Little-Known 2010 Win: Progress Against Animal Cruelty

Editor's note: Everyone knows about health care reform, the tax cut deal, the end of "don't ask, don't tell." But in a contentious election year, Washington also managed to do much that, while it got little attention, will nevertheless make a difference in the lives of millions.

So we asked our network of contributors on AOL's Seed to pore through the record and find the overlooked, underreported achievements. Here's one of the top 10. (For the complete list, go here.)

This month, President Obama signed into law the Animal Crush Video Prohibition Act of 2010. This bipartisan bill -- sponsored by Sens. Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., Jon Kyl, R-Ariz., and Richard Burr R-N.C. -- makes it illegal to create and distribute videos that depict the torture and killing of small animals (usually crushed under stiletto heels or by the bare feet of women), for the purpose of arousing the viewers. Anyone who violates the act faces a seven-year prison term.
The videos managed to slip into legal limbo status after the Supreme Court struck down a 1999 federal law that was aimed at stopping the sale of dogfighting videos, claiming it violated free-speech rights.

Not so with this bill, says Merkley: "By cracking down on the creation and distribution of crush videos, this bipartisan law effectively protects both animals and free speech." Animal rights groups view the new law as a huge win, but it's only gotten a passing reference by mainstream media outlets. And you haven't heard much about it from Obama's office, which is even more surprising. Considering the amount of flak he has been getting for his other policies, he could use all the positive press he can get.