To establish a Chief Veterinary Officer in the Department of Homeland Security, and for other purposes.

Amends the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to establish in the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) a Chief Veterinary Officer, who shall: (1) head the division of DHS with primary responsibility for veterinary issues, food defense, and agriculture security; and (2) have primary responsibility within DHS for responsibilities relating to veterinary medicine and veterinary public health.

Requires that such Officer: (1) be a veterinarian who possesses a demonstrated ability in and knowledge of veterinary public health and emergency preparedness; (2) be appointed by the DHS Secretary; and (3) report directly to the Chief Medical Officer (or to the Assistant Secretary for Health Affairs if the Assistant Secretary is not serving as Chief Medical Officer).

Directs: (1) such Officer to report to Congress on the state of DHS's working animals during each fiscal year and include a description of any animal initiative or program conducted during such fiscal year; and (2) the Secretary to report to the appropriate congressional committees at least 180 days before carrying out any reorganization within DHS that would affect any responsibility of the Chief Veterinary Officer.

[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5105 Introduced in House (IH)]

111th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 5105

 To establish a Chief Veterinary Officer in the Department of Homeland 
                   Security, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             April 21, 2010

 Mr. Rogers of Alabama (for himself, Ms. Kilroy, Mr. King of New York, 
 Mr. Thompson of Mississippi, Mr. McCaul, Ms. Clarke, and Mr. Carney) 
 introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on 
Homeland Security, and in addition to the Committee on Agriculture, for 
a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for 
consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the 
                          committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To establish a Chief Veterinary Officer in the Department of Homeland 
                   Security, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. CHIEF VETERINARY OFFICER OF DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY.

    (a) In General.--Title III of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 
U.S.C. 181 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following new 
section:

``SEC. 317. CHIEF VETERINARY OFFICER.

    ``(a) In General.--There is in the Department a Chief Veterinary 
Officer, who shall be appointed by the Secretary. The Chief Veterinary 
Officer shall report directly to the Chief Medical Officer, unless an 
individual other than the Assistant Secretary for Health Affairs is 
serving as the Chief Medical Officer, in which case the Chief 
Veterinary Officer shall report directly to the Assistant Secretary for 
Health Affairs.
    ``(b) Qualifications.--The individual appointed as Chief Veterinary 
Officer shall be a veterinarian who possesses a demonstrated ability in 
and knowledge of veterinary public health and emergency preparedness, 
and other professional experience as determined by the Secretary, such 
as in agriculture, food defense, and disaster medicine.
    ``(c) Responsibilities.--The Chief Veterinary Officer shall be the 
head of the division of the Department with primary responsibility for 
veterinary issues, food defense, and agriculture security, and shall 
have primary responsibility within the Department for responsibilities 
relating to veterinary medicine and veterinary public health, including 
each of the following:
            ``(1) Serving as the principal authority in the Department 
        responsible for advising the Secretary, in coordination with 
        the Assistant Secretary for Health Affairs, on veterinary 
        public health, food defense, and agricultural security issues.
            ``(2) Providing guidance for the health and welfare of the 
        Department's working animals, including those used to enhance 
        transportation, border, and maritime security, and for other 
        purposes.
            ``(3) Leading the Department's policy initiatives relating 
        to food, animal, and agricultural incidents, and the impact of 
        such incidents on animal and public health.
            ``(4) Leading the Department's policy initiatives relating 
        to overall domestic preparedness for and collective response to 
        agricultural terrorism.
            ``(5) Serving as the principal point of contact in the 
        Office of Health Affairs for all veterinary preparedness and 
        response research and development.
            ``(6) Serving as the principal point of contact in the 
        Office of Health Affairs for sharing homeland security 
        veterinary medical information with Department officials, 
        including all components with veterinary, food, or agricultural 
        interests.
            ``(7) Serving as the principal point of contact within the 
        Department with respect to veterinary homeland security issues 
        for the Department of Agriculture, the Department of Defense, 
        the Department of Health and Human Services, and other Federal 
        departments and agencies.
            ``(8) Serving as the principal point of contact within the 
        Department with respect to veterinary homeland security issues 
        for State, local, and tribal governments, the veterinary 
        community, and other entities within and outside the 
        Department.
            ``(9) Performing such other duties relating to such 
        responsibilities as the Secretary may require.
    ``(d) Advance Notice of Reorganization Required.--Not later than 
180 days before carrying out any reorganization within the Department 
that would affect any responsibility of the Chief Veterinary Officer, 
the Secretary shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees 
a report on the proposed reorganization.''.
    (b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of contents in section 1(b) of 
such Act is amended by adding at the end of the items relating to title 
III the following new item:

``Sec. 317. Chief Veterinary Officer.''.
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