[Congressional Bills 107th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3293 Introduced in House (IH)]
107th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 3293
To establish a coordinated program of science-based countermeasures to
address the threats of agricultural bioterrorism.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
November 14, 2001
Mr. Lucas of Oklahoma (for himself and Mr. Watkins of Oklahoma)
introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on
Agriculture
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To establish a coordinated program of science-based countermeasures to
address the threats of agricultural bioterrorism.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS.
(a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``Agricultural
Bioterrorism Countermeasures Act of 2001''.
(b) Table of Contents.--The table of contents for this Act is as
follows:
Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.
Sec. 2. Findings and purposes.
Sec. 3. Biosecurity upgrades at Department of Agriculture and related
facilities.
Sec. 4. Intramural agricultural bioterrorism research and development.
Sec. 5. Consortium for countermeasures against agricultural
bioterrorism.
Sec. 6. Agricultural bioterrorism competitive research grants.
Sec. 7. Expansion of Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
activities.
Sec. 8. Expansion of Food Safety Inspection Service activities.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSES.
(a) Findings.--Congress finds the following:
(1) The events of September 11, 2001, have heightened
awareness of the threat of acts of bioterrorism, including
attacks directed at the domestic food supply and underlying
agriculture.
(2) Evidence of access to and rudimentary experiments with
chemical and biological agents and the reported interest in the
operation of cropdusting aircraft point to possible terrorist
intent to use biological or chemical weapons.
(3) An attack of agricultural bioterrorism would pose
serious challenges such as--
(A) hazards to human health;
(B) erosion of public confidence in the safety of
the domestic food supply; and
(C) damage to the economy.
(4) It is important to develop short- and long-term
strategies and supporting technology to more effectively and
efficiently protect the domestic food supply from acts of
bioterrorism.
(5) A program of ongoing research and development is
required to reduce the vulnerability of plant and animal
agriculture and the food supply.
(6) It is critical to bring Federal, academic, and private
sector capacities to bear on the threat of agricultural
bioterrorism.
(b) Purposes.--The purposes of this Act are--
(1) to strengthen the research and development capacity of
the United States to respond to the threat of agricultural
bioterrorism;
(2) to promote the collaboration between the Federal,
academic, and private sectors in addressing agricultural
bioterrorism; and
(3) to strengthen the capacity of regulatory agencies to
prepare for, respond to, and mitigate the consequences of a
bioterrorist attack.
SEC. 3. BIOSECURITY UPGRADES AT DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND RELATED
FACILITIES.
(a) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be
appropriated to the Secretary of Agriculture $870,000,000 to enable the
Agricultural Research Service to comply with the requirements of the
Department of Agriculture's biosecurity responsibilities under
Presidential Directive 67 with respect to the conduct of activities to
secure existing facilities where potential animal and plant pathogens
are housed or researched and to improve food safety research
activities.
(b) Distribution of Amounts.--The amounts appropriated pursuant to
the authorization of appropriations in subsection (a) shall be made
available as follows:
(1) $220,000,000 shall be made available for renovation,
update, and expansion of the Biosafety Level 3 laboratory and
animal research facilities at the Plum Island Animal Disease
Center (Greenport, New York).
(2) $385,000,000 shall be made available for the
Agricultural Research Service/Animal and Plant Health
Inspection Service facility in Ames, Iowa.
(3) $106,000,000 shall be made available for the planning
and design of an Agricultural Research Service biocontainment
laboratory for poultry research in Athens, Georgia.
(4) $9,000,000 shall be made available for the planning,
updating, and renovation of the Arthropod-Bome Animal Disease
Laboratory in Laramie, Wyoming.
(5) $120,000,000 shall be made available for collaborative
research with the Oklahoma City National Memorial Institute for
the Prevention of Terrorism, the Department of Justice, and
other law enforcement and emergency preparedness organizations.
(6) $10,000,000 shall be made available for the purchase of
rapid detection field test kits to be distributed by the
Secretary of Agriculture to State and local agencies engaged in
defending against agroterrorism and the training of appropriate
authorities.
(7) $20,000,000 shall be made available for the updating,
expansion, and renovation of the Biosensor Technologies
Research Center at Oklahoma State University in Stillwater,
Oklahoma.
SEC. 4. INTRAMURAL AGRICULTURAL BIOTERRORISM RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT.
(a) In General.--The Secretary of Agriculture shall expand
Agricultural Research Service programs to protect the domestic food
supply by--
(1) enhancing the capability to respond immediately to the
needs of regulatory agencies involved in protecting the food
supply;
(2) cooperating with academic and private sector partners
to maximize the impact of research and development;
(3) strengthening linkages with the intelligence community
to better identify research needs and evaluate acquired
materials;
(4) expanding the involvement of the Agricultural Research
Service with international organizations dealing with plant and
animal disease control; and
(5) taking other appropriate measures.
(b) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be
appropriated to carry out this section $140,000,000 for each of fiscal
years 2003 through 2007.
SEC. 5. CONSORTIUM FOR COUNTERMEASURES AGAINST AGRICULTURAL
BIOTERRORISM.
(a) Establishment.--The Secretary of Agriculture shall establish a
Consortium for Countermeasures Against Agricultural Bioterrorism to
help form stable long-term programs of research, development, and
evaluation of options to enhance the biosecurity of United States
agriculture.
(b) Membership.--
(1) In general.--The Consortium shall be comprised of
institutions of higher education positioned to partner with
Federal agencies to address agricultural bioterrorism.
(2) Designation.--The Secretary of Agriculture shall
designate for membership in the Consortium--
(A) 3 institutions of higher education that are
national centers for countermeasures against
agricultural bioterrorism; and
(B) not more than 7 additional institutions of
higher education with existing programs relating to
agricultural bioterrorism.
(3) National centers.--The national centers shall be
selected using the following criteria:
(A) Co-location of Department of Agriculture
laboratories or training centers with member
institutions.
(B) Demonstrated expertise in the area of plant and
animal diseases.
(C) Located at Land Grant Institutions that have a
College of Veterinary Medicine, an on-site animal
disease diagnostic laboratory, and the capability to
conduct on-site training and training via distance
education technology.
(D) Close coordination with State cooperative
extension programs that work in cooperation with
industry, farm and commodity organizations, and
regulatory agencies.
(c) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be
appropriated to carry out this section $50,000,000 for each of fiscal
years 2003 through 2007.
SEC. 6. AGRICULTURAL BIOTERRORISM COMPETITIVE RESEARCH GRANTS.
(a) In General.--The Secretary of Agriculture shall enhance the
National Research Initiative of the Competitive Grants Program of the
Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service by
awarding grants focused on the science and technology needed to protect
against and deal with acts of bioterrorism directed at the domestic
food supply and agriculture.
(b) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be
appropriated to carry out this section $30,000,000 for each of fiscal
years 2003 through 2007.
SEC. 7. EXPANSION OF ANIMAL AND PLANT HEALTH INSPECTION SERVICE
ACTIVITIES.
(a) In General.--The Secretary of Agriculture shall enhance and
expand the capacity of the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
by--
(1) increasing inspection capacity at international points
of origin;
(2) improving surveillance at ports of entry and customs;
(3) enhancing methods of protecting against introduction of
plant and animal disease organisms by terrorists;
(4) adopting new strategies and technology for dealing with
outbreaks of plant and animal disease arising from acts of
terrorism or from unintentional introduction, including
establishing cooperative agreements among entities described in
subsection (b) to enhance the preparedness and ability of
Veterinary Services of the Animal and Plant Health Inspection
Service and such entities to respond to outbreaks of such
animal diseases;
(5) strengthening the planning and coordination with State
and local agencies, including the entities described in
subsection (b); and
(6) taking other appropriate measures.
(b) Cooperating Entities.--The entities referred to in paragraphs
(4) and (5) of subsection (a) are the following:
(1) Veterinary Services of the Animal and Plant Health
Inspection Service.
(2) State animal health commissions and regulatory agencies
for livestock and poultry health.
(3) State agriculture departments.
(4) Accredited colleges of veterinary medicine that are co-
located with an accredited animal disease diagnostic laboratory
and connected via high speed internet to national animal
disease laboratories (to facilitate telemedicine sharing of
necropsy images and histopathology images), animal diagnostic
centers, State departments of public health, and the Center for
Disease Control and Prevention.
(5) Private veterinary practitioners.
(c) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be
appropriated to carry out this section $140,000,000 for each of fiscal
years 2003 through 2007.
SEC. 8. EXPANSION OF FOOD SAFETY INSPECTION SERVICE ACTIVITIES.
(a) In General.--The Secretary of Agriculture shall enhance and
expand the capacity of the Food Safety Inspection Service by--
(1) enhancing the ability to inspect and ensure the safety
and wholesomeness of meat and poultry products;
(2) developing new methods for rapid detection and
identification of diseases and other hazardous agents;
(3) applying new technologies to improve ante mortem and
post mortem inspection procedures;
(4) improving the capacity to inspect international meat
and poultry products at points of origin and at ports of entry;
and
(5) strengthening collaboration among agencies within the
Department of Agriculture and in other parts of Federal and
State government through the sharing of information and
technology.
(b) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be
appropriated to carry out this section $140,000,000 for each of fiscal
years 2003 through 2007.
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