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[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 6950 Introduced in House (IH)]

<DOC>

118th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 6950

    To require agencies with working dog programs to implement the 
recommendations of the Government Accountability Office relating to the 
      health and welfare of working dogs, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            January 10, 2024

 Mr. Yakym (for himself and Ms. Titus) introduced the following bill; 
 which was referred to the Committee on Oversight and Accountability, 
and in addition to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, for a period to be 
subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration 
  of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee 
                               concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL

 
    To require agencies with working dog programs to implement the 
recommendations of the Government Accountability Office relating to the 
      health and welfare of working dogs, and for other purposes.

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

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Working Dog Health and Welfare Act 
of 2024''.

SEC. 2. IMPLEMENTATION OF WORKING DOG RECOMMENDATIONS.

    (a) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) Agency.--
                    (A) In general.--The term ``agency'' has the 
                meaning given the term in section 551 of title 5, 
                United States Code.
                    (B) Inclusions.--Notwithstanding subparagraphs (A) 
                through (D) of section 551(1) of title 5, United States 
                Code, the term ``agency'' includes--
                            (i) the Congress;
                            (ii) the courts of the United States;
                            (iii) the governments of the territories or 
                        possessions of the United States; and
                            (iv) the government of the District of 
                        Columbia.
            (2) Working dog.--The term ``working dog'' means a dog that 
        has received specialized training in order to perform a 
        particular productive function.
             (3) Working dog program.--The term ``working dog program'' 
        means a program, the operations of which include the employment 
        of working dogs.
            (4) Working dog recommendations.--The term ``working dog 
        recommendations'' means the recommendations included in the 
        report of the Government Accountability Office entitled 
        ``Working Dogs: Federal Agencies Need to Better Address Health 
        and Welfare'', as published in October 2022.
    (b) Implementation.--
            (1) In general.--Not later than 180 days after the date of 
        enactment of this Act, the head of each agency that manages a 
        working dog program shall implement the working dog 
        recommendations.
            (2) Contractors.--Not later than 180 days after the date of 
        enactment of this Act, a contractor that manages a working dog 
        program on behalf of an agency shall implement the working dog 
        recommendations.
            (3) Report.--Not later than 60 days after the date on which 
        the head of an agency or a contractor that manages a working 
        dog program on behalf of a covered agency implements working 
        dog recommendations under this subsection, the head of the 
        agency shall submit to the Committee on Homeland Security and 
        Governmental Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on 
        Oversight and Accountability of the House of Representatives a 
        report on the explicit steps the agency or contractor has taken 
        to complete the implementation.
    (c) Foreign Partners.--Not later than 180 days after the date of 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State shall take appropriate 
steps to ensure that donations of working dogs provided to foreign 
partners by the Department of State are executed and monitored 
according to the working dog recommendations.
    (d) New Working Dog Programs.--With respect to an agency that 
establishes a working dog program, or enters into a contract for the 
establishment of a working dog program, after the date of enactment of 
this Act, the head of the agency shall ensure that the working dog 
program implements the working dog recommendations.
                                 <all>
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