H. R. 1238 
One Hundred Fifteenth Congress 
of the 
United States of America 
AT THE FIRST SESSION 
Begun and held at the City of Washington on Tuesday, 
the third day of January, two thousand and seventeen 
An Act 
To amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to make the Assistant Secretary 
of Homeland Security for Health Affairs responsible for coordinating the efforts 
of the Department of Homeland Security related to food, agriculture, and veteri-
nary defense against terrorism, 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 ‘‘Securing our Agriculture and 
Food Act’’. 
SEC. 2. COORDINATION OF FOOD, AGRICULTURE, AND VETERINARY 
DEFENSE AGAINST TERRORISM. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Title V of the Homeland Security Act of 
2002 (6 U.S.C. 311 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end 
the following new section: 
‘‘SEC. 528. COORDINATION OF DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY 
EFFORTS RELATED TO FOOD, AGRICULTURE, AND VETERI-
NARY DEFENSE AGAINST TERRORISM. 
‘‘(a) PROGRAM REQUIRED.—The Secretary, acting through the 
Assistant Secretary for Health Affairs, shall carry out a program 
to coordinate the Department’s efforts related to defending the 
food, agriculture, and veterinary systems of the United States 
against terrorism and other high-consequence events that pose a 
high risk to homeland security. 
‘‘(b) PROGRAM ELEMENTS.—The coordination program required 
by subsection (a) shall include, at a minimum, the following: 
‘‘(1) Providing oversight and management of the Depart-
ment’s responsibilities pursuant to Homeland Security Presi-
dential Directive 9–Defense of United States Agriculture and 
Food. 
‘‘(2) Providing oversight and integration of the Depart-
ment’s activities related to veterinary public health, food 
defense, and agricultural security. 
‘‘(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) Coordinating with other Department components, 
including U.S. Customs and Border Protection, as appropriate,
H. R. 1238—2 
on activities related to food and agriculture security and 
screening procedures for domestic and imported products. 
‘‘(6) Coordinating with appropriate Federal departments 
and agencies. 
‘‘(7) Other activities as determined necessary by the Sec-
retary. 
‘‘(c) RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.—Nothing in this section may be 
construed as altering or superseding the authority of the Secretary 
of Agriculture or the Secretary of Health and Human Services.’’. 
(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of contents in section 
1(b) of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 is amended— 
(1) by striking the items relating to sections 523, 524, 
525, 526, and 527; and 
(2) by inserting after the item relating to section 522 the 
following: 
‘‘Sec. 523. Guidance and recommendations. 
‘‘Sec. 524. Voluntary private sector preparedness accreditation and certification pro-
gram. 
‘‘Sec. 525. Acceptance of gifts. 
‘‘Sec. 526. Integrated public alert and warning system modernization. 
‘‘Sec. 527. National planning and education. 
‘‘Sec. 528. Coordination of Department of Homeland Security efforts related to food, 
agriculture, and veterinary defense against terrorism.’’. 
Speaker of the House of Representatives. 
Vice President of the United States and
President of the Senate.