[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 188 (Wednesday, December 18, 2024)]
[House]
[Pages H7337-H7339]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
BEAGLE BRIGADE ACT OF 2023
Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the
rules and pass the bill (S. 759) to authorize the National Detector Dog
Training Center, and for other purposes.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
S. 759
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 ``Beagle Brigade Act of
2023''.
SEC. 2. NATIONAL DETECTOR DOG TRAINING CENTER.
(a) In General.--There is established a National Detector
Dog Training Center (referred to in this Act as the
``Center'').
(b) Duties.--The Center shall have the following duties:
(1) Training dogs for the purpose of safeguarding domestic
agricultural and natural resources from foreign and invasive
pests and diseases.
(2) Training human handlers to successfully select and
train dogs for the purpose described in paragraph (1).
(3) Collaborating with relevant Federal agencies, including
U.S. Customs and Border Protection, to safeguard domestic
agricultural and natural resources.
(4) Collaborating with external stakeholders, including
State departments of agriculture, local and county
agricultural officials, private sector entities, and other
relevant non-Federal partners.
(5) Ensuring the health and welfare of all dogs under the
care of the Center, including by ensuring access to necessary
veterinary care, adequate shelter, and proper nutrition.
(6) Providing opportunities for private adoption of
retirement-age trained dogs and dogs that do not complete
training.
(7) Any other duties necessary to safeguard domestic
agricultural and natural resources from foreign and invasive
pests and diseases, as determined by the Secretary of
Agriculture, acting through the Administrator of the Animal
and Plant Health Inspection Service.
SEC. 3. REPORT.
Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this
Act, the Secretary of Agriculture, acting through the
Administrator of the Animal and Plant Health Inspection
Service, shall submit to Congress a report that contains--
(1) a description of current and emerging threats to
domestic agricultural and natural resources from foreign
pests and diseases within the purview of the operations of
the Center;
(2) an examination of the role that the Center plays in the
protection against foreign pests and diseases;
(3) a description of improvements needed in Federal
programs to minimize threats from foreign pests and diseases
within the purview of the operations of the Center, including
strengthened coordination among the Animal and Plant Health
Inspection Service, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and
other relevant Federal agencies;
(4) recommendations to strengthen the capabilities of the
Center in protecting against foreign pests and diseases; and
(5) recommendations to improve--
(A) the dog procurement procedures of the Center; and
(B) private adoption opportunities for retirement-age
trained dogs and dogs that do not complete training.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Pennsylvania (Mr. Thompson) and the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Bishop)
each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Pennsylvania.
General Leave
Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. 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 on S. 759.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Pennsylvania?
There was no objection.
Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time
as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to be here to support this bill that we are
now debating regarding the National Detector Dog Training Center.
This training center serves as an important line of defense in
safeguarding America's agricultural and natural resources from harmful
pests and diseases. The center in Georgia trains dogs and their
handlers to detect prohibited agricultural items like fruits,
vegetables, and meats.
These dogs and their handlers then serve at many of our border entry
points to prevent such prohibited items from coming into our country
and spreading dangerous pests and animal diseases that would have just
devastating impacts on our domestic production, actually impacting our
ability to feed ourselves, resulting in food insecurity, which affects
national security.
While this bill simply codifies the training center that has been in
existence since 1984, I am glad to see the center receive the
recognition and prioritization it deserves.
I am happy to support this legislation that has been supported by Mr.
Sanford Bishop. I also appreciate Representative Ferguson's leadership
on this bill in bringing it to the floor. I thank him for his service
to Georgia's Third Congressional District.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
[[Page H7338]]
I am proud to rise in support of the Beagle Brigade Act, which is a
bipartisan, bicameral bill, the companion of which I led in this
Chamber with my colleagues Representatives Drew Ferguson, Dan Kildee,
and Adrian Smith.
The Senate version, which we consider today, was offered and advanced
through the Senate by Senator Warnock from Georgia and Senator Ernst
from Iowa.
The bill provides authorization for the U.S. Department of
Agriculture's National Detector Dog Training Center, which is located
in Newnan, Georgia, and is vital to the protection of American
agriculture and helps keep foreign animal and plant pests as well as
diseases out of our country.
The U.S. agriculture sector is a $1 trillion industry constantly
under the threat of foreign pests and diseases, such as African swine
fever, foot-and-mouth disease, or citrus greening disease that can be
introduced through our Nation's ports of entry, including airports,
harbors, and mail and cargo facilities. Some of these diseases could
cost the American economy tens of billions of dollars to contain and
eradicate if they are found to be in the country.
Agriculture detector dogs, known as the beagle brigade, are an
important tool in preventing these threats and eradicating them in the
event they overcome our safeguards. Our beagle brigade is at work every
day at customs screening in the airports for flights after returning
from abroad, standing by to alert their handlers of contraband food,
live animals, or other products that could harbor foreign pests and
pose a threat to domestic crops or livestock.
An ounce of provision is worth a pound of cure. The brigade is well
worth its value.
In addition to authorizing the training center, this bill requires
the facility to ensure the health and well-being of the dogs under its
care and provide opportunities for private adoption of retirement-age
training dogs and dogs that did not complete the training.
Detector dogs work their best when they are handled humanely, and
establishing this requirement in law would ensure that the facility
continues to uphold this expectation.
I am pleased to note that this bill has the support of 50
organizations, representing veterinarians, agricultural producers, and
animal health groups.
On a final note, two of my colleagues who helped lead this bill in
the House, Drew Ferguson and Dan Kildee, are retiring. I am pleased
that we can enact this bill as they conclude their extraordinary tenure
in Congress.
Mr. Speaker, I urge everyone to vote in support of this bill to help
protect America's agriculture and our economy, and I reserve the
balance of my time.
Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he
may consume to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Ferguson).
Mr. FERGUSON. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague, Mr. Bishop, for
those kind words. That was much appreciated.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 1480, the Beagle Brigade
Act of 2023. I was proud to join Representative Bishop in introducing
the Beagle Brigade Act, which would provide permanent authorization for
the National Detector Dog Training Center located in Newnan, Georgia.
The Beagle Brigade Act would permanently authorize the training
center to ensure that America's food supply stays protected from
potentially devastating foreign pests and diseases.
The National Detector Dog Training Center in Georgia's Third
Congressional District does important work to properly train detector
dogs to sniff out prohibited agricultural items in domestic and
international trade.
I also thank Senator Joni Ernst and Senator Raphael Warnock from
Georgia for their work on the Senate companion bill, S. 759. The
bipartisan, bicameral effort in support of this legislation was
important, and I look forward to the Beagle Brigade Act becoming law.
Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may
consume to the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Kildee).
Mr. KILDEE. Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend, Representative Bishop,
for yielding and for his work on this legislation.
We do a lot of big, controversial bills. Sometimes, we can actually
come together as Democrats and Republicans to get something done that
serves the interests and needs of the American people. This is a good
example of that.
The Beagle Brigade Act, which I introduced, as has been said, with
Representative Bishop, Representative Ferguson, and Representative
Adrian Smith, will help protect our food supply from foreign pests and
disease.
The bill authorizes the National Detector Dog Training Center. This
center extensively trains detector dogs and their U.S. Customs and
Border Protection handlers to sniff out prohibited agriculture items
that could carry foreign plant or animal pests and diseases into our
country.
As we have seen over the past year, it is critical that we have
processes in place to protect our country and our agriculture system
from those prohibited products that could introduce pests or disease.
Authorizing the United States Department of Agriculture's National
Detector Dog Training Center ensures that the U.S. has a critical tool
in the fight against foreign pests and diseases that have the potential
to devastate all sectors of the agricultural economy.
As Representative Bishop has said, over 50 prominent agriculture,
veterinarian, and trade organizations support our legislation.
The center trains dogs, mostly beagles--hence, the name of the bill,
our nickname for it--and their handlers to detect prohibited fruits,
vegetables, and meats in international passenger luggage, mailed
packages, and vehicles entering the United States.
Dogs are selected from animal shelters, rescue groups, and private
owners. Those that retire from the program or do not complete the
training are offered for adoption.
Mr. Speaker, I am glad we have come together to advance this
important piece of legislation.
{time} 1245
It has been said, the most likely path for these dangerous substances
coming into our food supply is through those ports of entry. This
legislation will have a positive impact in protecting not only public
health, but also protecting the industry.
I am grateful to some of the organizations I have worked with on this
back in Michigan: the Michigan Milk Producers, the Michigan Pork
Producers, and the Michigan Farm Bureau.
I am especially grateful to my colleagues. This is one of the last
couple of days that I will serve in the House of Representatives, as
has been said. I have been pleased to have good friendships here, and
those friendships have developed into the kind of work that we can do
together to advance the interests of the American people.
Representative Ferguson and I have become very good friends over the
years. Representative Bishop and I have a special bond. He helped me
through one of my more difficult personal health challenges. I will
always be grateful to him for that and grateful for the opportunity to
serve with him.
I am particularly happy that we are able to put an exclamation point
on our joint service together today by seeing this legislation come to
the floor. I urge my colleagues to support it.
Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, once again, I am just very
appreciative to all of the Members who provided the leadership on this
piece of legislation. I think when folks hear the name of this bill,
they wonder why Congress is dealing with this.
I mean, I kind of like the name actually, Beagle Brigade Act of 2023,
but it is not a laughing matter. It is a serious matter. I appreciate
the thought that it has and the due diligence that has been put into
this bill and the construct of it in terms of really meeting the needs
of our Nation.
I mean, it is worth repeating, the bill would officially authorize
the existing National Detector Dog Training Center located in Newnan,
Georgia. The center trains detector dogs, mostly beagles--not all
beagles, but mostly beagles--and their U.S. Customs and Border
Protection handlers to detect prohibited agriculture items like fruits
and vegetables and meats that could carry foreign plant and animal pest
and disease into the United States.
Once that happens, how rapidly those could spread can obviously
seriously
[[Page H7339]]
impact commodities within the United States and our agriculture
industry, and quite frankly, the health and safety of our citizens.
Dogs and their handlers inspect international passenger baggage,
mailed packages, and vehicles entering the U.S. The dogs are selected
from animal shelters, rescue groups, and private owners. Those that do
not complete the training, as well as retirement-aged, trained dogs are
offered for private adoptions. The dogs are well cared for from
beginning to end.
The bill would also require the Animal and Plant Health Inspection
Service, or APHIS, to prepare a report to Congress no later than 1 year
after the date of enactment, including a description of current and
emerging pest and disease threats, the role of the center in protecting
against those threats, and any recommendations for strengthening that
role and the overall center.
As you can see, Mr. Speaker, it is a well-thought-out, comprehensive
bill that is, I think, of strategic importance to our Nation.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I am very, very proud to support
the Beagle Brigade Act of 2023, and to have had the opportunity to work
with my colleagues, Representatives Drew Ferguson, Dan Kildee, and
Adrian Smith, and to have the support of our Senators, Senator Warnock
and Senator Ernst from Iowa.
This is a vital piece of legislation, which protects American
agriculture and keeps foreign animal and plant pests, as well as other
diseases, out of our country. I think we have done a good day's work
today, and I commend my colleagues for their joint efforts.
Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, once again, I thank those
who put this bill forward. I think this example of this piece of
legislation illustrates why it is commonly said that a dog is a man's
best friend. It really fills an incredible niche here.
Mr. Speaker, I urge a ``yes'' vote on this bill, and I yield back
balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Thompson) that the House suspend the
rules and pass the bill, S. 759.
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. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas
and nays.
The yeas and nays were ordered.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further
proceedings on this motion will be postponed.
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