Homeward Bound Act

[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 5113 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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118th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                S. 5113

  To delay the application of a certain rule for members of the Armed 
Forces and diplomats stationed in a foreign country and for individuals 
             with service animals, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                           September 19, 2024

 Mr. Cramer (for himself, Mr. King, Ms. Klobuchar, Mr. Hoeven, and Mr. 
Risch) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred 
       to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To delay the application of a certain rule for members of the Armed 
Forces and diplomats stationed in a foreign country and for individuals 
             with service animals, 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. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Homeward Bound Act''.

SEC. 2. DELAYED APPLICATION OF RULE FOR MEMBERS OF THE ARMED FORCES, 
              DIPLOMATS SERVING IN A FOREIGN COUNTRY, AND INDIVIDUALS 
              WITH SERVICE ANIMALS.

    (a) In General.--The rule entitled ``Control of Communicable 
Diseases; Foreign Quarantine: Importation of Dogs and Cats'' published 
by the Department of Health and Human Services in the Federal Register 
on May 13, 2024 (89 Fed. Reg. 41726) shall not be applied until the 
date that is 18 months after the date of the enactment of this Act with 
respect to--
            (1) any covered individual seeking to import a dog from a 
        low-risk country for rabies (as defined by the Secretary); and
            (2) any individual seeking to import a service animal from 
        such a country.
    (b) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) Covered individual.--
                    (A) In general.--The term ``covered individual'' 
                means--
                            (i) a member of the Armed Forces who is 
                        stationed in a foreign country; and
                            (ii) any individual serving as personnel at 
                        a United States diplomatic or consular post.
                    (B) Inclusion of family members.--The term 
                ``covered individual'' includes a family member of an 
                individual described in clause (i) or (ii) of 
                subparagraph (A) stationed in the same location as the 
                individual.
            (2) Service animal.--The term ``service animal'' has the 
        meaning given such term in section 37.3 of title 49, Code of 
        Federal Regulations (or successor regulations).

SEC. 3. REVISING RULE RELATING TO IMPORTING DOGS.

    Not later than 10 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, 
the Secretary of Health and Human Services, acting through the Director 
of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, shall revise part 71 
of title 42, Code of Federal Regulations, to allow an individual to 
import into the United States, at any port of entry, from a low-risk 
country for rabies (as defined by the Secretary)--
            (1) a dog of any age; or
            (2) a dog born before the date of the enactment of this Act 
        that is not microchipped.

SEC. 4. RULE OF CONSTRUCTION REGARDING AUTHORITY OF SECRETARY OF 
              AGRICULTURE.

    Nothing in this Act shall be construed as affecting the authority 
of the Secretary of Agriculture to enforce any provision of law over 
which the Secretary of Agriculture has jurisdiction.
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