Congresswoman Simon, McGovern, Costa Lead 182 Democrats in Protecting California’s Prop 12 and Advocating for Humanely Raised Animals

WASHINGTON, DC — Today, Congresswoman Lateefah Simon (D-CA-12), Congressman Jim McGovern (D-MA-02), and Congressman Jim Costa (D-CA-21), led 182  Democratic members in sending a letter to House Agriculture Committee Chairman Thompson and Ranking Member Craig opposing H.R. 4673, a bill that would undermine California’s Prop 12, in the next Farm Bill or any other legislation. 

Passed in 2018, California’s Prop 12 set minimum space and housing requirements for pigs, hens, and veal calves and banned the sale of products from animals kept in smaller spaces. H.R. 4673 would override state laws like Prop 12 and Massachusetts’ Question 3, undermining states’ rights to set their own agriculture and animal welfare standards.  

“When California voters passed Prop 12, they made their values clear: animals deserve humane treatment, and consumers deserve high quality food,” said Congresswoman Simon. “H.R. 4673 is yet another GOP attempt to hand control back to corporate interests at the expense of farmers, consumers, and animal welfare. I’m proud to stand with Representatives McGovern and Costa to defend fair agricultural standards that reflect our values and promote humane, sustainable farming.” 

Prop 12 was decided by the people of California, and the Supreme Court has upheld that decision, and has been in full effect since 2024," said Congressman Costa. "It is imperative that we continue to look forward together as a nation and work with our trading partners to ensure sustained marketplaces for all producers."

In the letter to the House Agriculture Committee, the lawmakers write: “Demand from consumers, food companies, and the farming community has propelled 15 states to enact public health, food safety, and humane standards for the in-state production and sale of products from egg-laying chickens, veal calves, and mother pigs. Many pork and egg farmers have already invested significantly in transitioning to crate-free and cage-free production,” the lawmakers continued.  

The letter also highlights that independent farmers are ready and able to meet the growing demand for pork raised under higher animal welfare standards. In fact, by doing so, these farmers have been able to earn some of the money and influence that big pork corporations have long controlled, and brought those benefits back to their local towns, businesses, and families. 

The full text of the letter can be found here, and more information on the letter can be found below.  

 In addition to Representative Simon, McGovern, and Costa the letter is signed by Representatives Adams, Aguilar, Amo, Ansari, Auchincloss, Balint, Barragán, Beatty, Bell, Bennie Thompson, Bera, Beyer, Bishop, Bobby Scott, Bonamici, Boyle, Brown, Brownley, Bynum, Carbajal, Carson, Carter, Casar, Case, Casten, Castor, Castro, Cherfilus-McCormick, “Chuy” Garcia, Chu, Cisneros, Clarke, Cohen, Conaway, Correa, Courtney, Crockett, Crow, Danny Davis, Davids, Dean, DeGette, DeLauro, DelBene, Deluzio, DeSaulnier, Dexter, Dingell, Doggett, Elfreth, Escobar, Espaillat, Evans, Fields, Fletcher, Foushee, Foster, Frankel, Friedman, Frost, Garamendi, Gillen, Goldman, Gomez, Goodlander, Gottheimer, Harder, Hayes, Himes, Holmes-Norton, Horsford, Houlahan, Hoyer, Hoyle, Huffman, Ivey, Jacobs, Jayapal, John Larson, Johnson, Julie Johnson, Kamlager-Dove, Keating, Kelly, Kennedy, Khanna, Krishnamoorthi, Landsman, Larsen, Latimer, Lee, Levin, Lieu, Liccardo, Lofgren, Lynch, Magaziner, Mannion, Matsui, McBath, McBride, McCollum, McGarvey, McIver, Meng, Menendez, Mfume, Mike Thompson, Min, Morelle, Morrison, Moulton, Mullin, Nadler, Neal, Neguse, Nikema Williams, Norma Torres, Norcross, Ocasio-Cortez, Olszewski, Omar, Pallone, Panetta, Pappas, Pelosi, Pat Ryan, Peters, Pettersen, Pingree, Pocan, Pou, Pressley, Quigley, Ramirez, Randall, Raskin, Ritchie Torres, Rivas, Robert Garcia, Ross, Ruiz, Salinas, Sanchez, Scanlon, Schakowsky, Schrier, Schneider, Sewell, Sherrill, Sherman, Smith, Soto, Stevens, Strickland, Subramanyam, Suozzi, Summer Lee, Susie Lee, Swalwell, Sylvia Garcia, Takano, Thanedar, Titus, Tlaib, Tokuda, Tonko, Trahan, Tran, Valazquez, Vargas, Veasey, Walkinshaw, Waters, Watson Coleman, Wasserman Schultz, Whitesides, and Wilson.

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