US Senators join Congressmen opposing HISA rules

Columbus, OH — The United States Trotting Association reports that in a press release issued on Thursday (Jan. 26), the National Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association announced that five U.S. Senators have joined five Congressmen to oppose rules submitted to the Federal Trade Commission by the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority.

According to the NHBPA announcement, “Five U.S. Senators joined five Congressmen yesterday strongly urging the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to disapprove the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act (HISA) proposed Anti-Doping and Medication Control Program Rule that the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority (Authority) recently resubmitted. The bipartisan group of lawmakers stated the disapproval from the FTC was necessary to “avoid continued industry-wide confusion and potential inequitable enforcement.”

“The FTC already had disapproved the medication control rule on Dec. 12, 2022, until “the legal uncertainty regarding the Act’s constitutionality comes to be resolved,” the commission wrote.

“The bicameral letter also strongly encouraged the FTC to clarify that the formerly approved racetrack safety rules are unenforceable at this time because HISA was declared unconstitutional by a unanimous three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit in November.

“Signing the letter were Senators Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Joe Manchin (D-WV), Ted Cruz (R-TX), John Kennedy (R-LA), and Joni Ernst (R-IA) and Congressmen Lance Gooden (R-TX), Tom Cole (R- OK), Jake Ellzey (R-TX), Vincente Gonzalez (D-T X), and Andy Biggs (R-AZ).”

To read the complete NHBPA press release, click here.

To read the letter to the FTC from Senator Grassley and Representative Gooden, click here.

To read the letter to the FTC from National HBPA CEO Eric Hamelback, click here.

From the USTA