,,ii  #aacth ,,congress  #ast ,session  
,s4 #hei  ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the
 ,,united ,,states  ,may #f1 #bjac ,mr4 
,bennet introduced the following bill2  
which was read twice and referred to the
 ,committee on ,agriculture1 ,nutrition1
 and ,forestry  ,a ,,bill  ,to amend the
 ,farm ,security and ,rural ,investment 
,act of #bjjb to provide for the        
conducts of activities to detect1 and   
respond in a timely manner to1 threats  
to animal health4  #a4 ,short title     
,this ,act may be cited as the ,animal  
and ,public ,health ,protection ,act4   
#b4 ,national animal health laboratory  
network ,subtitle ,e of title ,x of the 
,farm ,security and ,rural ,investment  
,act of #bjjb 7#g ,u4,s4,c4 #hcja et    
seq47 is amended by inserting after     
section #ajdji the following3           
#ajdji;,a4 ,national animal health      
laboratory network  7a7 ,definition of  
eligible laboratory ,in this section1   
the term eligible laboratory means a    
diagnostic laboratory that meets        

specific criteria developed by the      
,secretary1 in consultation with ,state 
animal health officials1 ,state         
veterinary diagnostic laboratories1 and 
veterinary diagnostic laboratories at   
institutions of higher education4  7b7  
,contracts ,the ,secretary shall offer  
to enter into contracts1 grants1        
cooperative agreements1 or other legal  
instruments with eligible laboratories--
  7#a7 to enhance the capability of the 
,secretary--  7,a7 to detect1 and       
respond in a timely manner to1 emerging 
or existing threats to animal health2   
and  7,b7 to support the protection of  
public health1 the environment1 and the 
agricultural economy of the ,united     
,states2  7#b7 to provide the capacity  
and capability for standardized--  7,a7 
test procedures1 reference materials1   
and equipment2  7,b7 laboratory         
biosafety and biosecurity levels2  7,c7 
quality management system requirements2 
7,d7 interconnected electronic reporting
 and transmission of data2 and  7,e7    

evaluation for emergency preparedness2  
and  7#c7 to coordinate the development1
 implementation1 and enhancement of     
national veterinary diagnostic          
laboratory capabilities1 with special   
emphasis on surveillance planning and   
vulnerability analysis1 technology      
development and validation1 training1   
and outreach4  7c7 ,priority ,to the    
extent practicable and to the extent    
capacity and specialized expertise may  
be necessary1 the ,secretary shall give 
priority to eligible laboratories at    
existing ,federal facilities1 ,state    
facilities1 and facilities at           
institutions of higher education4  7d7  
,authorization of appropriations ,there 
is authorized to be appropriated to     
carry out this section #ae1jjj1jjj for  
each of fiscal years #bjad through      
#bjah4  4