Harness Horseman’s Association of New England, Inc. President Robert J. McHugh has issued a statement opposing the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act of 2020, which has made a significant amount of news in the United States' horse racing industry as of late.
The contents of McHugh's statement appear below.
The Harness Horseman’s Association of New England, Inc., opposes the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act of 2020 (HISA H.R. 1754/S. 4547).
The cost of imposing this new federal level of regulation onto an effective, existing system of state medication regulation is unknown. The federal bill requires the industry pay for the start-up costs and that participants will be billed for the ongoing costs. It is unacceptable to impose these costs, which are undetermined and cause a financial hardship on our members, who depend on harness racing to support their families. The added cost comes on the heels of the significant loss of revenue when the racing industry had to shut down due to the health crisis. The increased burden will force many owners, trainers, and drivers with limited resources, like other small entities, out of business.
Further, veterinary science was not consulted in formulating the federal bill. The veterinary profession supports race-day lasix, the only known therapeutic for exercise-induced pulmonary hemorrhage. To deny this short-acting but effective therapeutic on the day of a horse’s greatest athletic effort is inhumane. Similar to dealing with COVID-19, the experts should be consulted before passing this legislation.
The Harness Horseman’s Association of New England, Inc. is dedicated to the welfare of our horses and our horsemen. We strongly oppose this legislation.