[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 48 (Wednesday, April 4, 2001)]
[Senate]
[Pages S3452-S3453]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. CAMPBELL (for himself, Mr. Kohl, and Mr. Hatch):
  S. 700. A bill to establish a Federal interagency task force for the 
purpose of coordinating actions to prevent the outbreak of bovine 
spongiform encephalopathy (commonly known as ``mad cow disease'') and 
foot-and-mouth disease in the United States; read the first time.
  Mr. CAMPBELL. Mr. President, today I am joined by my friends and 
colleagues, Senator Kohl and Senator Hatch in introducing an expanded 
version of the Mad Cow Prevention Act of 2001, which we previously 
introduced on March 14, 2001. Our original bill would establish a 
federal Task Force to prevent the spread to and within the United 
States of Mad Cow Disease, Foot-and-Mouth Disease, and related 
livestock diseases. This new bill, entitled the Mad Cow and Related 
Diseases Prevention Act of 2001, would add the Secretary of State and 
the Director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency to the Task 
Force.
  We also are invoking Rule 14 to have the bill placed directly on the 
Senate Calendar. We are taking this rare step because of the growing 
severity of this threat and testimony presented at a hearing this 
morning before the Senate Subcommittee on Consumer Affairs, Foreign 
Commerce and Tourism.
  We can not take for granted that our food supply will not be tainted 
by Mad Cow Disease, which has infected over 175,000 cattle in Great 
Britain and Europe, and other livestock diseases. This is an issue that 
has a direct impact on my home state of Colorado, and the rest of the 
nation as a whole.
  We need to proceed in a prudent, cautious way to do everything we can 
to prevent Mad Cow Disease and other devastating livestock diseases 
from entering and spreading in the United States. Only then can we 
ensure continued consumer confidence in the safety of the American food 
supply.
  The bill we reintroduce today establishes a Federal Interagency Task 
Force, to be chaired by the Secretary of Agriculture, for the purpose 
of coordinating actions to prevent the outbreak of Mad Cow Disease. The 
agencies will include the Secretary of Agriculture, the Secretary of 
Commerce, the Secretary of Health and Human Service, the Secretary of 
Treasury, the Commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration, the 
Director of the National Institutes of Health, the Director of the 
Centers for Disease Control, the Commissioner of Customs, the Secretary 
of State, the Director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, and 
any other agencies the President deems appropriate.
  No later than 60 days after the enactment of this legislation, the 
task force will submit to Congress a report which

[[Page S3453]]

will describe the actions the agencies are taking and plan to take to 
prevent the spread of Mad Cow and other livestock diseases and make 
recommendations for the future prevention of the spread of this disease 
to the United States. The Task Force should also consider and report on 
foot-and-mouth disease, chronic wasting disease and other diseases 
associated with our meat industries. I urge my colleagues to support 
its speedy passage.
  I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the 
Record.
  There being no objection, the bill was ordered to be printed in the 
Record, as follows:

                                 S. 700

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

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``Mad Cow and Related Diseases 
     Prevention Act of 2001''.

     SEC. 2. INTERAGENCY TASK FORCE.

       (a) In General.--There is established a Federal interagency 
     task force, to be chaired by the Secretary of Agriculture, 
     for the purpose of coordinating actions to prevent the 
     outbreak of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (commonly known 
     as ``mad cow disease''), foot-and mouth disease and related 
     diseases in the United States.
       (b) Membership.--The membership of the task force shall be 
     composed of--
       (1) the Secretary of Agriculture;
       (2) the Secretary of Commerce;
       (3) the Secretary of Health and Human Services;
       (4) the Secretary of the Treasury;
       (5) the Commissioner of Food and Drug;
       (6) the Director of the National Institutes of Health;
       (7) the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and 
     Prevention;
       (8) the Commissioner of Customs;
       (9) the Secretary of State;
       (10) the Director of the Federal Emergency Management 
     Agency; and
       (11) the heads of such other Federal departments and 
     agencies as the President considers appropriate.
       (c) Report.--Not later than 60 days after the date of 
     enactment of this Act, the task force shall submit to 
     Congress a report that--
       (1) describes actions that are being taken, and will be 
     taken, to prevent the outbreak of bovine spongiform 
     encephalopathy, foot-and-mouth disease and related diseases 
     in the United States; and
       (2) contains any recommendations for legislative and 
     regulatory actions that should be taken to prevent the 
     outbreak of bovine spongiform encephalopathy, foot-and-mouth 
     disease and related diseases in the United States.

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