News
For Immediate Release
November 13, 2006 |
Media Statement by Frankie L.
Trull, President
National Association for Biomedical Research
Washington, DC |
Animal Enterprise Terrorism
Act Passes in House
Headed to the President for Signature
Bipartisan Bill Seeks to Counter Animal Extremism
"On behalf of the biomedical research community,
I commend the House of Representative’s passage of the
Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act (AETA) - S. 3880. The bill
effectively addresses the very serious threat that violent
actions committed by animal rights extremists pose to medical
and scientific research.
The message Congress has delivered today is that those who
illegally intimidate and harass medical researchers and their
families have been put on notice that the American public
will no longer tolerate these deplorable actions. The climate
of fear that presently surrounds medical discovery and the
research enterprise has serious implications not only to future
medical treatments and cures but to this nation’s economy.
The AETA, which passed the Senate last month, is a key milestone
on the path to protecting researchers and their families from
intimidation and harassment by extremists. This bill is Capitol
Hill’s first attempt to counteract ‘tertiary’
targeting harassment techniques, which are actions against
individuals or organizations that do business with research
institutions. Having passed both houses of Congress, it is
expected the President will soon sign the measure into law.
This milestone would not have been possible without the extraordinary
cooperation of Republicans and Democrats and their staffs
working together. Many other interested parties played a critical
role, including biomedical research, animal agriculture, animal
exhibition and other animal user groups, plus the American
Civil Liberties Union.
The AETA improves and strengthens the existing federal animal
enterprise protection statute (18 U.S.C. 43) to address the
expanded scope of violent and threatening activity directed
at scientists and others conducting important medical esearch
and scientific innovation, and other lawful activities. The
bill clarifies that it is a crime to damage or interfere with
an ‘animal enterprise,’ and expands existing law’s
parameters to cover threats, harassment and other illegal
activities against those who are connected with such enterprises
– not just the enterprises themselves. The law increases
criminal penalties based on the level of violence or property
loss, while expressly excluding First Amendment protected
activity from its coverage.”
The FBI considers animal rights extremists among its most
serious domestic terror threats. The extremist agenda is typically
advanced through “direct action” which includes
death threats, vandalism, and bombings. Recent victims have
included: amilies, neighbors, friends, co-workers, individuals
delivering goods and services, and other businesses carrying
out contractual obligations to the researcher or animal enterprise.”
Contact: George Goodno
(202) 457-0654
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