The House has approved a bill to create national medication and safety standards for the horse racing industry to discourage use of performance-enhancing drugs that can lead to horse injuries and deaths.
Approval of the “Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act” comes after the racing industry has been hit by a series of doping scandals and a rash of horse fatalities in recent years. The bill, which was cosponsored by New York Democratic Congressman Paul Tonko, would empower an independent Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority to set uniform standards for medication, track safety and testing of horses for performance-enhancing drugs.
It now goes to the Senate, where Republican Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and Democrat Kirsten Gillibrand have introduced similar legislation.
The New York Racing Association is urging the Senate to pass the House-approved bill.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
