IIB 
115TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 1238 
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 
MARCH 23, 2017 
Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and 
Governmental Affairs 
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, agri-
culture, and veterinary defense against terrorism, and 
for other purposes. 
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Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Securing our Agri-
culture and Food Act’’. 
SEC. 2. COORDINATION OF FOOD, AGRICULTURE, AND VET-
ERINARY 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, AG-
RICULTURE, 
AND 
VETERINARY 
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 ef-
forts related to defending the food, agriculture, and veteri-
nary 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 pro-
gram required by subsection (a) shall include, at a min-
imum, the following: 
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‘‘(1) Providing oversight and management of 
the Department’s responsibilities pursuant to Home-
land Security Presidential Directive 9–Defense of 
United States Agriculture and Food. 
‘‘(2) Providing oversight and integration of the 
Department’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 pub-
lic health. 
‘‘(4) Leading the Department’s policy initiatives 
relating to overall domestic preparedness for and col-
lective response to agricultural terrorism. 
‘‘(5) Coordinating with other Department com-
ponents, including U.S. Customs and Border Protec-
tion, as appropriate, on activities related to food and 
agriculture security and screening procedures for do-
mestic and imported products. 
‘‘(6) Coordinating with appropriate Federal de-
partments and agencies. 
‘‘(7) Other activities as determined necessary 
by the Secretary. 
‘‘(c) RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.—Nothing in this sec-
tion may be construed as altering or superseding the au-
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thority of the Secretary of Agriculture relating to food and 
agriculture.’’. 
(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of contents 
in section 1(b) of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 is 
amended by inserting after the item relating to section 
527 the following new item: 
‘‘Sec. 528. Coordination of Department of Homeland Security efforts related to 
food, agriculture, and veterinary defense against terrorism.’’. 
Passed the House of Representatives March 22, 
2017. 
Attest: 
KAREN L. HAAS, 
Clerk. 
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