Short title

This Act may be cited as the

Wildlife Health Coordination and Zoonotic Disease Prevention Act of 2026

Findings

Congress finds that—(1)zoonotic diseases are a significant threat to humans, livestock, domestic animals, and wildlife, which is evidenced by the fact that—(A)more than 6 out of every 10 known infectious diseases in human populations originated in animals; and(B)3 out of every 4 new or emerging infectious diseases in human populations originate from animals;(2)zoonotic diseases are capable of transmitting between animal populations, including wildlife, livestock, and domestic animals, and human populations;(3)the majority of recent emerging and transboundary infectious diseases have originated in wildlife, such as the ongoing highly pathogenic avian influenza outbreak since 2022;(4)zoonotic disease spillover events are occurring more frequently, particularly due to globalization and increased interactions between human and animal populations;(5)risk exposure to zoonotic diseases across human populations can vary, with rural and agricultural communities and communities without healthcare experiencing increased vulnerability;(6)many zoonotic diseases of concern originate in wildlife and livestock, which can be highly transmissible and spill over into humans, domestic animals, and back into wildlife and livestock, including—(A)highly pathogenic avian influenza spreading among poultry and wild birds to humans, dairy cattle, cats, and wild mammals, among others;(B)chronic wasting disease transmissions between wild and captive deer and elk; and(C)bovine tuberculosis and brucellosis between ruminants and wildlife, which are also capable of infecting humans;(7)outbreaks of diseases in wildlife and livestock, particularly those with zoonotic potential, have significant adverse effects on the United States economy, with the ongoing 2022 avian influenza outbreak resulting in the Department of Agriculture spending, as of February 2025, over $2,500,000,000 in indemnity payments;(8)outbreaks of zoonotic diseases pose a significant public health threat and may lead to a domestic or global public health emergency;(9)the Department of the Interior, Department of Agriculture, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and Department of Homeland Security play distinct but complementary roles in the prevention, detection, control, and response to zoonotic diseases that impact wildlife, livestock and domestic animals, and humans;(10)the Department of the Interior has a responsibility to protect and manage Federal trust species, including by monitoring wildlife populations and performing surveillance for emerging wildlife diseases, including diseases with zoonotic potential;(11)the United States Fish and Wildlife Service is responsible for disease surveillance, response, and management of diseases that threaten wildlife and other animal populations and humans;(12)State fish and wildlife agencies exercise primary statutory authority over the management of fish and wildlife as public trust resources within their borders;(13)the Department of Agriculture is primarily responsible for safeguarding the health of livestock, developing and conducting monitoring and surveillance for livestock diseases, preventing the spread of pests and diseases that pose a threat to the agricultural industry, and conducting wildlife disease research and implementing a National Wildlife Disease Program that focuses on wildlife disease surveillance;(14)the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is the leading public health agency responsible for—(A)monitoring and responding to human health threats posed by wildlife diseases and zoonotic diseases; and(B)conducting surveillance and research and providing guidance to prevent and control the spread of zoonotic diseases to and among humans;(15)the Department of Homeland Security is primarily responsible for securing borders to prevent the introduction of wildlife diseases and zoonotic diseases;(16)increased coordination and collaboration between Federal, State, and Tribal agencies with respect to wildlife disease and zoonotic disease efforts is necessary to adequately monitor and respond to ongoing and potential disease outbreaks, especially outbreaks that pose public health threats;(17)there is critical need to support existing Federal, State, and Tribal coordination and management efforts relating to wildlife disease and zoonotic disease early detection, surveillance, and research and management;(18)greater permanence for Wildlife Health Coordinators as intermediaries between the Department of Agriculture, the Department of the Interior, State fish and wildlife agencies, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention would facilitate communication, information sharing, and coordinated efforts to prevent, detect, and respond to wildlife diseases and zoonotic diseases;(19)Wildlife Health Coordinators help address State agency capacity nationally, including the interagency National Fish and Wildlife Health Initiative with membership from the Department of Agriculture and Department of the Interior and Tribal and State representatives; and(20)coordinated efforts described in paragraphs (18) and (19) are essential to protect public health, wildlife populations, and agricultural interests from the impacts of ongoing and emerging infectious disease threats.

Definitions

In this Act:(1)

Indian tribe

The term Indian Tribe has the meaning given the term in section 4 of the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 5304).(2)

Livestock

The term livestock has the meaning given the term in section 10403 of the Animal Health Protection Act (7 U.S.C. 8302).(3)

Program

The term Program means the Wildlife Health Coordination and Zoonotic Disease Program established by section 4(a).(4)

Wildlife health coordinator

The term Wildlife Health Coordinator means an individual appointed to a position described in section 4(c)(1).(5)

Wildlife disease

The term wildlife disease means any infectious disease originating in wildlife that can be transmitted, directly or indirectly, from an infected animal, host or vector, parasitic insects, inanimate source, or any other source to non-human animals, including wildlife, livestock, and domestic animals.(6)

Zoonotic disease

(A)

In general

The term zoonotic disease means any disease that is transmissible between animals and humans.(B)

Inclusion

The term zoonotic disease includes any wildlife disease that can be transmitted between animals and humans.

Wildlife Health Coordinators

(a)

Establishment

There is established within the United States Fish and Wildlife Service a program, to be known as the Wildlife Health Coordination and Zoonotic Disease Program, to be jointly administered by the Director of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service and the Administrator of the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, to serve as a liaison between the Department of the Interior, the Department of Agriculture, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Department of Homeland Security, and other relevant Federal, State, and Tribal agencies, as determined necessary by the Director of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service and the Administrator of the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.(b)

Purposes

The purposes of the Program are—(1)to improve coordination among Federal, State, and Tribal partners on wildlife health issues and wildlife diseases, particularly diseases that have zoonotic potential; and(2)to support communication, planning, and capacity building efforts to address emerging and ongoing national, State, and regional wildlife health concerns.(c)

Wildlife health coordinators

(1)

Positions

There are established in the Program the following positions, to be appointed in accordance with paragraph (2):(A)1 National Wildlife Health Coordinator.(B)1 Tribal Wildlife Health Coordinator.(C)4 Regional Wildlife Health Coordinators.(2)

Appointments

The Wildlife Health Coordinators shall be appointed in accordance with the following, using amounts made available through grants, contracts, and cooperative agreements provided with amounts made available to carry out this section:(A)The position of National Wildlife Health Coordinator described in paragraph (1)(A) shall be appointed by the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies.(B)The position of Tribal Wildlife Health Coordinator described in paragraph (1)(B) shall be appointed by the Native American Fish and Wildlife Society.(C)The 4 positions of Regional Wildlife Health Coordinators described in paragraph (1)(C) shall be appointed by each of—(i)the Western Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies;(ii)the Midwest Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies;(iii)the Northeast Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies; and(iv)the Southeastern Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies.(3)

Regions

The Regional Wildlife Health Coordinators appointed under paragraph (2)(C) shall—(A)serve 4 distinct regions in the United States, including the Northeast, Southeast, Midwest, and West, which shall be defined as each region represented by the Regional Associations described in clauses (i) through (iv) of that paragraph; and(B)collaborate across those regions for unified work.(4)

Qualifications

A Wildlife Health Coordinator shall have expertise in wildlife health, veterinary science and medicine, epidemiology, or another related field.(5)

Duties

A Wildlife Health Coordinator shall—(A)establish relationships with relevant Federal, State, and Tribal agencies to carry out the purposes of this Act;(B)facilitate information sharing about existing and emerging wildlife diseases, including disease threats to livestock and domestic animals, and zoonotic disease outbreaks or emerging disease threats between States, including State departments of agriculture, environment, natural resources, fish and wildlife, and public health and State animal health officials, Indian Tribes, the National Animal Health Laboratory Network, the National Wildlife Health Center of the United States Geological Survey, the Department of Agriculture, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Department of Homeland Security, and other relevant Federal agencies, as determined by the Director of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service and the Administrator of the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service;(C)assist States and Indian Tribes in accessing resources, including applying for funding, to work on wildlife health and zoonotic disease issues, including diseases—(i)with potential to transmit between wildlife and livestock or domestic animals, especially in areas where wildlife has frequent contact with livestock and domestic animal populations; and(ii)with zoonotic potential;(D)coordinate—(i)between States, including State departments of agriculture, environment, natural resources, fish and wildlife, and public health and State animal health officials, and Federal agencies; and (ii) with other relevant entities engaged in wildlife disease and zoonotic disease testing, research, monitoring, surveillance, and management activities, including entities convened by the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies; (E)develop and share best management practices relating to wildlife health threats and zoonotic diseases prepared by the Department of Agriculture, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and State and Tribal agencies between those Federal agencies and State and Tribal agencies, including State departments of agriculture, environment, natural resources, fish and wildlife, and public health and State animal health officials; and(F)submit to Congress a report on recommendations for improving interagency coordination and additional resources necessary to address and prevent wildlife diseases of concern and zoonotic disease outbreaks, particularly diseases that threaten public health.(6)

Best management practices

Best management practices developed and shared under paragraph (5)(E) may include voluntary guidance relating to the humane dispatch of animals in the field, disease surveillance and monitoring techniques, biosecurity and biosafety measures, public education, and other information, as jointly determined necessary by the Director of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service and the Administrator of the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.(d)

Authorization of appropriations

There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section $900,000 for fiscal year 2027 and each fiscal year thereafter.