Official notice has been issued of a Congressional hearing on Monday, April 30 to consider jockey and equine welfare issues in the horse racing industry. The U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Energy and Commerce, Subcommittee on Health will hold a hearing at 9:30 a.m. at Unionville High School in Kennett Square, PA.

The hearing is entitled “A Review of Efforts to Protect the Health of Jockeys and Horses in Horseracing.” Those invited to join the witness list will be the only individuals allowed to present testimony. This list has been divided into two panels: Panel 1 consists of retired jockey Gary Stevens and owners Arthur Hancock, Gretchen Jackson and George Strawbridge; among those on Panel 2 are trainers Glenn Thompson and Kenny McPeek. Click here for the complete witness list.

Several on the witness list have advocated for passage of the Interstate Horseracing Improvement Act of 2011 (S. 886)/(H.R. 1733), introduced in the Senate by Sen. Tom Udall (D-NM) and in the House by Congressman Ed Whitfield (R-KY).

The NTRA will monitor the hearing and report any developments to the industry.