[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 37, Number 21 (Monday, May 28, 2001)]
[Page 804]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Statement on Signing the Animal Disease Risk Assessment, Prevention, and 
Control Act of 2001

May 24, 2001

    Today I am signing into law S. 700, the ``Animal Disease Risk 
Assessment, Prevention, and Control Act of 2001.'' The Act is intended 
to assist the Department of Agriculture in its continuing efforts to 
protect against introduction into the United States of two unrelated 
animal diseases occurring abroad--bovine spongiform encephalopathy and 
foot-and-mouth disease. Preventing such diseases from entering the 
United States is a high priority, and the Department of Agriculture, in 
cooperation with other Federal agencies, has put strong measures in 
place designed to accomplish that goal.
    Section 3 of the bill requires the Secretary of Agriculture to 
submit to certain committees and subcommittees of the Congress a 
preliminary report concerning any immediate needs for additional 
legislative authority or appropriations and a final report with 
recommendations for legislation that will improve efforts to assess, 
prevent, or control transmission of certain diseases. Section 3 will be 
interpreted in a manner consistent with the constitutional authority of 
the President to recommend to the consideration of the Congress such 
measures as the President shall judge necessary and expedient.
                                                George W. Bush
 The White House,
 May 24, 2001.

Note: S. 700, approved May 24, was assigned Public Law No. 107-9. This 
statement was released by the Office of the Press Secretary on May 25.