This September, the U.S. House Committee on Agriculture will vote on an amendment to outlaw all gambling on greyhound racing nationwide. Even though greyhound racing is a dying industry, more than $400 million is still bet on dog races each year in our country. Further, as dog racing slowly dies in the United States, foreign dog tracks have begun appealing to American gamblers over the internet.
The animal protection community has fought greyhound racing for decades due to animal welfare concerns. Greyhounds endure lives of confinement at commercial tracks and many dogs suffer serious injuries. Due to these concerns, Pennsylvania outlawed greyhound racing nearly two decades ago.
The member of Congress who represents most of our community, Glenn “GT” Thompson, is the chair of the Committee which will determine whether the amendment to end greyhound racing is approved. Congressman Thompson will have enormous influence over the fate of this legislation. The amendment will be identical to a bill named the Greyhound Protection Act (H.R. 3894) which has already been filed, available at https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/3894.
Please email Congressman Thompson today urging him to support the Greyhound Protection Act Amendment as part of the Farm Bill. Your voice matters! You can submit your comment in support of the Greyhound Protection Act using this link:
https://thompson.house.gov/contact/email-me
For more information about greyhound racing and the proposed legislation, please visit the greyhound protection group GREY2K USA at https://www.grey2kusa.org/.
Please also visit https://saynocasino.org/ and join our Facebook group to connect with our community’s campaign to stop predatory gambling!
Andrew Shaffer,
State College
Not Just the Ride
Re: the recent opinion column on tax support/subsidy for CATA
Almost every public project, activity or program is subsidized by taxes to some extent, not many to the extent of the roadwork the writer usually manages to avoid so he can get on his way. Perhaps, as he is stuck behind a bus on a street he used to avoid being stuck in traffic due to construction, he might consider how that construction is funded.
Judi Minor,
Patton Township
Inflation Reduction Act Benefits Deserve More Awareness
August 16 was the one-year anniversary of the Inflation Reduction Act. It is the largest investment in climate action that the United States has ever passed. The sprawling bill deals with many things, but most of it encourages production of clean electricity (like solar and wind) and reduction of carbon emissions. It supports electric vehicles, conservation and forestry, provides loans and grants, and much more. It is estimated that this act will make it possible for us to reduce emissions by 40% of 2005 levels by 2030.
Unfortunately, many people are not aware of this bill. The Yale Program on Climate Change Communication reports that most registered voters (57%) say they have heard either “a little” (24%) or “nothing at all” (33%) about it. Businesses, on the other hand, are taking advantage of its provisions. World Resources Institute reports that “The law has already unleashed a manufacturing renaissance by nearly doubling the amount of manufacturing construction in just one year, with forecasts of even higher growth in years to come.”
We should all help spread the word about the benefits and promote the transition to the clean energy economy. This bill alone will not get us to the goals that have been set nationally and internationally, but it is a big step in the right direction.
To learn about the tax credits and see how much you can save by switching from fossil fuels to electricity, check out the website RewiringAmerica.org.
Margie Swoboda,
Huston Township
