Wildlife Health Coordination and Zoonotic Disease Prevention Act of 2026

This legislation seeks to bolster Federal, State, and Tribal collaboration in the management and response to wildlife and zoonotic diseases. It acknowledges that zoonotic diseases represent a significant and increasing threat to human, livestock, and wildlife populations, leading to considerable economic impacts and public health emergencies. The bill underscores the vital necessity for enhanced coordination among diverse agencies, including the Departments of Interior, Agriculture, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and Homeland Security, to effectively tackle these ongoing and emerging disease outbreaks.

To achieve these goals, the bill establishes the Wildlife Health Coordination and Zoonotic Disease Program within the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, to be jointly administered with the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. This program will create key positions: a National Wildlife Health Coordinator, a Tribal Wildlife Health Coordinator, and four Regional Wildlife Health Coordinators. These coordinators will act as crucial liaisons, facilitating the exchange of information, assisting states and tribes in securing necessary resources, coordinating disease testing and research, and developing best management practices for disease prevention and response. The bill authorizes an annual appropriation of $900,000 to support these critical efforts.