Veterinarian Services Investment Act

Bill: 111-hr-3519
Sponsor: Rep. Smith, Adrian [R-NE-3]
Introduced: 2009-07-31 in the House
Policy area: Animals
Subjects: Animal and plant health
Education programs funding
Food supply, safety, and labeling
Health personnel
Health programs administration and funding
Medical education
Student aid and college costs
Teaching, teachers, curricula
Veterinary medicine and animal diseases

Summary:
action_date: 2009-07-31
text: 
Veterinarian Services Investment Act - Amends the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 to direct the Secretary of Agriculture (USDA) to carry out a grant program to develop, implement, and sustain veterinary services and relieve veterinary shortage situations.

action_date: 2010-09-15
text: 
Veterinarian Services Investment Act - Amends the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 to direct the Secretary of Agriculture (USDA) to carry out a matching grant program with qualified en

tities to develop, implement, and sustain veterinary services.
 
Requires a qualifying entity to carry out programs that: (1) relieve veterinarian shortage situations; (2) support private veterinary practices engaged in public health activities; or (3) support practices of veterinarians who are participating in or have successfully completed a specified service requirement.
 
Sets forth grant preference provisions.
 
Makes such grants available for: (1) assistance for establishing or expanding veterinary practices or establishing mobile veterinary facilities; (2) veterinarian, technician, and student recruitment; (3) grants to attend training programs in food safety or food animal medicine; (4) grants to establish or expand accredited education, internship, residency, and fellowship programs; (5) grants to assess veterinarian shortage situations; and (6) grants for continuing education and extension, including tele-veterinary medicine and other distance-based education.
 
Prohibits the use of grant funds for construction.
 
Subjects grants for establishing or expanding veterinary practices to: (1) an agreement between the Secretary and the recipient that includes a required term of service; and (2) remedies for breach of agreement, including repayment or partial repayment of grant funds.
 
Defines &quot;qualified entity&quot; as a: (1) for-profit or nonprofit entity in the United States that operates a rural veterinary clinic in response to a veterinarian shortage situation; (2) state, national, allied, or regional veterinary organization or specialty board recognized by the American Veterinary Medical Association; (3) college or school of veterinary medicine accredited by the American Veterinary Medical Association; (4) university research foundation or veterinary medical foundation; (5) department of veterinary science or department of comparative medicine accredited by the Department of Education; (6) state agricultural experiment station; or (7) state, local, or tribal government agency.
 
 
Authorizes appropriations beginning with FY2012.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2010-09-16
text: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.
action_date: 2010-09-15
text: Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
action_date: 2010-09-15
text: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H6707-6708)
action_date: 2010-09-15
text: Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote.(text: CR H6707-6708)
action_date: 2010-09-15
text: DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 3519.
action_date: 2010-09-15
text: Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H6707-6709)
action_date: 2010-09-15
text: Mr. Boswell moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
action_date: 2010-07-28
text: Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by Voice Vote.
action_date: 2010-07-28
text: Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
action_date: 2009-07-31
text: Referred to the House Committee on Agriculture.
action_date: 2009-07-31
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2009-07-31
text: Introduced in House