Jack —

The federal government has officially reopened, and for America’s wild horses, what we do next couldn’t be more important. Call on your members of Congress to support the Horse Protection Platform as they put together the FY26 spending bill.

Late Wednesday night, federal lawmakers passed a short-term funding bill that keeps the government running through January 30, 2026. The good news: protections against horse slaughter remain in place for the 64,000 wild horses and burros currently in government holding.

The bad news, Jack, is that this funding bill also fully funds the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) costly and inhumane roundup program at the same level as last year. This means that helicopter roundups could resume at any moment while Congress decides the fate of Fiscal Year 2026 appropriations.

This is our moment to change the direction of wild horse management. We’re calling on Congress to support a slate of horse protection bills that would advance humane wild horse management, end helicopter roundups, and protect horses, both domestic and wild, from slaughter.

AWHC has proven that humane, in-the-wild fertility control is effective, scalable, and far more cost-efficient than funneling more horses into holding facilities every year. And lawmakers on both sides of the aisle agree—their support helped secure $11 million for humane management last year. But Congress still needs a strong push to make these solutions a priority now.

January’s funding deadline gives lawmakers a rare chance to finally shift resources toward science-based, humane management. But they won’t act unless they hear from the public. Will you remind them loud and clear, Jack? Add your name and tell Congress helicopter roundups must end.

Thank you for standing with us,
— The AWHC Team