Cohen Receives Perfect Score on Animal Welfare Institute Scorecard

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Steve Cohen (D-TN-9) recently received a 100 percent on the Animal Welfare Institute (AWI) Compassion Index – a legislative scorecard – for the 112th Congress.

“It is a privilege and an honor to be recognized by the Animal Welfare Institute for my work on behalf of animal rights,” said Congressman Cohen, a lifelong supporter of animal rights and welfare issues. “The treatment of animals is characterized as a direct reflection on how we as people treat ourselves and each other. I have long advocated for humane treatment of all animals and remain committed to fighting for animals in need.”

Congressman Cohen has been a proponent of humane animal treatment in both the Tennessee State Senate and the U.S. House of Representatives. In the House, he has authored legislation to ban “crush videos.” Crush videos are a broad term for videos, photographs and other visual depictions of small animals slowly being crushed to death.

Congressman Cohen has also been the House Democratic lead on the Horse Transportation Safety Act – legislation to prohibit the transportation of horses on double-deck trailers. This mode of transportation, a method the USDA says cannot be made safe or humane, has caused grisly accidents in recent years where horses have lost legs, broken necks or were crushed by horses on the upper level of the trailer. The Cohen measure prohibits any interstate transportation of horses in double-stacked trailers, regardless of the destination, or the segment in the transportation chain if the horses are bound for eventual slaughter.

AWI has been working to alleviate the suffering inflicted on animals by humans since 1951. AWI has worked for the successful adoption of a vast majority of federal laws passed to protect animals, including the Animal Welfare Act, the Endangered Species Act, the Marine Mammal Protection Act, and the Humane Slaughter Act.