H.R. 8473 · In committee · Native Americans

Veterinary Services to Improve Public Health in Rural Communities Act

Sponsor: Nicholas J. Begich III (R-AK)

What it does

• Authorize HHS/Indian Health Service to fund public health veterinary services for zoonotic disease prevention and control in IHS service areas.
• Allow HHS to assign or deploy veterinary public health officers from the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps to IHS areas.
• Require HHS to submit biennial reports to Congress on veterinary service funding, officer deployments, zoonotic disease surveillance data, and related activities.
• Direct USDA to conduct a feasibility study on oral rabies vaccine delivery to wildlife in Arctic tribal regions to reduce rabies transmission to humans.

Official summary

Veterinary Services to Improve Public Health in Rural Communities Act This bill expands support for public health veterinary services (e.g., disease surveillance or vaccination) in tribal communities to address zoonotic infectious diseases (i.e., diseases that spread between humans and animals). Specifically, the bill authorizes the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), acting through the Indian Health Service (IHS), to expend funds for public health veterinary services to prevent and control zoonotic disease infection and transmission in IHS areas where the risk for disease occurrence in humans and wildlife is endemic. HHS may assign or deploy veterinary public health officers from the U.S. Public Health Service (USPHS) Commissioned Corps to IHS areas. Additionally, HHS must submit a biennial report to Congress on the use of funds, the assignment and deployment of veterinary public health officers from the USPHS Commissioned Corps, data related to the monitoring and disease surveillance of zoonotic diseases, and related services. The bill also includes the IHS as a coordinating agency in the National One Health Framework. (This framework addresses zoonotic diseases and…

Latest action

Jun 9, 2026: Subcommittee Hearings Held

Committee: House Indian and Insular Affairs Subcommittee