Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA) has jointly filed an amendment with Senator Manchin (D-WV) that would strip references to the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act (HISA) from the 4,000-page omnibus spending bill being considered this week in Congress, according to a press release Wednesday morning from the Iowa HBPA.
Tuesday, it was revealed that draft language has been inserted into the full-year omnibus spending bill designed to fix what the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals called a constitutional problem with the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act (HISA), finding in November that the law as written doesn't afford the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) enough authority in the rule-making process.
The FTC may now “abrogate, add to, and modify the rules of the Authority promulgated in accordance with this Act as the Commission finds necessary or appropriate to ensure the fair administration of the Authority, to conform the rules of the Authority to requirements of this Act and applicable rules approved by the Commission, or otherwise in furtherance of the purposes of this Act,” the new language states.
When that language was included in the current omnibus bill Monday night, Senator Grassley replied Tuesday with his amendment, for which Senator Manchin signed on as a sponsor.
Jon Moss, executive director of the Iowa Horsemen's Benevolent & Protective Association, lauded Grassley.
“This 'quick fix' does not address the multiple issues that have and continue to be raised by horsemen across the country,” Moss said. “With that, there needs to be a robust discussion bringing together all horsemen to try and put forward what will work for our industry. This 'quick fix' doesn't even come close to doing that in a rational, transparent or inclusive way.
“The Iowa HBPA is grateful for Senator Grassley's continued engagement on this vitally important issue affecting our industry in the state and of course throughout the county. Let there be no doubt Senator Grassley is a champion for the cause of horsemen in Iowa and the rest of the U.S. Now is your time to call upon your Senators to support the Grassley Amendment to remove the HISA 'quick-fix' language.”
“I want to praise Senator Grassley for his bold move to protect horsemen in Iowa and throughout the U.S.,” said Eric Hamelback, CEO of the National HBPA. “An amendment to HISA should not have been written in the dark of night and has no place in the 4,000-plus-page spending bill. You cannot fix a constitutionally flawed law with one sentence. The Grassley Amendment will ensure that real, working horsemen are listened to on how to fix the law that regulates their industry. The Grassley Amendment is picking up steam, and I urge all horsemen to call and email their Senators right away to vote 'Yes' for the Grassley amendment.”
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