H.R. 9377

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 9377 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 9377

To establish a grant program for preparing and responding to New World 
screwworm outbreaks, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

June 18, 2026

Mr. Vasquez (for himself, Ms. Davids of Kansas, Mr. Figures, Ms. 
Salinas, Mr. Thompson of Mississippi, Mr. McCaul, Mr. Harder of 
California, Ms. Leger Fernandez, Ms. Garcia of Texas, Ms. Stansbury, 
Mr. Veasey, Ms. Pingree, Mr. Panetta, and Mr. Cuellar) introduced the 
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Agriculture

_______________________________________________________________________

A BILL

To establish a grant program for preparing and responding to New World 
screwworm outbreaks, and for other purposes.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ``Protecting America's Herds Act''.

SEC. 2. GRANTS FOR PREPARING AND RESPONDING TO NEW WORLD SCREWWORM.

(a) Establishment.--The Secretary of Agriculture (in this section 
referred to as the ``Secretary'') shall establish a program to award 
grants, on a competitive basis, to cooperative extension services to 
prepare and respond to New World screwworm outbreaks.
(b) Applications.--To be eligible to receive a grant under this 
section, a cooperative extension service shall submit to the Secretary 
an application at such time, in such manner, and containing such 
information as the Secretary determines appropriate.
(c) Use of Funds.--A grant awarded under this section may be used 
to--
(1) train personnel of the cooperative extension service on 
New World screwworm identification, treatment, management, 
prevention, and reporting;
(2) support livestock inspections, including the training 
of inspectors, for New World screwworm;
(3) support producer education regarding New World 
screwworm through workshops, field demonstrations, outreach 
campaigns, and educational materials; and
(4) support the provision of direct technical assistance by 
personnel of the cooperative extension service to livestock 
producers regarding prevention, monitoring, treatment, 
biosecurity practices, and reporting of suspected infestations 
of New World screwworm.
(d) Priority.--In carrying out this section, the Secretary shall 
give priority to cooperative extension services in States or Tribal 
communities at elevated risk of New World screwworm introduction or 
spread.
(e) Coordination.--In carrying out this section, the Secretary 
shall coordinate with cooperative extension services, the Animal and 
Plant Health Inspection Service, State animal health officials, 
veterinarians, Tribal agricultural programs, and land-grant colleges 
and universities conducting veterinary or agricultural research.
(f) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Cooperative extension service.--The term ``cooperative 
extension service'' has the meaning given such term in section 
1404 of the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and 
Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 3103).
(2) Land-grant colleges and universities.--The term ``land-
grant colleges and universities'' has the meaning given such 
term in section 1404 of the National Agricultural Research, 
Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 3103).
(3) State.--The term ``State'' means each of the several 
States, the District of Columbia, and the territories of the 
United States.
(g) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated such sums as may be necessary to carry out this section.
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