To establish a Chief Veterinary Officer in the Department of Homeland Security, and for other purposes.

SECTION 1. CHIEF VETERINARY OFFICER OF DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY.

    (a) In General.--Title III of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 
U.S.C. 181 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following new 
section:

``SEC. 317. CHIEF VETERINARY OFFICER.

    ``(a) In General.--There is in the Department a Chief Veterinary 
Officer, who shall be appointed by the Secretary. The Chief Veterinary 
Officer shall report directly to the Chief Medical Officer, unless an 
individual other than the Assistant Secretary for Health Affairs is 
serving as the Chief Medical Officer, in which case the Chief 
Veterinary Officer shall report directly to the Assistant Secretary for 
Health Affairs.
    ``(b) Qualifications.--The individual appointed as Chief Veterinary 
Officer shall be a veterinarian who possesses a demonstrated ability in 
and knowledge of veterinary public health and emergency preparedness, 
and other professional experience as determined by the Secretary, such 
as in agriculture, food defense, and disaster medicine.
    ``(c) Responsibilities.--The Chief Veterinary Officer shall be the 
head of the division of the Department with primary responsibility for 
veterinary issues, food defense, and agriculture security, and shall 
have primary responsibility within the Department for responsibilities 
relating to veterinary medicine and veterinary public health, including 
each of the following:
            ``(1) Serving as the principal authority in the Department 
        responsible for advising the Secretary, in coordination with 
        the Assistant Secretary for Health Affairs, on veterinary 
        public health, food defense, and agricultural security issues.
            ``(2) Providing guidance for the health and welfare of the 
        Department's working animals, including those used to enhance 
        transportation, border, and maritime security, and for other 
        purposes.
            ``(3) Leading the Department's policy initiatives relating 
        to food, animal, and agricultural incidents, and the impact of 
        such incidents on animal and public health.
            ``(4) Leading the Department's policy initiatives relating 
        to overall domestic preparedness for and collective response to 
        agricultural terrorism.
            ``(5) Serving as the principal point of contact in the 
        Office of Health Affairs for all veterinary preparedness and 
        response research and development.
            ``(6) Serving as the principal point of contact in the 
        Office of Health Affairs for sharing homeland security 
        veterinary medical information with Department officials, 
        including all components with veterinary, food, or agricultural 
        interests.
            ``(7) Serving as the principal point of contact within the 
        Department with respect to veterinary homeland security issues 
        for the Department of Agriculture, the Department of Defense, 
        the Department of Health and Human Services, and other Federal 
        departments and agencies.
            ``(8) Serving as the principal point of contact within the 
        Department with respect to veterinary homeland security issues 
        for State, local, and tribal governments, the veterinary 
        community, and other entities within and outside the 
        Department.
            ``(9) Performing such other duties relating to such 
        responsibilities as the Secretary may require.
    ``(d) Report to Congress.--Not later than 30 days after the last 
day of each fiscal year, the Chief Veterinary Officer shall submit to 
Congress a report on the state of the Department's working animals 
during that fiscal year. Each such report shall include--
            ``(1) the number of animals in service to the Department 
        during the fiscal year, including the component and mission of 
        each such animal and the homeland security activities conducted 
        by such animal;
            ``(2) an assessment of the overall health and welfare of 
        the Department's working animals during the fiscal year; and
            ``(3) a description of the activities of the Office during 
        the fiscal year, including a description of any animal 
        initiative or program conducted during such fiscal year, and 
        for each such initiative or program--
                    ``(A) the objectives of the initiative or program;
                    ``(B) the species or genus of animals that are 
                subject of the initiative or program;
                    ``(C) the amount of resources used (including 
                capital and human resources) for such initiative or 
                program;
                    ``(D) when the initiative or program will conclude 
                or terminate; and
                    ``(E) the degree of completion of the initiative or 
                program.
    ``(e) Advance Notice of Reorganization Required.--Not later than 
180 days before carrying out any reorganization within the Department 
that would affect any responsibility of the Chief Veterinary Officer, 
the Secretary shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees 
a report on the proposed reorganization.''.
    (b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of contents in section 1(b) of 
such Act is amended by adding at the end of the items relating to title 
III the following new item:

``Sec. 317. Chief Veterinary Officer.''.
                                                 

Summary: Amends the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to establish in the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) a Chief Veterinary Officer, who shall: (1) head the division of DHS with primary responsibility for veterinary issues, food defense, and agriculture security. And (2) have primary responsibility within DHS for responsibilities relating to veterinary medicine and veterinary public health. Requires that such Officer: (1) be a veterinarian who possesses a demonstrated ability in and knowledge of veterinary public health and emergency preparedness, (2) be appointed by the DHS Secretary. And (3) report directly to the Chief Medical Officer . Directs: (1) such Officer to report to Congress on the state of DHS's working animals during each fiscal year and include a description of any animal initiative or program conducted during such fiscal year. And (2) the Secretary to report to the appropriate congressional committees at least 180 days before carrying out any reorganization within DHS that would affect any responsibility of the Chief Veterinary Officer.