I 

118TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 9675 

To delay the application of a certain rule for members of the Armed Forces 

stationed in a foreign country and for individuals with service animals, 

and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

SEPTEMBER 19, 2024 

Mr. ARMSTRONG (for himself, Mrs. PELTOLA, Mr. BILIRAKIS, Mr. TONY

GONZALES of Texas, Mr. LAWLER, Mr. STEUBE, Mr. COHEN, Mr. CARSON, and Mr. KENNEDY) introduced the following bill; which was referred 

to the Committee on Energy and Commerce 

A BILL 

To delay the application of a certain rule for members of 

the Armed Forces stationed in a foreign country and 

for individuals with service animals, and for other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Homeward Bound 

5 Act’’. 


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1 SEC. 2. DELAYED APPLICATION OF RULE RELATING TO IM2 PORTING DOGS FOR MEMBERS OF THE 

3 ARMED FORCES, DIPLOMATS SERVING IN A 

4 FOREIGN COUNTRY, AND INDIVIDUALS WITH 

5 SERVICE ANIMALS. 

6 (a) IN GENERAL.—The rule entitled ‘‘Control of 

7 Communicable Diseases; Foreign Quarantine: Importation 

8 of Dogs and Cats’’ published by the Department of Health 

9 and Human Services in the Federal Register on May 13, 

10 2024, (89 Fed. Reg. 41726 et seq.) shall not be applied 

11 until the date that is 18 months after the date of the en12 actment of this Act with respect to— 

13 (1) any covered individual seeking to import a 

14 dog from a low-risk country for rabies (as defined by 

15 the Secretary); and 

16 (2) any individual seeking to import a service 

17 animal from such a low-risk country. 

18 (b) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 

19 (1) COVERED INDIVIDUAL.— 

20 (A) IN GENERAL.—The term ‘‘covered in21 dividual’’ means— 

22 (i) a member of the Armed Forces 

23 who is stationed in a foreign country; and 

24 (ii) any individual serving as per25 sonnel at a United States diplomatic or 

26 consular post. 


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1 (B) INCLUSION.—Such term includes a 

2 family member stationed in the same location 

3 as the individual described in clause (i) or (ii) 

4 of subparagraph (A). 

5 (2) SERVICE ANIMAL.—The term ‘‘service ani6 mal’’ has the meaning given such term in part 37.3 

7 of title 49, Code of Federal Regulations (or suc8 cessor regulations). 

9 SEC. 3. REVISING RULE RELATING TO IMPORTING DOGS. 

10 Not later than 10 days after the date of the enact11 ment of this Act, the Secretary of Health and Human 

12 Services, acting through the Director of the Centers for 

13 Disease Control and Prevention, shall revise part 71 of 

14 title 42, Code of Federal Regulations— 

15 (1) to allow individuals to import into the 

16 United States, at any port of entry, from a low-risk 

17 country for rabies (as defined by the Secretary), 

18 dogs of any age; and 

19 (2) in the case of an individual seeking to im20 port a dog from such a country that was born before 

21 the date of the enactment of this Act, to not require 

22 such dog to be microchipped as a condition on that 

23 importation. 


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1 SEC. 4. RULE OF CONSTRUCTION REGARDING AUTHORITY 

2 OF SECRETARY OF AGRICULTURE. 

3 Nothing in this Act shall be construed as affecting 

4 the authority of the Secretary of Agriculture to enforce 

5 any provision of law over which the Secretary of Agri6 culture has jurisdiction. 

Æ 


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