Representative Adriano Espaillat Reintroduces the Mink VIRUS Act
The Mink: Vectors for Infection Risk in the United States (VIRUS) Act reduces mink production to increase national health standards
WASHINGTON, DC – Representative Adriano Espaillat (NY-13) has reintroduced the Mink VIRUS Act during the 119th Congress. The bill, which aims to increase national public safety and health standards by disincentivizing mink farm production to help stop the spread of outbreaks of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, at nearly 18 fur farms across the United States.
“Mink are highly susceptible to viral infection and spread from animal to humans, including viruses such as COVID-19 and mutations of the virus, which is deeply concerning,” said Rep. Espaillat. “I am reintroducing the Mink VIRUS Act to strengthen safety protocols and disincentivize mink farm production to combat outbreaks of COVID-19 and other viruses in the future. We must do all that is possible to keep communities safe.”
First introduced last Congress, Espaillat's Mink VIRUS Act would end the practice of mink fur farming and establish a grant program to reimburse mink farmers for the full market value of their farm. This bill is an important component of farm industry safety protocols put into place after the COVID-19 pandemic.
Read the full legislation here.
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Representative Espaillat is the first Dominican American to serve in the U.S. House of Representatives and his congressional district includes Harlem, East Harlem, West Harlem, Hamilton Heights, Washington Heights, Inwood, Marble Hill and the north-west Bronx. First elected to Congress in 2016, Representative Espaillat is serving his fifth term in Congress. Representative Espaillat currently serves as a member of the influential U.S. House Committee on Appropriations responsible for funding the federal government’s vital activities and serves as Ranking Member of the Legislative Branch Subcommittee of the committee during the 119th Congress. He is Chairman of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC), a member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus (CPC), and serves as a Senior Whip of the Democratic Caucus. To find out more about Rep. Espaillat, visit online at https://espaillat.house.gov/.
Media inquiries: Candace Person at Candace.Person@mail.house.gov