[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 60 (Tuesday, April 27, 2010)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2709-S2710]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
By Mr. AKAKA (for himself and Mr. Ensign):
S. 3263. A bill to establish a Chief Veterinary Officer in the
Department of Homeland Security, and for other purposes; to the
Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
Mr. AKAKA. Mr. President, I rise today to introduce a bill, along
with Senator Ensign, to establish a Chief Veterinary Officer within the
Department of Homeland Security. I want to acknowledge the leadership
that our colleagues in the House, especially Representative Rogers of
Alabama, have shown in introducing a bipartisan companion bill. This
bipartisan, bicameral legislation advances increased focus on
veterinary health, food defense, and agricultural security within the
Department of Homeland Security. Importantly, it does this without
creating an additional layer of management within the Department.
Animal disease and zoonotic outbreaks are a looming threat to the
United States. A major foreign animal disease outbreak, such as foot-
and-mouth disease, could have far-reaching effects, threatening our
food supply and harming both domestic commerce and international trade.
The Department of Homeland Security would be called upon to provide
leadership and to integrate the necessary assets and people from across
the Nation to respond to such an incident.
This bill would strengthen the Department's capacity to prepare for
and respond to such a crisis by ensuring that there is a veterinary
leader within the Department who is fully prepared and empowered to
respond. The Secretary of Homeland Security would be required to
appoint a veterinarian with expertise in veterinary public health,
emergency preparedness, and other related fields as the Department's
Chief Veterinary Officer. He or she would lead the division of the
Department with primary responsibility for veterinary issues, food
defense, and agricultural security, and would serve as the Department's
lead policy advisor and principal point of contact on those issues.
This senior leader also would provide overall guidance for the health
of the Department's working animals that play a vital role in the
Nation's defense.
I have long been concerned about the Nation's ability to prepare for
and respond to agriculture disasters, such as a catastrophic foreign
animal disease outbreak. In February, 2009, I held a hearing on
protecting public and animal health and received testimony from several
agencies, including the Government Accountability Office, GAO, which
had recently completed a review of the Federal veterinary workforce.
GAO reported troubling shortfalls in our veterinarian workforce and our
planning to respond to foreign animal disease and zoonotic outbreaks. I
believe that this bill will help address this challenge and support a
more capable and prepared Department of Homeland Security.
I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this legislation.
Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be
printed in the Record.
There being no objection, the text of the bill was ordered to be
printed in the Record, as follows:
S. 3263
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. CHIEF VETERINARY OFFICER OF DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND
SECURITY.
(a) In General.--Title III of the Homeland Security Act of
2002 (6 U.S.C. 181 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end
the following:
``SEC. 317. CHIEF VETERINARY OFFICER.
``(a) In General.--There is in the Department a Chief
Veterinary Officer, who shall be appointed by the Secretary.
``(b) Reporting Relationship.--
``(1) In general.--The Chief Veterinary Officer shall
report directly to the Chief Medical Officer.
``(2) Exception.--If an individual other than the Assistant
Secretary for Health Affairs is serving as the Chief Medical
Officer, the Chief Veterinary Officer shall report directly
to the Assistant Secretary for Health Affairs.
``(c) Qualifications.--The individual appointed as Chief
Veterinary Officer shall be a veterinarian who possesses--
``(1) a demonstrated ability in and knowledge of veterinary
public health and emergency preparedness; and
``(2) other professional experience, as determined by the
Secretary, including experience in agriculture, food defense,
and disaster medicine.
``(d) Responsibilities.--The Chief Veterinary Officer
shall--
``(1) be the head of the division of the Department with
primary responsibility for veterinary issues, food defense,
and agriculture security; and
``(2) have primary responsibility within the Department for
responsibilities relating to veterinary medicine and
veterinary public health, including--
``(A) serving as the principal authority in the Department
responsible for advising the
[[Page S2710]]
Secretary, in coordination with the Assistant Secretary for
Health Affairs, on veterinary public health, food defense,
and agricultural security issues;
``(B) providing guidance for the health and welfare of the
working animals of the Department, including those used to
enhance transportation, border, and maritime security, and
for other purposes;
``(C) leading the policy initiatives of the Department
relating to--
``(i) food, animal, and agricultural incidents, and the
impact of such incidents on animal and public health; and
``(ii) overall domestic preparedness for and collective
response to agricultural terrorism;
``(D) serving as the principal point of contact in the
Office of Health Affairs for--
``(i) all veterinary preparedness and response research and
development; and
``(ii) sharing homeland security veterinary medical
information with Department officials, including all
components with veterinary, food, or agricultural interests;
``(E) serving as the principal point of contact within the
Department with respect to veterinary homeland security
issues for--
``(i) the Department of Agriculture, the Department of
Defense, the Department of Health and Human Services, and
other Federal departments and agencies; and
``(ii) State, local, and tribal governments, the veterinary
community, and other entities within and outside the
Department; and
``(F) performing such other duties relating to the
responsibilities of the Chief Veterinary Officer as the
Secretary may require.
``(e) Advance Notice of Reorganization Required.--Not later
than 180 days before carrying out any reorganization within
the Department that would affect any responsibility of the
Chief Veterinary Officer, the Secretary shall submit to the
appropriate congressional committees a report on the proposed
reorganization.''.
(b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of contents in section
1(b) of such Act is amended by adding at the end of the items
relating to title III the following:
``Sec. 317. Chief Veterinary Officer.''.
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