[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 160 (2014), Part 5]
[House]
[Page 6550]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                 ANIMAL EMERGENCY PLANNING ACT OF 2014

  (Ms. TITUS asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute.)
  Ms. TITUS. Mr. Speaker, I rise on National Animal Advocacy Day to 
announce the introduction of the Animal Emergency Planning Act of 2014. 
This bill would require entities regulated under the Animal Welfare Act 
to develop a plan for how they will respond to and recover from 
emergencies, both natural and manmade, that would most likely occur in 
their facilities.
  Regulated animal breeding facilities, commercial animal dealers, 
transporters, exhibitors, and research facilities would be required to 
submit plans to the USDA annually and to train their employees on the 
contingency plans and procedures.
  Hurricanes Katrina and Sandy, as well as other recent disasters, have 
highlighted the need for planning to minimize the impact of these 
disasters on animals, which can have devastating effects.
  Local first responders, nongovernmental agencies, and private 
individuals in the past have often ended up shouldering the cost and 
taking on the responsibility of protecting and caring for these 
animals. It is only fair and reasonable to require emergency readiness 
plans from those in these businesses. So please join me in cosponsoring 
this legislation.

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