(6) this precedent for an avian influenza virus 
to transmit directly from birds to humans, then 
spread among humans, significantly raises the con-
cern about the current H5N1 influenza strain; 
(7) increased surveillance, including on migra-
tory birds, is critical to controlling avian influenza 
and preparing for other potential emerging infec-
tious diseases; 
(8) the capacity to proactively detect the 
threats could result in significantly improved disease 
prediction and prevention capabilities; 
(9) international wildlife health surveillance 
does not clearly fall under the jurisdiction of any 
Federal or international agency; 
(10) there is a continued inability to share real- 
time data across the human, agricultural, wildlife, 
and veterinary agencies on zoonotic threats; 
(11) while surveillance at domestic poultry and 
domestic waterfowl production facilities and farms is 
an immediate and on-going monitoring need and is 
being supported through relevant agencies, surveil-
lance in wild bird populations that may have been 
exposed to the virus is a critical component to deter-
mine the spread of the virus, implement control 
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measures, and protect human, livestock, and wildlife 
health; 
(12) monitoring and surveillance of wild migra-
tory and resident water birds are critically important 
to identifying all strains of influenza viruses in wild 
birds as a library of possible genotypes, determining 
their role in the spread of the virus, and anticipating 
where outbreaks may occur to enhance preparedness; 
(13) improving surveillance of wildlife health 
around the world would close significant jurisdic-
tional and scientific gaps in current emerging infec-
tious disease preparedness; 
(14) other emerging diseases beyond bird flu 
merit similar attention, in terms of the potential 
threats 
to 
global 
public 
health 
as 
well 
as 
agribiosecurity and biodiversity; 
(15) the majority of emerging infectious dis-
eases identified in the past several decades have 
moved from wildlife to humans, largely due to 
human incursions into or alterations of wildlife habi-
tats and hunting, consumption, and trade of wildlife 
species; 
(16) the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) 
virus moved from chimpanzees to humans via these 
mechanisms; 
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(17) many factors contribute to disease emer-
gence and spread from wildlife to domestic animals 
and humans, including environmental degradation 
and the handling, consumption, and trade of wildlife 
and wildlife-derived products; 
(18) from avian influenza to the severe acute 
respiratory syndrome (SARS), from bovine tuber-
culosis to the Ebola virus, and from HIV/AIDS to 
monkey pox, a long list of zoonotic diseases nega-
tively impacts people’s lives and livelihoods and costs 
the global economy billions of dollars; and 
(19) the Government of the United States lacks 
a comprehensive program to monitor wildlife health 
around the world, a program that could proactively 
inform preparedness not just in the case of a poten-
tial H5N1 influenza strain pandemic, but also for a 
broader array of emerging infectious disease threats 
that often arise at the interface between wildlife, hu-
mans, and their domestic animals. 
SEC. 3. PURPOSE. 
The purpose of this Act is to establish a Wildlife 
Global Animal Information Network for Surveillance— 
(1) to more rapidly and efficiently detect, 
verify, and report on the presence of infectious dis-
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eases, such as highly pathogenic avian influenza, in 
birds and other wildlife around the world; 
(2) to use information on pathogens found dur-
ing surveillance of wildlife to better delineate poten-
tial threats to domestic animals, humans, as well as 
wildlife itself; 
(3) to use information on when and where 
HPAI and other pathogens of concern are identified 
in wildlife— 
(A) to better guide preparedness in the 
United States and around the world; and 
(B) to carry out a strategic wildlife health 
surveillance initiative that will provide regions, 
countries, and specific locations with early 
warning information that will help target re-
sources toward enhancement of agribiosecurity, 
surveillance, public health vigilance, and related 
areas; 
(4) to create an open access database within 
which information on HPAI and other pathogens of 
interest identified in wild birds and other wildlife 
can be shared as close to real time as possible; 
(5) to protect the health and safety of United 
States citizens and officials traveling or living 
abroad; and 
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