HUMANE SOCIETY TO HONOR COHEN FOR ANIMAL WELFARE LEADERSHIP IN 2010.

WASHINGTON -- The following information was released by the office of Tennessee Rep. Steve Cohen:

The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) -- together with its affiliate the Humane Society Legislative Fund (HSLF) -- will present Congressman Steve Cohen (D-TN) with an award tonight for his leadership on animal protection legislation in 2010.

"Representative Cohen has been an important voice for enhancing animal protection in federal law," said Wayne Pacelle, president and CEO of the HSUS. "We're grateful to him for taking a leadership role and drawing attention to these vital concerns."

"Time and again, we see animal protection issues bringing Members of Congress together and bridging partisan divides," said HSLF President Michael Markarian. "We thank Rep. Cohen for his compassion and determination to ensure that our animal welfare laws reflect our basic values and attitudes shared by people across the country."

"The treatment of animals has long been characterized as a direct reflection on how we as people treat ourselves and each other," said Congressman Cohen, a lifelong supporter of animal rights and welfare issues. "It is a privilege and an honor to be recognized by the Humane Society of the United States and its affiliate the Humane Society Legislative Fund for my work to promote animal protection legislation. Animals are dependent upon the goodwill and care of human beings and our treatment of animals is a reflection of the compassion of our society."

Congressman Cohen will receive a Legislative Leader award on Capitol Hill tonight for his leadership on appropriations funding to strengthen enforcement of the ban on horse "soring" (mutilation of show horses' legs or hoofs to force an exaggerated gait), as well as legislation to prohibit double-decker trailers for horse transport, to ban "Internet hunting" (remote-control sighting/shooting of fence-enclosed animals via computer), and to end commercial trafficking in exotic animals for canned hunts (trophy shooting of fence-enclosed animals).

Every year, the Humane Society Legislative Fund compiles a federal Humane Scorecard to provide a snapshot of animal protection issues considered by the U.S. Congress and give animal advocates a tool to assess the performance of their Senators and Representatives. The scorecard tracks key votes as well as co-sponsorship of important pro-animal bills and signing an annual letter seeking funds needed to enforce key animal welfare laws. In February, Congressman Cohen was the only member of the Tennessee Congressional delegation to receive a perfect score; he has received perfect scores four years in a row.

Congressman Cohen has long 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 cosponsored 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.