amount of any payments made by the Secretary on 
behalf of the eligible individual under this section, 
and for interest on such amount at the maximum 
legal prevailing rate, as determined by the Treasurer 
of the United States, if the eligible individual fails 
to meet a term of the agreement in subsection 
(c)(2)(B). 
(2) DEATH.—Any obligation of an eligible indi-
vidual under the Wildlife and Zoological Veterinary 
Workforce Loan Repayment Program for service or 
payment of damages shall be cancelled upon the 
death of the eligible individual. 
(3) WAIVER OR SUSPENSION OF LIABILITY.— 
The Secretary shall provide for the partial or total 
waiver or suspension of liability under paragraph 
(1), or of an obligation under subsection (c)(2), if— 
(A) the eligible individual is called to active 
duty in the Armed Forces of the United States; 
(B) compliance by the eligible individual 
with the agreement is impossible or would cause 
extreme hardship to the eligible individual; or 
(C) enforcement of the agreement with re-
spect to the eligible individual would be uncon-
scionable. 
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(4) DATE
CERTAIN
FOR
RECOVERY.—Any 
amount that the Federal Government is entitled to 
recover under paragraph (1) shall be paid to the 
United States not later than 3 years after the date 
on which the United States becomes so entitled. 
(5) AVAILABILITY.—Amounts recovered under 
paragraph (1) shall be available to the Secretary for 
making payments under this section and shall re-
main available for such purpose until expended. 
(6) REGULATIONS.—Prior to implementation of 
the Wildlife and Zoological Veterinary Workforce 
Loan Repayment Program, the Secretary shall es-
tablish, by regulation, procedures for determining 
the amount of the repayment required under para-
graph (1). 
(g) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is 
authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section 
$5,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2012 through 2016. 
Amounts appropriated under this subsection are author-
ized to remain available until expended. 
SEC. 103. SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM FOR VETERINARY STU-
DENTS SPECIALIZING IN WILDLIFE AND ZOO-
LOGICAL POPULATIONS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—To expand the workforce of wild-
life and zoological veterinarians, the Secretary shall estab-
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lish and carry out a program, to be known as the ‘‘Wildlife 
and Zoological Veterinary Workforce Scholarship Pro-
gram’’, under which the Secretary shall enter into agree-
ments with eligible students to award such eligible stu-
dents scholarships for serving as wildlife or zoological vet-
erinarians at wildlife or veterinary institutions upon grad-
uation from an accredited school or college of veterinary 
medicine. 
(b) ELIGIBLE STUDENT.—For purposes of this sec-
tion, an individual shall be treated as an eligible student 
if the individual— 
(1) is a United States citizen, national, or a 
lawful permanent resident; 
(2) is enrolled full-time, or has been accepted 
for full-time enrollment, at an accredited school or 
college of veterinary medicine; 
(3) enrolls or plans to enroll, at the accredited 
school or college of veterinary medicine in paragraph 
(2), in a course of study or program that specializes 
or offers courses in wildlife and zoological veterinary 
medicine, or any other course of study or program 
that has been approved by the Secretary for the pur-
poses of this section; and 
(4) has submitted to the Secretary an applica-
tion, and a written contract under subsection (d), at 
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such time and in such form and manner as is speci-
fied by the Secretary. 
(c) AWARD.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—No scholarship shall be 
awarded to an eligible student under the Wildlife 
and Zoological Veterinary Workforce Scholarship 
Program until the Secretary has accepted the appli-
cation and written contract submitted by the eligible 
student under subsection (b)(4). 
(2) NOTICE.—The Secretary shall provide 
prompt written notice to an individual upon the ac-
ceptance by the Secretary, under paragraph (1), of 
a written contract. 
(d) WRITTEN CONTRACT.—A written contract be-
tween the Secretary and an eligible student under this 
subsection shall contain— 
(1) an agreement by the Secretary to provide 
the eligible student with a scholarship for each year 
of the course of study or program described in sub-
section (b)(3), for a period of no more than 4 years; 
(2) an agreement by the eligible student to— 
(A) accept the scholarship; 
(B) maintain enrollment in the approved 
course of study or program described in sub-
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section (b)(3) until the individual completes the 
course of study or program; 
(C) maintain, over the course of the course 
of study or program described in subsection 
(b)(3), such level of academic standing as is de-
termined by the accredited school or college of 
veterinary medicine, under regulations pre-
scribed by the Secretary, to be acceptable; 
(D) commence service at a wildlife or vet-
erinary institution no later than 4 years after 
the date the eligible student graduates from the 
accredited school or college of veterinary medi-
cine; and 
(E) serve at the wildlife or veterinary insti-
tution in subparagraph (D) for a period of no 
fewer than 4 consecutive years as— 
(i) a full-time wildlife or zoological 
veterinarian; or 
(ii) with the approval of the Secretary, 
a part-time wildlife or zoological veteri-
narian, if no full-time positions are avail-
able; 
(3) a provision that any financial obligation of 
the United States arising out of a contract entered 
into under this section and any obligation of the in-
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dividual which is conditioned thereon, is contingent 
upon funds being appropriated for scholarships 
under this section; 
(4) a statement of the damages to which the 
United States shall be entitled, under subsection (i), 
for a breach of contract; and 
(5) such other statements of the rights and li-
abilities of the Secretary and of the individual as are 
not inconsistent with the provisions of this title. 
(e) AMOUNT OF SCHOLARSHIP.—With respect to an 
eligible student: 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Subject to the limitation in 
paragraph (2), in determining the amount of a 
scholarship, the Secretary shall consider factors in-
cluding— 
(A) the degree that the eligible student is 
pursuing or plans to pursue; 
(B) educational costs; 
(C) the financial need of the eligible stu-
dent; 
(D) the extent to which such determination 
affects the ability of the Secretary to maximize 
the number of scholarships that can be provided 
under this section from the amounts appro-
priated for such scholarships; and 
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(E) the extent to which such determination 
provides an incentive to serve as a wildlife or 
zoological veterinarian. 
(2) LIMITATION.—The amount of a scholarship 
shall not exceed $35,000 for any school year. 
(f) USE
OF FUNDS.—Amounts received under a 
scholarship under this section shall be used to cover such 
expenses, with respect to an eligible student, as are deter-
mined by the Secretary to be appropriate, including— 
(1) tuition expenses; 
(2) reasonable living expenses; and 
(3) all other reasonable educational expenses in-
curred by the eligible student, including fees, labora-
tory expenses, and expenses for books and equip-
ment. 
(g) PAYMENTS
TO EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTION.— 
Under the Wildlife and Zoological Veterinary Workforce 
Scholarship Program, the Secretary may contract with the 
accredited school or college of veterinary medicine in which 
an eligible student is enrolled or has been accepted for 
enrollment to make payments for tuition, reasonable living 
expenses, and other reasonable educational expenses under 
subsection (f). 
(h) BREACH OF CONTRACT.— 
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(1) LIABILITY.—Subject to paragraphs (2) and 
(3), an eligible student who has entered into a writ-
ten contract with the Secretary under this section 
shall be liable to the United States for the following 
amounts: 
(A) FAILURE TO COMPLETE COURSE OF 
STUDY
OR
PROGRAM.—The eligible student 
shall be liable for the total amount that has 
been paid to the eligible student under this sec-
tion, and for interest on such amount at the 
maximum legal prevailing rate, as determined 
by the Treasurer of the United States, if, under 
the course of study or program under sub-
section (b)(2), the eligible student— 
(i) fails to maintain an acceptable 
level of academic standing under sub-
section (d)(2)(C); 
(ii) is dismissed from the accredited 
school or college of veterinary medicine for 
disciplinary reasons; or 
(iii) voluntarily ceases to participate 
in the course of study or program before 
completion of the course of study or pro-
gram. 
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(B) FAILURE TO COMPLETE SERVICE OB-
LIGATION.—The eligible student shall be liable 
for an amount, as determined by the Secretary, 
not to exceed the total amount that has been 
awarded to the eligible student under this sec-
tion, and for interest on such amount at the 
maximum legal prevailing rate, as determined 
by the Treasurer of the United States, if the el-
igible student fails to begin or complete the 
service obligation under subsection (d)(2)(D). 
(2) DEATH.—Any obligation of an eligible stu-
dent under the Wildlife and Zoological Veterinary 
Workforce Scholarship Program for service or pay-
ment of damages shall be cancelled upon the death 
of the eligible student. 
(3) WAIVER OR SUSPENSION OF LIABILITY.— 
The Secretary shall provide for the partial or total 
waiver or suspension of liability under paragraph 
(1), or of an obligation under subsection (d)(2), if— 
(A) the eligible student is called to active 
duty in the Armed Forces of the United States; 
(B) compliance by the eligible student with 
the written contract is impossible or would 
cause extreme hardship to the eligible student; 
or 
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(C) enforcement of the written contract 
with respect to the eligible student would be un-
conscionable. 
(4) DATE
CERTAIN
FOR
RECOVERY.—Any 
amount that the Federal Government is entitled to 
recover under paragraph (1) shall be paid to the 
United States not later than 3 years after the date 
the United States becomes so entitled. 
(5) AVAILABILITY.—Amounts recovered under 
paragraph (1) shall be available to the Secretary for 
making loan repayments under this section and shall 
remain available for such purpose until expended. 
(6) REGULATIONS.—Prior to implementation of 
the Wildlife and Zoological Veterinary Workforce 
Scholarship Program, the Secretary shall establish, 
by regulation, procedures for determining the 
amount of the repayment required under paragraph 
(1). 
(i) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is 
authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section 
$3,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2012 through 2016. 
Amounts appropriated under this subsection are author-
ized to remain available until expended. 
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TITLE II—WILDLIFE AND ZOO-
LOGICAL VETERINARY MEDI-
CINE EDUCATIONAL DEVEL-
OPMENT 
SEC. 201. GRANTS TO ACCREDITED SCHOOLS AND COL-
LEGES OF VETERINARY MEDICINE FOR CUR-
RICULA IN WILDLIFE AND ZOOLOGICAL VET-
ERINARY MEDICINE. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—Not later than 1 year after 
the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall es-
tablish a pilot program to award grants to accredited 
schools and colleges of veterinary medicine to develop or 
improve new or existing curricula that specialize in wildlife 
or zoological veterinary medicine, to be available to veteri-
nary students in the final years of a program for which 
the accredited schools or colleges of veterinary medicine 
award a doctoral degree in veterinary medicine. 
(b) ELIGIBILITY.—To be eligible for a grant under 
this section, an accredited school or college of veterinary 
medicine shall submit to the Secretary a proposal— 
(1) at such time and in such form and manner 
as the Secretary may require; and 
(2) containing such information as the Sec-
retary may require, including a description of— 
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(A) the proposed curriculum in wildlife or 
zoological veterinary medicine under subsection 
(a); and 
(B) how the accredited school or college of 
veterinary medicine will use funds provided 
under the grant. 
(c) AWARD.—The Secretary shall establish proce-
dures to ensure that proposals are rigorously reviewed and 
that grants are competitively awarded. 
(d) AMOUNT.—The Secretary shall determine the 
amount of a grant awarded to an accredited school or col-
lege of veterinary medicine under this section, taking into 
account such factors as the Secretary considers appro-
priate, including— 
(1) the contents of the proposal submitted by 
the eligible accredited school or college of veterinary 
medicine under subsection (b); and 
(2) the number of grants available to all accred-
ited schools or colleges of veterinary medicine. 
(e) USE
OF GRANT FUNDS.—Amounts received 
under a grant under this section shall be used to pay ex-
penses related to the curriculum described in subsection 
(b)(2)(A) that are determined by the Secretary to be ap-
propriate, including the expense of— 
(1) developing the curriculum; 
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(i) the names of the accredited schools 
and colleges of veterinary medicine that re-
ceived a grant under this section; 
(ii) the number of students enrolled in 
each curriculum developed with grant 
funds; 
(iii) a description of each curriculum 
developed with grant funds; 
(iv) an assessment of the effectiveness 
of the pilot program; and 
(v) the recommendations of the Sec-
retary regarding the extension or expan-
sion of the pilot program. 
(g) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is 
authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section 
$10,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2012 through 2016. 
Amounts appropriated under this subsection are author-
ized to remain available until expended. 
SEC. 202. GRANTS TO DEVELOP TRAINING PROGRAMS IN 
WILDLIFE AND ZOOLOGICAL VETERINARY 
MEDICINE. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall award com-
petitive grants to eligible wildlife or veterinary institutions 
to establish or expand, for traineeship candidates, training 
programs that will enhance the ability of a trainee to prac-
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tice as a wildlife or zoological veterinarian, as determined 
by the Secretary of the Interior. Such training programs 
may include externship, internship, fellowship, or resi-
dency programs. 
(b) ELIGIBLE WILDLIFE OR VETERINARY INSTITU-
TION.—To be eligible for a grant under this section, a 
wildlife or veterinary institution shall submit to the Sec-
retary a proposal designed to create or expand one or more 
training programs for traineeship candidates. The pro-
posal— 
(1) shall be submitted at such time and in such 
form and manner as the Secretary may require; and 
(2) shall contain such information as the Sec-
retary may require, including a description of— 
(A) each training program to be created or 
expanded; 
(B) the skills to be imparted by each train-
ing program; 
(C) how the wildlife or veterinary institu-
tion will use the funds provided under a grant; 
and 
(D) how each training program will help a 
trainee advance conservation and management 
goals for wildlife or zoological animal popu-
lations. 
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(c) CONSIDERATION OF PROPOSALS.— 
(1) PREFERENCE.—In awarding a grant under 
this section, the Secretary shall give preference to an 
eligible wildlife or veterinary institution offering a 
training program— 
(A) at rotating sites, particularly in the 
case of a residency program; and 
(B) under which trainees conduct research 
and teach veterinary students. 
(2) PROCEDURES.—The Secretary shall estab-
lish procedures to ensure that proposals are rigor-
ously reviewed and that grants are competitively 
awarded. 
(d) TRAINEESHIP CANDIDATE.—For purposes of this 
section, an individual shall be treated as a traineeship can-
didate if the individual— 
(1) is a citizen of the United States, a national, 
or a lawful permanent resident; 
(2) expresses a profound interest in wildlife or 
zoological veterinary medicine and a commitment to 
becoming a wildlife or zoological veterinarian; and 
(3) has submitted to a wildlife or veterinary in-
stitution offering a training program under sub-
section (a) an application for the training program 
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containing such information as may be required by 
the wildlife or veterinary institution. 
(e) FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE UNDER TRAINING PRO-
GRAM.—Under a training program, a trainee shall, for the 
duration of the training program, be provided with— 
(1) a stipend, in an amount based on criteria 
to be determined by the wildlife or veterinary insti-
tution, including— 
(A) the type and length of the training 
program; 
(B) the responsibilities assigned to the 
trainee as part of the training program; 
(C) the academic level or degree held by 
the trainee; and 
(D) the relevant experience of the trainee; 
and 
(2) such other financial assistance as the wild-
life or veterinary institution determines necessary 
and is approved by the Secretary. 
(f) APPROVAL
OF PLACEMENT UNDER TRAINING 
PROGRAM.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—No traineeship candidate 
shall be placed in a training program without the 
approval of the Secretary. 
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(2) NOTICE.—A traineeship candidate shall be 
informed of placement in a training program upon 
approval by the Secretary. 
(g) AMOUNT OF GRANT.—The Secretary shall deter-
mine the amount of a grant awarded under this section 
for a training program, taking into account such factors 
as the Secretary considers appropriate, including— 
(1) the type of training that the wildlife or vet-
erinary institution desires to create or expand; 
(2) the contents of the proposal submitted by 
the wildlife or veterinary institution under subsection 
(b); and 
(3) the number of grants available to all wildlife 
or veterinary institutions. 
(h) USE OF GRANT FUNDS.—Under this section, 
amounts received under a grant shall be applied to such 
costs as the Secretary considers appropriate for the plan-
ning, development, and operation of the training program, 
including the costs associated with— 
(1) the development of the curriculum to be 
used in the program; 
(2) practicum experiences; 
(3) the acquisition of new equipment; and 
(4) the stipend and other financial assistance 
provided to the trainee under subsection (e). 
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(i) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is 
authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section 
$10,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2012 through 2016. 
Amounts appropriated under this subsection are author-
ized to remain available until expended. 
Æ 
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