, these activities have taken on an even more dangerous character in the form of threats to ourselves, our families and even those with whom we do business. We are not the only victims of this changing form of extremism. Trappers, farmers, ranchers and others involved in animal use industries - and their families - have been victims of this criminal activity. Even medical researchers who are seeking cures for diseases that plague our society have been subject to the frightening tactics of these extremists including bomb threats, physical harassment and threats to their lives and the lives of their families. This cannot continue.
Few industries have been as victimized over the past decade by animal rights extremists as the fur industry. Fur farms have been raided; feed facilities and retail establishments have been vandalized and fire bombed. Damage to property has amounted to tens of millions of dollars. More recently, these activities have taken on an even more dangerous character in the form of threats to ourselves, our families and even those with whom we do business. We are not the only victims of this changing form of extremism. Trappers, farmers, ranchers and others involved in animal use industries - and their families - have been victims of this criminal activity. Even medical researchers who are seeking cures for diseases that plague our society have been subject to the frightening tactics of these extremists including bomb threats, physical harassment and threats to their lives and the lives of their families. This cannot continue.
We understand that as recently as this past month, the ACLU has indicated that it would not oppose the legislation in its current form.
TALKING POINTS:
S. 3880, THE SENATE-PASSED ANIMAL ENTERPRISE TERRORISM ACT
S. 3880, the Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act (AETA), was passed by the Senate on September 30 by unanimous consent.
- AETA amends the federal criminal code to deal with increased radical animal rights and eco-terrorist violence and intimidation. Such animal rights and eco-terrorist actions are recognized by the FBI as the single biggest domestic terrorism threat in the U.S. today.
- AETA provides additional authority to federal law enforcement to investigate, arrest and prosecute those who would use violence and intimidation in pursuit of animal rights or radical environmental goals.
- AETA amends the existing “Animal Enterprise Protection Act” which has been part of the federal criminal code (18 USC, 43) since 1992. It extends protections for “animal enterprises” (where animals are housed or kept) to individuals, businesses and agencies, such as farmers, scientists, biomedical and biotechnology industries, research universities, teaching hospitals, financial institutions and others, including lawful commercial enterprises related to animal use.
- AETA is a product of meticulous negotiations between House and Senate Judiciary Committee Democrats and Republicans. S. 3880, authored by Sens. James Inhofe (R, OK) and Dianne Feinstein (D, CA), replaced S. 1926, Sen. Inhofe’s original bill.
- AETA was negotiated with the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), addressing almost all of the ACLU’s concerns. The ACLU recently wrote to Rep. Robert “Bobby” Scott (D, VA), notifying him it would not oppose S. 3880 when it comes up for consideration on the House floor.
- AETA poses no threat to 1st Amendment rights. The bill includes a “rule of construction” which states nothing in the bill prohibits any “expressive conduct,” including peaceful picketing or other peaceful demonstration “protected from legal prohibition by the First Amendment to the Constitution…”
- AETA does not make it illegal to boycott or encourage a boycott of a company based on its use of animals, whether in food production, research, education, exhibition or entertainment. The bill contains specific language protecting “lawful boycotts.” AETA is necessary to provide additional protections to farmers, scientists, exhibitors, sportsmen and others from animal rights and eco-terrorist violence.
The Honorable (full name) (Today’s date)
U.S. House of Representatives
Washington, DC 20515
Re: The Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act (S.3880)
Dear Representative (last name):
I am writing as a concerned citizen about the attacks on the fur industry and other individuals and businesses that are involved in the animal use industries. I am writing to ask you support the Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act (S.3880) when it comes to the house floor.
Few industries have been as victimized over the past decade by animal rights extremists as the fur industry. Farms have been raided and feed facilities and retail establishments have been vandalized and fire bombed. Damage has amounted to tens of millions of dollars. These activities are taking on an even more dangerous character in the form of threats individuals, our families and even those with whom we do business. Farmers, ranchers, fishermen, and others involved in animal use industries and their families have been victims of this criminal activity. Even medical researchers who are seeking cures for diseases that plague our society have been subject to the frightening tactics of these extremists including bomb threats, physical harassment and threats to their lives and the lives of their families. This cannot continue.
The bill would allow the criminal prosecution of anyone who intentionally damages, disrupts or causes the loss of property used by an animal enterprise or any person or organization having a relationship with an animal enterprise. The bill also prohibits veiled threats and harassment of individuals and their families, and it would make it a crime to intentionally place a person in reasonable fear of death, or serious bodily injury to that person or their family by a course of conduct involving threats, acts of vandalism, property damage, trespass, harassment, or intimidation.
This bill will not criminalize non-violent activities designed to change public opinion. The bill was designed to provide prosecutors and law enforcement with the tools necessary to address the increasing threat to property and individuals posed by animal rights extremists. S.3880 also reaffirms, in no uncertain terms, the protections of the First Amendment for those who engage in legitimate protest.
Despite these protections, and the fact that the Senate passed this legislation by unanimous consent, animal rights groups are mounting a last minute campaign to defeat this bill in the House. The campaign relies on the dissemination of misinformation regarding the bill’s effect, and this misleading campaign refuses to acknowledge the existence of the substantial First Amendment protections that have been incorporated into the legislation.
Sincerely,
U.S. House of Representatives
Washington, DC 20515
Re: The Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act (S.3880)
Dear Representative (last name):
I am writing as a concerned citizen about the attacks on the fur industry and other individuals and businesses that are involved in the animal use industries. I am writing to ask you support the Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act (S.3880) when it comes to the house floor.
Few industries have been as victimized over the past decade by animal rights extremists as the fur industry. Farms have been raided and feed facilities and retail establishments have been vandalized and fire bombed. Damage has amounted to tens of millions of dollars. These activities are taking on an even more dangerous character in the form of threats individuals, our families and even those with whom we do business. Farmers, ranchers, fishermen, and others involved in animal use industries and their families have been victims of this criminal activity. Even medical researchers who are seeking cures for diseases that plague our society have been subject to the frightening tactics of these extremists including bomb threats, physical harassment and threats to their lives and the lives of their families. This cannot continue.
The bill would allow the criminal prosecution of anyone who intentionally damages, disrupts or causes the loss of property used by an animal enterprise or any person or organization having a relationship with an animal enterprise. The bill also prohibits veiled threats and harassment of individuals and their families, and it would make it a crime to intentionally place a person in reasonable fear of death, or serious bodily injury to that person or their family by a course of conduct involving threats, acts of vandalism, property damage, trespass, harassment, or intimidation.
This bill will not criminalize non-violent activities designed to change public opinion. The bill was designed to provide prosecutors and law enforcement with the tools necessary to address the increasing threat to property and individuals posed by animal rights extremists. S.3880 also reaffirms, in no uncertain terms, the protections of the First Amendment for those who engage in legitimate protest.
Despite these protections, and the fact that the Senate passed this legislation by unanimous consent, animal rights groups are mounting a last minute campaign to defeat this bill in the House. The campaign relies on the dissemination of misinformation regarding the bill’s effect, and this misleading campaign refuses to acknowledge the existence of the substantial First Amendment protections that have been incorporated into the legislation.
Sincerely,
(Signature)
(Type or print your name)
(Type or print your mailing address)
posted by b3h @ 4:40 PM
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