Former U.S. Representative Ed Whitfield (R-KY), a member of the U.S. House from 1995-2016, has joined the efforts of the Water Hay Oats Alliance (WHOA) in support of federal legislation which would appoint USADA to create and oversee a national anti-doping program for horse racing in the U.S.
Whitfield said, “I am a proud supporter of WHOA and its efforts to prohibit the use of race day medications in horse racing in America. I remember chairing a hearing on this issue a few years ago and Hall of Fame Trainer Jack Van Berg, when asked how serious this problem was, responded, it is like Chemical Warfare on the tracks.
“I hope everyone will support the Federal Legislation to stop the use of drugs in horse racing. We want our horses to run and compete with their natural abilities, not with performance enhancing drugs. I call on my colleagues in Congress to cosponsor the Horseracing Integrity Act and for the Energy and Commerce Committee and House leadership to advance it to the floor for a vote.”
Whitfield was one of the leaders where it came to equine issues during his service in the House of Representatives. In 2006, Whitfield led the charge to successfully pass anti-horse slaughter legislation through the U.S. House of Representatives, one of many great wins he accomplished for America's horses.
In 2011, Whitfield started the federal dialogue on medication reform when he introduced an earlier version of anti-doping legislation in The Interstate Horseracing Improvement Act (H.R.1733).
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