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Veterinary Services to Improve Public Health in Rural Communities Act
10/3/2025, 9:06 PM
Summary of Bill S 620
Specifically, the bill authorizes the Secretary of Health and Human Services to provide grants to Indian Tribes and Tribal organizations for the purpose of implementing rabies prevention programs. These programs may include the vaccination of domestic animals, public education campaigns, and the establishment of surveillance systems to monitor and control the spread of rabies.
In addition to providing funding for rabies prevention efforts, the bill also requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services to collaborate with Tribal governments and organizations to develop and implement comprehensive strategies for addressing rabies within Tribal communities. This collaborative approach is intended to ensure that the unique needs and challenges of Tribal communities are taken into account when designing and implementing rabies prevention programs. Overall, Bill 119 s 620 represents a proactive and collaborative effort to address the public health threat posed by rabies within Indian Tribes and Tribal organizations. By providing resources and support for vaccination programs and other preventative measures, the bill aims to protect the health and well-being of Tribal communities and prevent the spread of rabies within these populations.
Congressional Summary of S 620
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.
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.
Read the Full Bill
Current Status of Bill S 620
Bipartisan Support of Bill S 620
Total Number of Sponsors
1Democrat Sponsors
0Republican Sponsors
1Unaffiliated Sponsors
0Total Number of Cosponsors
3Democrat Cosponsors
3Republican Cosponsors
0Unaffiliated Cosponsors
0Policy Area and Potential Impact of Bill S 620
Primary Policy Focus
Native AmericansAlternate Title(s) of Bill S 620
Comments

Amani Bowers
8 months ago
I'm not too sure about this one, seems like it could cause some issues for folks like me in rural areas. Gonna have to keep an eye on it.



