Wildlife VET Act

Bill: 113-hr-2796
Sponsor: Rep. Hastings, Alcee L. [D-FL-20]
Introduced: 2013-07-23 in the House
Policy area: Animals
Subjects: Animal and plant health
Education programs funding
Endangered and threatened species
Health personnel
Medical education
Medical research
Student aid and college costs
Veterinary medicine and animal diseases
Wildlife conservation and habitat protection

Summary:
action_date: 2013-07-23
text: 
Wildlife Veterinarians Employment and Training Act or the Wildlife VET Act - Authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to award grants to wildlife or veterinary institutions to create additional clinical and research positions for wildlife and zoological veterinarians, with preference to institutions that will create positions in areas of need, including wildlife disease research and training, disease surveillance, ecology and wildlife population management, and conservation and management of the health of endangered, threatened, and sensitive species.
 
Directs the Secretary to establish: (1) the Wildlife and Zoological Veterinary Workforce Loan Repayment Program to repay educational loans of applicants who have received a doctoral degree in veterinary medicine or a graduate degree in veterinary medicine after receiving such doctoral degree, or who are enrolled in an accredited program that leads to such a degree, and who agree to serve for at least four consecutive years at a wildlife or veterinary institution as a wildlife or zoological veterinarian; and (2) the Wildlife and Zoological Veterinary Workforce Scholarship Program to award students enrolled in an accredited school or college of veterinary medicine scholarships in exchange for entering a contract to serve for at least four consecutive years as wildlife or zoological veterinarians at wildlife or veterinary institutions.
 
Requires the Secretary to: (1) establish a pilot program to award competitive grants to accredited schools and colleges of veterinary medicine to develop or improve new or existing curricula that specialize in wildlife or zoological veterinary medicine; and (2) award competitive grants to eligible wildlife or veterinary institutions to establish or expand, for traineeship candidates, training programs (including externship, internship, fellowship, or residency programs) that will enhance the ability of a trainee to practice as a wildlife or zoological veterinarian.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2013-08-13
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Livestock, Rural Development, and Credit.
action_date: 2013-07-31
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Fisheries, Wildlife, Oceans, and Insular Affairs.
action_date: 2013-07-23
text: Referred to the Committee on Agriculture, and in addition to the Committee on Natural Resources, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2013-07-23
text: Referred to the Committee on Agriculture, and in addition to the Committee on Natural Resources, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2013-07-23
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR E1119)
action_date: 2013-07-23
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2013-07-23
text: Introduced in House