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CONGRESSWOMAN SHEILA JACKSON LEE STATEMENT OF GRATITUDE TO PETA

January 23, 2017

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PRESS

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Glenn Rushing

January 23, 2017 202-225-3816

PRESS STATEMENT

CONGRESSWOMAN SHEILA JACKSON LEE STATEMENT OF GRATITUDE TO PETA

Congresswoman Jackson Lee: "I am honored to receive the PETA Congressional Leadership Award and will continue working for the fair treatment of animals."

Washington, DC – Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee, a senior member of the House Homeland Security Committee and Ranking Member of the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, Homeland Security, and Investigations, released the following statement after receiving the Congressional Leadership Award from the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA):

"I am honored to receive the PETA Congressional Leadership Award and will continue working for the fair treatment of animals.

"In response to the brutal killing of Cecil the Lion, I introduced the Cecil the Lion Endangered and Threatened Species Act. This legislation would amend the Endangered Species Act of 1973 to prohibit the taking and transportation of any endangered or threatened species as a trophy into the United States. Currently, the Endangered Species Act (ESA) does not protect the vast majority of wild animals killed and imported. As a result of this loophole, tens of thousands of wild animals are killed every year by trophy hunters and transported into the United States.

"The conservation of endangered and threatened species is critically important to the sustainability of our biodiversity, and ecosystems. Injustice is universal, rather it be directed towards animals or humans and I thank PETA for their gallant efforts and will continue to support them in the fight for animal rights."

Congresswoman Jackson Lee is a Democrat from Texas's 18th Congressional District. She is a senior member of the House Committees on Judiciary and Homeland Security and is Ranking Member of the Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, Homeland Security, and Investigations.