[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 132 (Tuesday, September 28, 2010)]
[House]
[Page H7178]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




            VETERINARY PUBLIC HEALTH AMENDMENTS ACT OF 2010

  Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 2999) to amend the Public Health Service Act to enhance and 
increase the number of veterinarians trained in veterinary public 
health, as amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 2999

       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 ``Veterinary Public Health 
     Amendments Act of 2010''.

     SEC. 2. INCLUSION OF VETERINARY PUBLIC HEALTH IN CERTAIN 
                   PUBLIC HEALTH WORKFORCE PROVISIONS.

       (a) Public Health Workforce Grants.--Subsections (b)(1)(A) 
     and (d)(6) of section 765 of the Public Health Service Act 
     (42 U.S.C. 295) are amended by inserting ``veterinary public 
     health,'' after ``preventive medicine,'' each place it 
     appears.
       (b) Public Health Workforce Loan Repayment Program.--
       (1) In general.--Subparagraphs (A) and (B) of section 
     776(b)(1) of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 295f-
     1(b)(1)) are amended by striking ``public health or health 
     professions degree or certificate'' each place it appears and 
     inserting ``public health (including veterinary public 
     health) or health professions degree or certificate''.
       (2) Technical correction.--Subparagraph (A) of section 
     776(b)(1) of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 295f-
     1(b)(1)) is amended by adding ``or'' at the end.
       (c) Definition.--Section 799B of the Public Health Service 
     Act (42 U.S.C. 295p) is amended by adding at the end the 
     following:
       ``(27) Veterinary public health.--The term `veterinary 
     public health' includes veterinarians engaged in one or more 
     of the following areas to the extent such areas have an 
     impact on human health: biodefense and emergency 
     preparedness, emerging and reemerging infectious diseases, 
     environmental health, ecosystem health, pre- and post-harvest 
     food protection, regulatory medicine, diagnostic laboratory 
     medicine, veterinary pathology, biomedical research, the 
     practice of food animal medicine in rural areas, and 
     government practice.''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from New 
Jersey (Mr. Pallone) and the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Burgess) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New Jersey.


                             General Leave

  Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks 
and include extraneous material in the Record.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from New Jersey?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  I rise today, Mr. Speaker, in strong support of H.R. 2999, the 
Veterinary Public Health Amendments of 2010. Veterinary medicine is an 
important component of our human public health system. From H1N1 to 
SARS to food safety, public health veterinarians are critical to our 
protection of human health.
  This bill would ensure that veterinary public health professionals 
are eligible for two important public health workforce programs, but 
only to the extent that the work of these veterinarians has an impact 
on human health. I commend Representative Baldwin for her leadership on 
this legislation. I urge my colleagues to support the bill.
  I reserve the balance of my time.

                              {time}  2130

  Mr. BURGESS. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 2999, the Veterinary Public Health 
Workforce and Education Act, would take important steps to increase the 
number of public health veterinarians.
  Food animal veterinarians play a vital role in public health, and 
experts have said that there is a major shortage. This shortage will 
have a negative impact on our public health, including the safety of 
our Nation's food supply. This legislation will help us solve that 
problem.
  H.R. 2999 would allow those seeking veterinary public health degrees 
to be eligible for public health workforce loan repayment programs. It 
would also permit the Secretary of Health and Human Services to award 
training grants to increase the veterinary public health workforce.
  On committee we worked in a bipartisan basis to ensure that it is 
crystal clear that our Nation's food animal veterinarians will be 
eligible for programs under this bill. We need more food animal 
veterinarians, and this will help us get there. I urge my colleagues to 
support this bill.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I also yield back the balance of my time 
and urge passage of the bill.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Pallone) that the House suspend the 
rules and pass the bill, H.R. 2999, as amended.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds 
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
  Mr. BURGESS. Mr. Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that a 
quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is not 
present.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the 
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be 
postponed.
  The point of no quorum is considered withdrawn.

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