Congressional Sportsmen’s Caucus Protects Hunting, Fishing and Trapping Videos

June 22, 2010 (WASHINGTON, DC) - The Congressional Sportsmen’s Caucus (CSC) worked to explicity exempt hunting, trapping, and fishing activities in legislation prohibiting production and sale of so-called animal “crush videos”.

H.R. 5566, the “Prevention of Interstate Commerce in Animal Crush Videos Act of 2010”, introduced by Rep. Elton Gallegly and Rep. Gary Peters, will ban the production of “crush videos” which depict animal cruelty.

The Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation (CSF), in partnership with Safari Club International (SCI) and the National Rifle Association (NRA), expressed concerns to the leadership of the CSC that the legislative language in H.R. 5566 should explicitly exclude videos and television programs showing legal hunting, fishing and trapping activities. The CSC leadership worked with the sponsors of the legislation to incorporate this important exclusion.

“While we all oppose malicious cruelty to animals such as those seen in these videos, it was vitally important that the new legislation specifically address the filming, distribution and sale of legally produced hunting, fishing and trapping video and television programming,” said CSC Co-Chair Rep. Paul Ryan.

“I thank Rep. Ryan for working with me to ensure legitimate videos and television programs are protected while videos glorifying the fatal abuse and torture of animals are once again outlawed," said CSC Member Rep. Gallegly.

On April 20 of this year, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down a 1999 federal law that prohibited the production and distribution of videos depicting the shocking form of animal cruelty known as “crush videos.”  CSF joined Safari Club International in an amicus curiae brief in this case, raising concerns about the potential impact of the decision on hunting videos. 

 “The new bill addresses the Supreme Court’s constitutional concerns, and through the new language advanced by the CSC, alleviates the concerns of sportsmen while also prohibiting the interstate sale of these animal cruelty videos,” said CSF Vice-President of Policy Gary Kania.