[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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