Wildlife Disease Emergency Act of 2011

Bill: 112-s-357
Sponsor: Sen. Lautenberg, Frank R. [D-NJ]
Introduced: 2011-02-15 in the Senate
Policy area: Animals
Subjects: Advisory bodies
Animal and plant health
Endangered and threatened species
Government trust funds
Infectious and parasitic diseases
Veterinary medicine and animal diseases
Wildlife conservation and habitat protection

Summary:
action_date: 2011-02-15
text: 
Wildlife Disease Emergency Act of 2011 - Authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to declare a wildlife disease emergency in one or more states for a disease that affects wildlife within the United States or, if it has the potential to enter the United States, outside the United States. Directs the Secretary, upon making such a declaration, to lead a coordinated response to the emergency. 
 
Authorizes the Secretary to implement a grant program to provide grants to state wildlife agencies and Indian tribes to coordinate the response to and address such declared emergencies. 
 
Establishes in the Treasury a Wildlife Disease Emergency Fund, to be administered by the Secretary to carry out this Act. 
 
Directs the Secretary to establish a Wildlife Disease Committee to assist the Secretary in increasing the level of preparedness needed to address emerging wildlife diseases. 
 
Authorizes the Secretary to convene rapid response teams to address any wildlife disease emergency. 

action_date: 2012-09-19
text: 
Wildlife Disease Emergency Act of 2011 - (Sec. 4) Authorizes the Secretary of the Interior, in consultation with the governor of a potentially affected state, to declare in such state a wildlife disease emergency for a disease that affects wildlife: (1) within the United States; or (2) outside the United States, but with the potential to enter the United States. 
 
Requires the Secretary, in making such a declaration, to consider: (1) the level of threat the disease poses to affected wildlife populations; (2) the sufficiency of resources available in the fund established by this Act; (3) the ability of the Department of the Interior and other agencies, tribal governments, and other stakeholders to address and coordinate a response to the disease through other means; and (4) the request of any state governor to make such a declaration. 
 
Directs the Secretary, upon making such a declaration, to lead a coordinated response to the emergency. 
 
Authorizes the Secretary to implement a grant program to provide grants to state wildlife agencies and Indian tribes to coordinate the response to, and address, such declared emergencies. 
 
(Sec. 5) Establishes in the Treasury a Wildlife Disease Emergency Fund, to be administered by the Secretary.
 
Requires the Fund to consist of such amounts as are appropriated to the Fund and that are received as donations, gifts, or contributions. 
 
 Prohibits amounts in the Fund from being made available for any purpose other than to respond to a declared emergency. 
 
Requires the Secretary to report annually to Congress on the operation of the Fund. 
 
Requires a separate statement concerning the Fund in the President's annual budget submission to Congress. 
 
Authorizes appropriations. 
 
(Sec. 6) Directs the Secretary to establish a Wildlife Disease Committee to assist the Secretary in increasing the level of preparedness needed to address emerging wildlife diseases. 
 
Requires the Committee to: (1) advise the Secretary on risk assessment, preparation, monitoring, research, and response to wildlife diseases that may significantly impact the health and sustainability of wildlife populations; and (2) as appropriate, draft documents related to such activities.
 
(Sec. 7) Authorizes the Secretary to convene rapid response teams to address any wildlife disease emergency. 
 
(Sec. 8) Prohibits anything in this Act from: (1) limiting the Secretary's authority to respond to wildlife disease events that are not declared emergencies; (2) affecting the authority, jurisdiction, or responsibility of the states to manage, control, or regulate fish and resident wildlife under any state law; (3) granting authority to any public agency to acquire private property or conservation easements or otherwise infringe any use of private property; or (4) limiting, repealing, superseding, or modifying any provision of law.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2012-09-19
text: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 515.
action_date: 2012-09-19
text: Committee on Environment and Public Works. Reported by Senator Boxer with amendments. With written report No. 112-214.
action_date: 2012-09-19
text: Committee on Environment and Public Works. Reported by Senator Boxer with amendments. With written report No. 112-214.
action_date: 2012-07-25
text: Committee on Environment and Public Works. Ordered to be reported with an amendment favorably.
action_date: 2012-04-24
text: Committee on Environment and Public Works Senate Subcommittee on Water and Wildlife. Hearings held. With printed Hearing: S.Hrg. 112-968.
action_date: 2011-02-15
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
action_date: 2011-02-15
text: Introduced in Senate