Political Quotes

“Mr. President, I rise today to introduce a bill, along with Senator Ensign, to establish a Chief Veterinary Officer within the Department of Homeland Security. I want to acknowledge the leadership that our colleagues in the House, especially Representative Rogers of Alabama, have shown in introducing a bipartisan companion bill. This bipartisan, bicameral legislation advances increased focus on veterinary health, food defense, and agricultural security within the Department of Homeland Security. Importantly, it does this without creating an additional layer of management within the Department. Animal disease and zoonotic outbreaks are a looming threat to the United States. A major foreign animal disease outbreak, such as foot- and-mouth disease, could have far-reaching effects, threatening our food supply and harming both domestic commerce and international trade. The Department of Homeland Security would be called upon to provide leadership and to integrate the necessary assets and people from across the Nation to respond to such an incident. This bill would strengthen the Department's capacity to prepare for and respond to such a crisis by ensuring that there is a veterinary leader within the Department who is fully prepared and empowered to respond. The Secretary of Homeland Security would be required to appoint a veterinarian with expertise in veterinary public health, emergency preparedness, and other related fields as the Department's Chief Veterinary Officer.…”