Preventing Future Pandemics Act of 2022
Bill: S.4074 | Sponsor: Sen. Cornyn, John (R-TX)
Policy area: International Affairs

Summary:
Preventing Future Pandemics Act of 2022
This bill addresses issues related to the commercial trade in live wildlife for human consumption in other countries.
For example, the bill requires the Department of State and the U.S. Agency for International Development to work with foreign governments, multilateral organizations, and nongovernmental organizations to carry out activities to (1) close wildlife markets and prevent associated commercial trade in live wildlife, (2) improve regulatory oversight and eliminate practices that contribute to zoonotic spillover and emerging pathogens, and (3) offer alternative livelihood and worker training programs to individuals and communities currently engaged in the commercial trade in live wildlife for human consumption.

To prevent future pandemics, 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 ``Preventing Future Pandemics Act of 
2022''.

SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) Appropriate congressional committees.--The term 
        ``appropriate congressional committees'' means--
                    (A) the Committee on Foreign Relations of the 
                Senate;
                    (B) the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate;
                    (C) the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House 
                of Representatives; and
                    (D) the Committee on Appropriations of the House of 
                Representatives.
            (2) Commercial trade in live wildlife.--The term 
        ``commercial trade in live wildlife''--
                    (A) means commercial trade in live wildlife for 
                human consumption as food or medicine, whether the 
                animals originated in the wild or in a captive 
                environment; and
                    (B) does not include--
                            (i) fish;
                            (ii) invertebrates;
                            (iii) amphibians and reptiles; and
                            (iv) the meat of ruminant game species--
                                    (I) traded in markets in countries 
                                with effective implementation and 
                                enforcement of scientifically based, 
                                nationally implemented policies and 
                                legislation for processing, trans-port, 
                                trade, and marketing; and
                                    (II) sold after being slaughtered 
                                and processed under sanitary 
                                conditions.
            (3) One health.--The term ``One Health'' means a 
        collaborative, multi-sectoral, and transdisciplinary approach 
        working at the local, regional, national, and global levels 
        with the goal of achieving optimal health outcomes that 
        recognizes the interconnection between--
                    (A) people, animals, both wild and domestic, and 
                plants; and
                    (B) the environment shared by such people, animals, 
                and plants.
            (4) Wildlife market.--The term ``wildlife market''--
                    (A) means a commercial market or subsection of a 
                commercial market--
                            (i) where live mammalian or avian wildlife 
                        is held, slaughtered, or sold for human 
                        consumption as food or medicine whether the 
                        animals originated in the wild or in a captive 
                        environment; and
                            (ii) that delivers a product in communities 
                        where alternative nutritional or protein 
                        sources are readily available and affordable; 
                        and
                    (B) does not include--
                            (i) markets in areas where no other 
                        practical alternative sources of protein or 
                        meat exists, such as wildlife markets in rural 
                        areas on which indigenous people and rural 
                        local communities rely to feed them-selves and 
                        their families; and
                            (ii) processors of dead wild game and fish.

SEC. 3. COUNTRY-DRIVEN APPROACH TO END THE COMMERCIAL TRADE IN LIVE 
              WILDLIFE AND ASSOCIATED WILDLIFE MARKETS.

    (a) In General.--Not later than 120 days after the completion of 
the first report required under section 6, the Secretary of State, in 
coordination with the Administrator of the United States Agency for 
International Development and the heads of other relevant Federal 
departments and agencies, including the Centers for Disease Control and 
Prevention, the Secretary of Agriculture, and the Secretary of the 
Interior, and after consideration of the results of best available 
scientific findings of practices and behaviors occurring at the source 
of zoonoses spillover and spread, shall publicly release a list of 
countries the governments of which express willingness to end the 
domestic and international commercial trade in live wildlife and 
associated wildlife markets for human consumption, as defined for 
purposes of this Act--
            (1) immediately;
            (2) after a transitional period; and
            (3) aspirationally, over a long-term period.
    (b) Global Health Security Zoonosis Plans.--The Secretary of State 
and the Administrator of the United States Agency for International 
Development shall work bilaterally with the governments of the 
countries listed pursuant to subsection (a) to establish Global Health 
Security Zoonoses Plans that--
            (1) outline actions to address novel pathogens of zoonotic 
        origin that have the potential to become epidemics or 
        pandemics;
            (2) identify incentives and strengthened policies; and
            (3) provide technical support to communities, policy 
        makers, civil society, law enforcement, and other stakeholders 
        to--
                    (A) end the domestic and international commercial 
                trade in live wildlife and associated wildlife markets 
                for human consumption immediately, during a 
                transitional period, or aspirationally; and
                    (B) improve the biosecurity and sanitation 
                conditions in markets.
    (c) Updates.--The list of countries required by subsection (a), the 
corresponding Global Health Security Zoonosis plans established 
pursuant to subsection (b), and any actions taken under such plans to 
end the commercial trade in live wildlife and associated wildlife 
markets for human consumption immediately, during a transitional 
period, or aspirationally, shall be reviewed, updated, and publicly 
released annually by the Secretary and Administrator, following review 
of the most recent scientific data.

SEC. 4. SENSE OF CONGRESS.

    It is the sense of Congress that global institutions, including the 
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, the World 
Organisation for Animal Health, the World Health Organization, and the 
United Nations Environment Programme, together with leading 
intergovernmental and nongovernmental organizations, veterinary and 
medical colleges, the Department of State, and the United States Agency 
for International Development, should--
            (1) promote the paradigm of One Health as an effective and 
        integrated way to address the complexity of emerging disease 
        threats; and
            (2) support improved community health, biodiversity 
        conservation, forest conservation and management, sustainable 
        agriculture, and the safety of livestock, domestic animals, and 
        wildlife in developing countries, particularly in tropical 
        landscapes where there is an elevated risk of zoonotic disease 
        spill over.

SEC. 5. STATEMENT OF POLICY.

    It is the policy of the United States to--
            (1) support the availability of scalable and sustainable 
        alternative sources of protein and nutrition for local 
        communities, where appropriate, in order to minimize human 
        reliance on the commercial trade in live wildlife for human 
        consumption;
            (2) support foreign governments to--
                    (A) reduce commercial trade in live wildlife for 
                human consumption;
                    (B) transition from the commercial trade in live 
                wildlife for human consumption to sustainably produced 
                alternate protein and nutritional sources;
                    (C) establish and effectively manage and protect 
                natural habitat, including protected and conserved 
                areas and the lands of Indigenous peoples and local 
                communities, particularly in countries with tropical 
                forest hotspots for emerging diseases;
                    (D) strengthen veterinary and agricultural 
                extension capacity to improve sanitation along the 
                value chain and biosecurity of live animal markets; and
                    (E) strengthen public health capacity, particularly 
                in countries where there is a high risk of emerging 
                zoonotic viruses and other infectious diseases;
            (3) respect the rights and needs of indigenous peoples and 
        local communities dependent on such wildlife for nutritional 
        needs and food security; and
            (4) facilitate international cooperation by working with 
        international partners through intergovernmental, 
        international, and nongovernmental organizations such as the 
        United Nations to--
                    (A) lead a resolution at the United Nations 
                Security Council or General Assembly and World Health 
                Assembly outlining the danger to human and animal 
                health from emerging zoonotic infectious diseases, with 
                recommendations for implementing the closure of 
                wildlife markets and prevention of the commercial trade 
                in live wildlife for human consumption, except where 
                the consumption of wildlife is necessary for local food 
                security or where such actions would significantly 
                disrupt a readily available and irreplaceable food 
                supply;
                    (B) raise awareness and build stakeholder 
                engagement networks, including civil society, the 
                private sector, and local and regional governments on 
                the dangerous potential of wildlife markets as a source 
                of zoonotic diseases and reduce demand for the 
                consumption of wildlife through evidence-based behavior 
                change programs, while ensuring that existing wildlife 
                habitat is not encroached upon or destroyed as part of 
                this process;
                    (C) encourage and support alternative forms of 
                sustainable food production, farming, and shifts to 
                sustainable sources of protein and nutrition instead of 
                terrestrial wildlife, where able and appropriate, and 
                reduce consumer demand for terrestrial and freshwater 
                wildlife through enhanced local and national food 
                systems, especially in areas where wildlife markets 
                play a significant role in meeting subsistence needs 
                while ensuring that existing wildlife habitat is not 
                encroached upon or destroyed as part of this process; 
                and
                    (D) strive to increase biosecurity and hygienic 
                standards implemented in farms, gathering centers, 
                transport, and market systems around the globe, 
                especially those specializing in the provision of 
                products intended for human consumption.

SEC. 6. PREVENTION OF FUTURE ZOONOTIC SPILLOVER EVENT.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary of State and the Administrator of 
the United States Agency for International Development, in consultation 
with the Director of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, the 
Secretary of Agriculture, the Director of the Centers for Disease 
Control and Prevention, and the heads of other relevant departments and 
agencies, shall work with foreign governments, multilateral entities, 
intergovernmental organizations, international partners, private sector 
partners, and nongovernmental organizations to carry out activities 
supporting the following objectives, recognizing that multiple 
interventions will likely be necessary to make an impact, and that 
interventions will need to be tailored to the situation to--
            (1) pursuant to section 3, close wildlife markets and 
        prevent associated commercial trade in live wildlife, placing a 
        priority focus on countries with significant markets for live 
        wildlife for human consumption, high-volume commercial trade 
        and associated markets, trade in and across urban centers, and 
        trade for luxury consumption or where there is no dietary 
        necessity--
                    (A) through existing treaties, conventions, and 
                agreements;
                    (B) by amending existing protocols or agreements;
                    (C) by pursuing new protocols; or
                    (D) by other means of international coordination;
            (2) improve regulatory oversight and reduce commercial 
        trade in live wildlife and eliminate practices identified to 
        contribute to zoonotic spillover and emerging pathogens;
            (3) prevent commercial trade in live wildlife through 
        programs that combat wildlife trafficking and poaching, 
        including--
                    (A) providing assistance to improve law 
                enforcement;
                    (B) detecting and deterring the illegal import, 
                transit, sale, and export of wildlife;
                    (C) strengthening such programs to assist countries 
                through legal reform;
                    (D) improving information sharing and enhancing 
                capabilities of participating foreign governments;
                    (E) supporting efforts to change behavior and 
                reduce demand for such wildlife products;
                    (F) leveraging United States private sector 
                technologies and expertise to scale and enhance 
                enforcement responses to detect and prevent such trade; 
                and
                    (G) strengthening collaboration with key private 
                sector entities in the transportation industry to 
                prevent and report the transport of such wildlife and 
                wildlife products;
            (4) leverage strong United States bilateral relationships 
        to support new and existing inter-Ministerial collaborations or 
        Task Forces that can serve as regional One Health models;
            (5) build local agricultural and food safety capacity by 
        leveraging expertise from the United States Department of 
        Agriculture (USDA) and institutions of higher education with 
        agricultural or natural resource expertise;
            (6) work through international organizations to help 
        develop a set of objective risk-based metrics that provide a 
        cross-country comparable measure of the level of risk posed by 
        wildlife trade and marketing and can be used to track progress 
        nations make in reducing risks, identify where resources should 
        be focused, and potentially leverage a peer influence effect;
            (7) increase efforts to prevent the degradation and 
        fragmentation of forests and other intact ecosystems to 
        minimize interactions between wildlife and human and livestock 
        populations that could contribute to spillover events and 
        zoonotic disease transmission, including by providing 
        assistance or supporting policies to, for example--
                    (A) conserve, protect, and restore the integrity of 
                such ecosystems;
                    (B) support the rights and needs of Indigenous 
                People and local communities and their ability to 
                continue their effective stewardship of their 
                traditional lands and territories;
                    (C) support the establishment and effective 
                management of protected areas, prioritizing highly 
                intact areas; and
                    (D) prevent activities that result in the 
                destruction, degradation, fragmentation, or conversion 
                of intact forests and other intact ecosystems and 
                biodiversity strongholds, including by governments, 
                private sector entities, and multilateral development 
                financial institutions;
            (8) offer appropriate alternative livelihood and worker 
        training programs and enterprise development to wildlife 
        traders, wildlife breeders, and local communities whose members 
        are engaged in the commercial trade in live wildlife for human 
        consumption;
            (9) ensure that the rights of indigenous peoples and local 
        communities are respected and their authority to exercise these 
        rights is protected;
            (10) strengthen global capacity for prevention, prediction, 
        and detection of novel and existing zoonoses with pandemic 
        potential, including the support of innovative technologies in 
        coordination with the United States Agency for International 
        Development, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 
        and other relevant departments and agencies; and
            (11) support the development of One Health systems at the 
        local, regional, national, and global levels in coordination 
        with the United States Agency for International Development, 
        the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and other 
        relevant departments and agencies, particularly in emerging 
        infectious disease hotspots, through a collaborative, 
        multisectoral, and transdisciplinary approach that recognizes 
        the interconnections among people, animals, plants, and their 
        shared environment to achieve equitable and sustainable health 
        outcomes.
    (b) Activities May Include.--
            (1) Global cooperation.--The United States Government, 
        working through the United Nations and its components, as well 
        as international organization such as Interpol, the Food and 
        Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, and the World 
        Organisation for Animal Health, and in furtherance of the 
        policies described in section 5, shall--
                    (A) collaborate with other member States, issue 
                declarations, statements, and communiques urging 
                countries to close wildlife markets, and prevent 
                commercial trade in live wildlife for human 
                consumption; and
                    (B) urge increased enforcement of existing laws to 
                end wildlife trafficking.
            (2) International coalitions.--The Secretary of State shall 
        seek to build new, and support existing, international 
        coalitions focused on closing wildlife markets and preventing 
        commercial trade in live wildlife for human consumption, with a 
        focus on the following efforts:
                    (A) Providing assistance and advice to other 
                governments in the adoption of legislation and 
                regulations to close wildlife markets and associated 
                trade over such timeframe and in such manner as to 
                minimize the increase of wildlife trafficking and 
                poaching.
                    (B) Creating economic and enforcement pressure for 
                the immediate shut down of uncontrolled, unsanitary, or 
                illicit wildlife markets and their supply chains to 
                prevent their operation.
                    (C) Providing assistance and guidance to other 
                governments on measures to prohibit the import, export, 
                and domestic commercial trade in live wildlife for the 
                purpose of human consumption.
                    (D) Implementing risk reduction interventions and 
                control options to address zoonotic spillover along the 
                supply chain for the wildlife market system.
                    (E) Engaging and receiving guidance from key 
                stakeholders at the ministerial, local government, and 
                civil society level, including Indigenous Peoples, in 
                countries that will be impacted by this Act and where 
                wildlife markets and associated wildlife trade are the 
                predominant source of meat or protein, in order to 
                mitigate the impact of any international efforts on 
                food security, nutrition, local customs, conservation 
                methods, or cultural norms.
    (c) United States Agency for International Development.--
            (1) Sustainable food systems funding.--
                    (A) Authorization of appropriations.--In addition 
                to any other amounts provided for such purposes, there 
                is authorized to be appropriated such sums as necessary 
                for each of fiscal years 2023 through 2032 to the 
                United States Agency for International Development to 
                reduce demand for consumption of wildlife from wildlife 
                markets and support shifts to diversified alternative 
                and sustainably produced sources of nutritious food and 
                protein in communities that rely upon the consumption 
                of wildlife for food security, while ensuring that 
                existing wildlife habitat is not encroached upon or 
                destroyed as part of this process, using a 
                multisectoral approach and including support for 
                demonstration programs.
                    (B) Activities.--The Bureau for Development, 
                Democracy and Innovation (DDI), the Bureau for 
                Resilience and Food Security (RFS), and the Bureau for 
                Global Health (GH) of the United States Agency for 
                International Development shall, in partnership with 
                United States and international institutions of higher 
                education and nongovernmental organizations, co-develop 
                approaches focused on safe, sustainable food systems 
                that support and incentivize the replacement of 
                terrestrial wildlife in diets, while ensuring that 
                existing wildlife habitat is not encroached upon or 
                destroyed as part of this process.
            (2) Addressing threats and causes of zoonotic disease 
        outbreaks.--The Administrator of the United States Agency for 
        International Development, in consultation with the Secretary 
        of the Interior, shall increase activities in United States 
        Agency for International Development programs related to 
        conserving biodiversity, combating wildlife trafficking, 
        sustainable landscapes, global health, food security, and 
        resilience in order to address the threats and causes of 
        zoonotic disease outbreaks, including through--
                    (A) education;
                    (B) capacity building;
                    (C) strengthening human, livestock, and wildlife 
                health monitoring systems of pathogens of zoonotic 
                origin to support early detection and reporting of 
                novel and known pathogens for emergence of zoonotic 
                disease and strengthening cross-sectoral collaboration 
                to align risk reduction approaches in consultation with 
                the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and the 
                Secretary of Health and Human Services;
                    (D) improved domestic and wild animal disease 
                monitoring and control at production and market levels;
                    (E) development of alternative livelihood 
                opportunities where possible;
                    (F) preventing degradation and fragmentation of 
                forests and other intact ecosystems and restoring the 
                integrity of such ecosystems, particularly in tropical 
                countries, to prevent the creation of new pathways for 
                zoonotic pathogen transmission that arise from 
                interactions among wildlife, humans, and livestock 
                populations;
                    (G) minimizing interactions between domestic 
                livestock and wild animals in markets and captive 
                production;
                    (H) supporting shifts from wildlife markets to 
                diversified, safe, affordable, and accessible 
                alternative sources of protein and nutrition through 
                enhanced local and national food systems while ensuring 
                that existing wildlife habitat is not encroached upon 
                or destroyed as part of this process;
                    (I) improving community health, forest management 
                practices, and safety of livestock production in 
                tropical landscapes, particularly in hotspots for 
                zoonotic spillover and emerging infectious diseases;
                    (J) preventing degradation and fragmentation of 
                forests and other intact ecosystems, particularly in 
                tropical countries, to minimize interactions between 
                wildlife, human, and livestock populations that could 
                contribute to spillover events and zoonotic disease 
                transmission, including by providing assistance or 
                supporting policies to--
                            (i) conserve, protect, and restore the 
                        integrity of such ecosystems; and
                            (ii) support the rights of Indigenous 
                        People and local communities and their ability 
                        to continue their effective steward ship of 
                        their intact traditional lands and territories;
                    (K) supporting development and use of multi-data 
                sourced predictive models and decisionmaking tools to 
                identify areas of highest probability of zoonotic 
                spillover and to determine cost-effective monitoring 
                and mitigation approaches; and
                    (L) other relevant activities described in this 
                section that are within the mandate of the United 
                States Agency for International Development.
    (d) Staffing Requirements.--The Administrator of the United States 
Agency for International Development, in collaboration with the United 
States Fish and Wildlife Service, the United States Department of 
Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, the Centers for 
Disease Control and Prevention, and other Federal entities as 
appropriate, is authorized to hire additional personnel--
            (1) to undertake programs aimed at reducing the risks of 
        endemic and emerging infectious diseases and exposure to 
        antimicrobial resistant pathogens;
            (2) to provide administrative support and resources to 
        ensure effective and efficient coordination of funding 
        opportunities and sharing of expertise from relevant United 
        States Agency for International Development bureaus and 
        programs, including emerging pandemic threats;
            (3) to award funding to on-the-ground projects;
            (4) to provide project oversight to ensure accountability 
        and transparency in all phases of the award process; and
            (5) to undertake additional activities under this Act.
    (e) Reporting Requirements.--
            (1) Department of state and united states agency for 
        international development.--
                    (A) In general.--Not later than 1 year after the 
                date of the enactment of this Act, and annually 
                thereafter until 2030, the Secretary of State and the 
                Administrator of the United States Agency for 
                International Development shall submit to the 
                appropriate congressional committees a report--
                            (i) describing--
                                    (I) the actions taken pursuant to 
                                this Act and the provision of United 
                                States technical assistance;
                                    (II) the impact and effectiveness 
                                of international cooperation on 
                                shutting down wildlife markets;
                                    (III) partnerships developed with 
                                other institutions of higher learning 
                                and nongovernmental organizations; and
                                    (IV) the impact and effectiveness 
                                of international cooperation on 
                                preventing the import, export, and 
                                domestic commercial trade in live 
                                wildlife for the purpose of human use 
                                as food or medicine, while accounting 
                                for the differentiated needs of 
                                vulnerable populations who depend upon 
                                such wildlife as a predominant source 
                                of meat or protein;
                            (ii) identifying--
                                    (I) foreign countries that continue 
                                to enable the operation of wildlife 
                                markets as defined by this Act and the 
                                associated trade of wildlife products 
                                for human use as food or medicine that 
                                feeds such markets;
                                    (II) recommendations for 
                                incentivizing or enforcing compliance 
                                with laws and policies to close 
                                wildlife markets pursuant to section 3 
                                and uncontrolled, unsanitary, or 
                                illicit wildlife markets and end the 
                                associated commercial trade in live 
                                wildlife for human use as food or 
                                medicine, which may include visa 
                                restrictions and other diplomatic or 
                                economic tools; and
                                    (III) summarizing additional 
                                personnel hired with funding authorized 
                                under this Act, including the number 
                                hired in each bureau.
                    (B) Initial report.--The first report submitted 
                under subparagraph (A) shall include, in addition to 
                the elements described in such subparagraph, a summary 
                of existing research and findings related to the risk 
                live wildlife markets pose to human health through the 
                emergence or reemergence of pathogens and activities to 
                reduce the risk of zoonotic spillover.
                    (C) Form.--The report required under this paragraph 
                shall be submitted in unclassified form, but may 
                include a classified annex.

SEC. 7. LAW ENFORCEMENT ATTACHE DEPLOYMENT.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary of the Interior, acting through the 
Director of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, and in 
consultation with the Secretary of State, shall require the Chief of 
Law Enforcement of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service to hire, 
train, and deploy not fewer than 50 new United States Fish and Wildlife 
Service law enforcement attaches, and appropriate additional support 
staff, at 1 or more United States embassies, consulates, commands, or 
other facilities--
            (1) in 1 or more countries designated as a focus country or 
        a country of concern in the most recent report submitted under 
        section 201 of the Eliminate, Neutralize, and Disrupt Wildlife 
        Trafficking Act of 2016 (16 U.S.C. 7621); and
            (2) in such additional countries or regions, as determined 
        by the Secretary of the Interior, that are known or suspected 
        to be a source of illegal trade of species listed--
                    (A) as a threatened species or an endangered 
                species under the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (16 
                U.S.C. 1531 et seq.); or
                    (B) under appendix I of the Convention on 
                International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna 
                and Flora, done at Washington March 3, 1973 (27 UST 
                1087; TIAS 8249).
    (b) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out this section $150,000,000 for each of fiscal 
years 2023 through 2032.

SEC. 8. RESERVATION OF RIGHTS.

    Nothing in this Act shall restrict or otherwise prohibit--
            (1) legal and regulated hunting, fishing, or trapping 
        activities for subsistence, sport, or recreation; or
            (2) the lawful domestic and international transport of 
        legally harvested fish or wildlife trophies.
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