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S4365FEDERALUNKNOWN

Veterinary Services to Improve Public Health in Rural Communities Act

December 16, 2024

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The Frame

What this does

This legislation creates a new federal mandate for the Indian Health Service to deploy public health veterinarians to tribal lands, potentially reducing risks like rabies and canine distemper for residents in rural and Arctic communities.

Who is mentioned in the record

Potentially affected actors named in the source documents. Mention is not a position.

Indian Tribes and Tribal organizations

They are the primary recipients of the newly authorized public health veterinary services and disease prevention programs.

Indian Health Service

The agency is tasked with new responsibilities, including funding veterinary services, deploying officers, and coordinating with other federal departments.

Commissioned Corps of the Public Health Service

Members of this corps will be deployed to tribal areas to provide veterinary public health services.

What changed

Last recorded activity December 16, 2024.

What's next

Introduced.

Background

  • The Indian Health Service is an agency within the Department of Health and Human Services responsible for providing federal health services to American Indians and Alaska Natives. context
  • The 'One Health' framework is a collaborative, multisectoral, and transdisciplinary approach to achieving optimal health outcomes by recognizing the interconnection between people, animals, plants, and their shared environment. context

Summary

This bill authorizes the Indian Health Service (IHS) to provide veterinary services, such as vaccinations and spay/neuter programs, to Indian Tribes and Tribal organizations to prevent the spread of diseases between animals and humans. It also mandates a study on delivering oral rabies vaccines to wildlife in Arctic regions and integrates the IHS into federal '' disease-prevention frameworks.

Key Facts

You don't have to trust us. Each fact below is taken straight from the official document - click any one to see the exact passage, highlighted in the original.

Why It Matters

This legislation creates a new federal mandate for the Indian Health Service to deploy public health veterinarians to tribal lands, potentially reducing risks like rabies and canine distemper for residents in rural and Arctic communities.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are 'public health veterinary services' under this bill?
These include spaying and neutering, diagnosis, surveillance, epidemiology, vaccination, and other activities aimed at reducing the risk of diseases that spread between animals and humans.
Who will provide these veterinary services?
The Secretary of Health and Human Services, acting through the Indian Health Service, will deploy veterinary public health officers from the .
Does this bill affect wildlife?
Yes, it mandates a study on the feasibility of delivering oral rabies vaccines to wildlife species in Arctic regions that are connected to rabies transmission to tribal members.

News Coverage

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Sponsors

Connected Entities

personDirector of the Indian Health ServiceOfficial mentioned in an amendmentMap →
locationNative communitiesAreas where health is interdependentMap →
date2017End year for dog bite reporting periodMap →
date2024Year as of which IHS does not employ public health veterinariansMap →
organizationYukon-Kuskokwim Health CorporationReported average dog bitesMap →
locationSt. Lawrence Island, AlaskaLocation of rabies and canine distemper outbreaksMap →
organizationNorton Sound Health CorporationReported average dog bitesMap →
organizationNative Villages of SavoongaVillages relying on marine mammalsMap →
organizationDepartment of AgricultureDepartment to coordinate with and conduct a studyMap →
organizationHouse of RepresentativesChamber to receive a reportMap →
organizationCenters for Disease Control and PreventionAgency to coordinate withMap →
dollar_amount98Average dog bites per year reported by Yukon-Kuskokwim Health CorporationMap →
locationYukon-Kuskokwim Delta regionRegion with reported dog bitesMap →
otherIndian Health Care Improvement ActAct amended by this billMap →
locationIndian reservationsAreas where health is interdependentMap →
date2020Start year for increased human exposures to rabid animalsMap →
locationUnited StatesCountry where the bill appliesMap →
personSecretary of the InteriorOfficial mentioned in an amendmentMap →
organizationIndian Health ServiceSystem where Alaska Native children have high dog bite hospitalization rates; agMap →
bill_numberS. 4365Introduced bill numberMap →
dollar_amount87Average dog bites per year reported by Norton Sound Health CorporationMap →
organizationCommittee on Natural Resources of the House of RepresentativesCommittee to receive a reportMap →
organizationDepartment of Health and Human ServicesDepartment overseeing the Indian Health ServiceMap →
date2023End year for dog bite reporting periodMap →
date2021Year of rabies and canine distemper outbreaksMap →
organizationCommittee on Indian AffairsCommittee to which the bill was referredMap →
locationBering Strait regionRegion with reported dog bitesMap →
personAlaska Native childrenHighest incidence of hospitalization for dog bitesMap →
personMs. MurkowskiIntroduced the billMap →
date2016Start year for dog bite reporting periodMap →
locationState of AlaskaLocation of rabies in fox populations and dog bite statisticsMap →
organizationCommissioned Corps of the Public Health ServiceCorps from which veterinary public health officers will be deployedMap →
date2008Start year for dog bite reporting periodMap →
locationGambellVillages relying on marine mammalsMap →
locationAlaska Native villagesAreas where health is interdependentMap →

Analysis Score

0–100
  • Significance65
    How much this matters to a regular citizen
  • Controversy10
    Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
  • Entertainment5
    Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
  • Buzz20
    Current news / social attention level

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