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Veterinary Services to Improve Public Health in Rural Communities Act

USA119th CongressS-620| Senate 
| Updated: 12/15/2025
Lisa Murkowski

Lisa Murkowski

Republican Senator

Alaska

Cosponsors (3)
Martin Heinrich (Democratic)Brian Schatz (Democratic)Gary C. Peters (Democratic)

Indian Affairs Committee

  • Introduced
  • In Committee
  • On Floor
  • Passed Chamber
  • Enacted
The bill authorizes the Indian Health Service to provide a comprehensive suite of public health veterinary services —including spay/neuter, diagnosis, surveillance, epidemiology, control, prevention, elimination, and vaccination—to Indian Tribes and Tribal organizations. These services are intended to reduce zoonotic disease transmission and antimicrobial resistance in tribal communities. The authorization allows the Secretary to allocate funds directly or through the Indian Self‑Determination and Education Assistance Act. The Act permits deployment of veterinary public health officers from the Public Health Service Commissioned Corps and requires coordination with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Secretary of Agriculture. It mandates biennial reporting on fund usage, officer deployment, and disease surveillance data. A separate provision requires the Secretary of Agriculture to conduct a feasibility study within one year on oral rabies vaccine delivery to wildlife in Arctic regions, assessing efficacy and recommending improvements. The One Health framework is expanded to include the Secretary of Interior and the Director of Indian Health Service, strengthening interagency collaboration.

Bill Text Versions

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3 versions available

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Timeline

Bill from Previous Congress

S 118-4365
Veterinary Services to Improve Public Health in Rural Communities Act
Feb 18, 2025
Introduced in Senate
Feb 18, 2025
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Indian Affairs.
Mar 5, 2025
Committee on Indian Affairs. Ordered to be reported without amendment favorably.
Sep 29, 2025
Committee on Indian Affairs. Reported by Senator Murkowski without amendment. With written report No. 119-69.
Sep 29, 2025
Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 174.
Dec 11, 2025
Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent. (consideration: CR S8687; text: CR S8687)
Dec 11, 2025
Passed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent.
Dec 15, 2025
Message on Senate action sent to the House.
Dec 15, 2025
Received in the House.
Dec 15, 2025
Held at the desk.
  • Bill from Previous Congress

    S 118-4365
    Veterinary Services to Improve Public Health in Rural Communities Act


  • February 18, 2025
    Introduced in Senate


  • February 18, 2025
    Read twice and referred to the Committee on Indian Affairs.


  • March 5, 2025
    Committee on Indian Affairs. Ordered to be reported without amendment favorably.


  • September 29, 2025
    Committee on Indian Affairs. Reported by Senator Murkowski without amendment. With written report No. 119-69.


  • September 29, 2025
    Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 174.


  • December 11, 2025
    Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent. (consideration: CR S8687; text: CR S8687)


  • December 11, 2025
    Passed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent.


  • December 15, 2025
    Message on Senate action sent to the House.


  • December 15, 2025
    Received in the House.


  • December 15, 2025
    Held at the desk.

Native Americans

Animal and plant healthArctic and polar regionsCongressional oversightHealth promotion and preventive careImmunology and vaccinationIndian social and development programsInfectious and parasitic diseasesVeterinary medicine and animal diseases

Veterinary Services to Improve Public Health in Rural Communities Act

USA119th CongressS-620| Senate 
| Updated: 12/15/2025
The bill authorizes the Indian Health Service to provide a comprehensive suite of public health veterinary services —including spay/neuter, diagnosis, surveillance, epidemiology, control, prevention, elimination, and vaccination—to Indian Tribes and Tribal organizations. These services are intended to reduce zoonotic disease transmission and antimicrobial resistance in tribal communities. The authorization allows the Secretary to allocate funds directly or through the Indian Self‑Determination and Education Assistance Act. The Act permits deployment of veterinary public health officers from the Public Health Service Commissioned Corps and requires coordination with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Secretary of Agriculture. It mandates biennial reporting on fund usage, officer deployment, and disease surveillance data. A separate provision requires the Secretary of Agriculture to conduct a feasibility study within one year on oral rabies vaccine delivery to wildlife in Arctic regions, assessing efficacy and recommending improvements. The One Health framework is expanded to include the Secretary of Interior and the Director of Indian Health Service, strengthening interagency collaboration.

Bill Text Versions

View Text
3 versions available

Suggested Questions

Get AI-generated questions to help you understand this bill better

Timeline

Bill from Previous Congress

S 118-4365
Veterinary Services to Improve Public Health in Rural Communities Act
Feb 18, 2025
Introduced in Senate
Feb 18, 2025
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Indian Affairs.
Mar 5, 2025
Committee on Indian Affairs. Ordered to be reported without amendment favorably.
Sep 29, 2025
Committee on Indian Affairs. Reported by Senator Murkowski without amendment. With written report No. 119-69.
Sep 29, 2025
Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 174.
Dec 11, 2025
Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent. (consideration: CR S8687; text: CR S8687)
Dec 11, 2025
Passed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent.
Dec 15, 2025
Message on Senate action sent to the House.
Dec 15, 2025
Received in the House.
Dec 15, 2025
Held at the desk.
  • Bill from Previous Congress

    S 118-4365
    Veterinary Services to Improve Public Health in Rural Communities Act


  • February 18, 2025
    Introduced in Senate


  • February 18, 2025
    Read twice and referred to the Committee on Indian Affairs.


  • March 5, 2025
    Committee on Indian Affairs. Ordered to be reported without amendment favorably.


  • September 29, 2025
    Committee on Indian Affairs. Reported by Senator Murkowski without amendment. With written report No. 119-69.


  • September 29, 2025
    Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 174.


  • December 11, 2025
    Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent. (consideration: CR S8687; text: CR S8687)


  • December 11, 2025
    Passed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent.


  • December 15, 2025
    Message on Senate action sent to the House.


  • December 15, 2025
    Received in the House.


  • December 15, 2025
    Held at the desk.
Lisa Murkowski

Lisa Murkowski

Republican Senator

Alaska

Cosponsors (3)
Martin Heinrich (Democratic)Brian Schatz (Democratic)Gary C. Peters (Democratic)

Indian Affairs Committee

Native Americans

  • Introduced
  • In Committee
  • On Floor
  • Passed Chamber
  • Enacted
Animal and plant healthArctic and polar regionsCongressional oversightHealth promotion and preventive careImmunology and vaccinationIndian social and development programsInfectious and parasitic diseasesVeterinary medicine and animal diseases