[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2414 Reported in Senate (RS)]

<DOC>





                                                       Calendar No. 281
118th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 2414

                          [Report No. 118-137]

    To require agencies with working dog programs to implement the 
recommendations of the Government Accountability Office relating to the 
      health and welfare of working dogs, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             July 20, 2023

 Mr. Braun (for himself and Ms. Sinema) introduced the following bill; 
which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security 
                        and Governmental Affairs

                           December 13, 2023

               Reported by Mr. Peters, with an amendment
 [Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed 
                               in italic]

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
    To require agencies with working dog programs to implement the 
recommendations of the Government Accountability Office relating to the 
      health and welfare of working dogs, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

<DELETED>SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    This Act may be cited as the ``Working Dog Health and 
Welfare Act of 2023''.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 2. IMPLEMENTATION OF WORKING DOG 
              RECOMMENDATIONS.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) Definitions.--In this section:</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) Agency.--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) In general.--The term ``agency'' has 
                the meaning given the term in section 551 of title 5, 
                United States Code.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) Inclusions.--Notwithstanding 
                subparagraphs (A) through (D) of section 551(1) of 
                title 5, United States Code, the term ``agency'' 
                includes--</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (i) the Congress;</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (ii) the courts of the United 
                        States;</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (iii) the governments of the 
                        territories or possessions of the United 
                        States; and</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (iv) the government of the 
                        District of Columbia.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) Working dog.--The term ``working dog'' means a 
        dog that has received specialized training in order to perform 
        a particular productive function.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>     (3) Working dog program.--The term ``working dog 
        program'' means a program, the operations of which include the 
        employment of working dogs.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (4) Working dog recommendations.--The term 
        ``working dog recommendations'' means the recommendations 
        included in the report of the Government Accountability Office 
        entitled ``Working Dogs: Federal Agencies Need to Better 
        Address Health and Welfare'', as published in October 
        2022.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Implementation.--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) In general.--Not later than 180 days after the 
        date of enactment of this Act, the head of each agency that 
        manages a working dog program shall implement the working dog 
        recommendations.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) Contractors.--Not later than 180 days after 
        the date of enactment of this Act, a contractor that manages a 
        working dog program on behalf of an agency shall implement the 
        working dog recommendations.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) Report.--Not later than 60 days after the date 
        on which the head of an agency or a contractor that manages a 
        working dog program on behalf of a covered agency implements 
        working dog recommendations under this subsection, the head of 
        the agency shall submit to the Committee on Homeland Security 
        and Governmental Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on 
        Oversight and Accountability of the House of Representatives a 
        report on the explicit steps the agency or contractor has taken 
        to complete the implementation.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (c) Foreign Partners.--Not later than 180 days after the 
date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State shall take 
appropriate steps to ensure that donations of working dogs provided to 
foreign partners by the Department of State are executed and monitored 
according to the working dog recommendations.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (d) New Working Dog Programs.--With respect to an agency 
that establishes a working dog program, or enters into a contract for 
the establishment of a working dog program, after the date of enactment 
of this Act, the head of the agency shall ensure that the working dog 
program implements the working dog recommendations.</DELETED>

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Working Dog Health and Welfare Act 
of 2023''.

SEC. 2. IMPLEMENTATION OF WORKING DOG RECOMMENDATIONS.

    (a) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) Agency.--The term ``agency'' has the meaning given the 
        term in section 551 of title 5, United States Code.
            (2) Working dog.--The term ``working dog'' means a dog that 
        has received specialized training in order to perform a 
        particular productive function.
             (3) Working dog program.--The term ``working dog program'' 
        means a program, the operations of which include the employment 
        of working dogs.
            (4) Working dog recommendations.--The term ``working dog 
        recommendations'' means the recommendations included in the 
        report of the Government Accountability Office entitled 
        ``Working Dogs: Federal Agencies Need to Better Address Health 
        and Welfare'', as published in October 2022.
    (b) Implementation.--
            (1) In general.--Not later than 180 days after the date of 
        enactment of this Act, the head of each agency that manages a 
        working dog program shall implement the working dog 
        recommendations.
            (2) Contractors.--Not later than 180 days after the date of 
        enactment of this Act, a contractor that manages a working dog 
        program on behalf of an agency shall implement the working dog 
        recommendations.
            (3) Report.--Not later than 60 days after the date on which 
        the head of an agency or a contractor that manages a working 
        dog program on behalf of an agency implements the working dog 
        recommendations under this subsection, the head of the agency 
        shall submit to the Committee on Homeland Security and 
        Governmental Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on 
        Oversight and Accountability of the House of Representatives a 
        report on the explicit steps the agency or contractor has taken 
        to complete the implementation.
    (c) Foreign Partners.--Not later than 180 days after the date of 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State shall take appropriate 
steps to ensure that donations of working dogs provided to foreign 
partners by the Department of State are executed and monitored 
according to the working dog recommendations.
    (d) New Working Dog Programs.--With respect to an agency that 
establishes a working dog program, or enters into a contract for the 
establishment of a working dog program, after the date of enactment of 
this Act, the head of the agency shall ensure that the working dog 
program implements the working dog recommendations.
    (e) No Additional Funds.--No additional funds are authorized to be 
appropriated for the purpose of carrying out this Act.
                                                       Calendar No. 281

118th CONGRESS

  1st Session

                                S. 2414

                          [Report No. 118-137]

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL

    To require agencies with working dog programs to implement the 
recommendations of the Government Accountability Office relating to the 
      health and welfare of working dogs, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

                           December 13, 2023

                       Reported with an amendment