Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas) introduced this amendment to the fiscal 2007 agriculture appropriations (H.R. 5384). Paul’s amendment would bar the use of funds in the bill to implement the National Animal Identification System (NAIS), a government program that would electronically track farm cattle and poultry in hopes of preventing the spread of disease. Writing about the program, Paul stated, “NAIS means more government, more regulations, more fees, more federal spending, less privacy, and diminished property rights.”
The House rejected Paul’s amendment on May 23, 2006, by a vote of 34-389 (Roll Call 184). We have assigned pluses to the yeas because the program would unconstitutionally allocate federal spending, place useless regulations on farmers, and threaten the privacy rights of American citizens.
