ban the declawing of household cats.

The practice of declawing cats is quite simply cruel and unnatural, and a direct violation of animal rights. The act is similar to cutting off all the fingers on a human at the knuckle, if the person was then forced to walk on their hands. Phantom pains can continue for the rest of the cat's life, and they suffer from arthritis and joint damage as a result.
There is currently NO valid medical reason to declaw a cat, and other countries, such as Europe, Brazil, Australia, and New Zealand, have already banned the inhumane practice. Cats need their claws for exercise, protection, and to relieve stress.
For information on declawing and the effect it has on cats, please visit: http://cats.about.com/od/declawing/tp/reasonsnot.htm