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Congressional Research Service
Version 00 · Introduced in Senate · Feb 18, 2025
Veterinary Services to Improve Public Health in Rural Communities Act
This bill expands support for public health veterinary services (e.g., disease surveillance or vaccination) in tribal communities to address zoonotic infectious diseases (i.e., diseases that spread between humans and animals).
Specifically, the bill authorizes the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), acting through the Indian Health Service (IHS), to expend funds for public health veterinary services to prevent and control zoonotic disease infection and transmission in IHS areas where the risk for disease occurrence in humans and wildlife is endemic.
Showing the opening paragraphs of the official summary.
HHS may assign or deploy veterinary public health officers from the U.S. Public Health Service (USPHS) Commissioned Corps to IHS areas.
Additionally, HHS must submit a biennial report to Congress on the use of funds, the assignment and deployment of veterinary public health officers from the USPHS Commissioned Corps, data related to the monitoring and disease surveillance of zoonotic diseases, and related services.
The bill also includes the IHS as a coordinating agency in the National One Health Framework. (This framework addresses zoonotic diseases and advances public health preparedness in the United States.)
The bill requires the Department of Agriculture to conduct a feasibility study on the delivery of oral rabies vaccines to wildlife reservoir species that are connected to the transmission of rabies to tribal members living in Arctic regions of the United States. The study must (1) evaluate the efficacy of the oral rabies vaccines, and (2) make recommendations to improve the delivery of these vaccines.
People & committees
Sen. Murkowski, Lisa [R-AK] · R–AK
Legislative record
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Held at the desk.
Received in the House.
Message on Senate action sent to the House.
Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent. (consideration: CR S8687; text: CR S8687)
Passed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent.
Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 174.
Committee on Indian Affairs. Reported by Senator Murkowski without amendment. With written report No. 119-69.
Committee on Indian Affairs. Reported by Senator Murkowski without amendment. With written report No. 119-69.
Committee on Indian Affairs. Ordered to be reported without amendment favorably.
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Indian Affairs.
Introduced in Senate
Primary sources
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Source last updated: Oct 29, 2026. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.
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