[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.''.
                                 ______