S. 4451

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 4451 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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119th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 4451

To support Federal, State, and Tribal coordination and management 
efforts relating to wildlife disease and zoonotic disease surveillance 
and ongoing and potential wildlife disease and zoonotic disease 
outbreaks, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

April 30, 2026

Ms. Baldwin introduced the following bill; which was read twice and 
referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works

_______________________________________________________________________

A BILL

To support Federal, State, and Tribal coordination and management 
efforts relating to wildlife disease and zoonotic disease surveillance 
and ongoing and potential wildlife disease and zoonotic disease 
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 ``Wildlife Health Coordination and 
Zoonotic Disease Prevention Act of 2026''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

Congress finds that--
(1) zoonotic diseases are a significant threat to humans, 
livestock, domestic animals, and wildlife, which is evidenced 
by the fact that--
(A) more than 6 out of every 10 known infectious 
diseases in human populations originated in animals; 
and
(B) 3 out of every 4 new or emerging infectious 
diseases in human populations originate from animals;
(2) zoonotic diseases are capable of transmitting between 
animal populations, including wildlife, livestock, and domestic 
animals, and human populations;
(3) the majority of recent emerging and transboundary 
infectious diseases have originated in wildlife, such as the 
ongoing highly pathogenic avian influenza outbreak since 2022;
(4) zoonotic disease spillover events are occurring more 
frequently, particularly due to globalization and increased 
interactions between human and animal populations;
(5) risk exposure to zoonotic diseases across human 
populations can vary, with rural and agricultural communities 
and communities without healthcare experiencing increased 
vulnerability;
(6) many zoonotic diseases of concern originate in wildlife 
and livestock, which can be highly transmissible and spill over 
into humans, domestic animals, and back into wildlife and 
livestock, including--
(A) highly pathogenic avian influenza spreading 
among poultry and wild birds to humans, dairy cattle, 
cats, and wild mammals, among others;
(B) chronic wasting disease transmissions between 
wild and captive deer and elk; and
(C) bovine tuberculosis and brucellosis between 
ruminants and wildlife, which are also capable of 
infecting humans;
(7) outbreaks of diseases in wildlife and livestock, 
particularly those with zoonotic potential, have significant 
adverse effects on the United States economy, with the ongoing 
2022 avian influenza outbreak resulting in the Department of 
Agriculture spending, as of February 2025, over $2,500,000,000 
in indemnity payments;
(8) outbreaks of zoonotic diseases pose a significant 
public health threat and may lead to a domestic or global 
public health emergency;
(9) the Department of the Interior, Department of 
Agriculture, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and 
Department of Homeland Security play distinct but complementary 
roles in the prevention, detection, control, and response to 
zoonotic diseases that impact wildlife, livestock and domestic 
animals, and humans;
(10) the Department of the Interior has a responsibility to 
protect and manage Federal trust species, including by 
monitoring wildlife populations and performing surveillance for 
emerging wildlife diseases, including diseases with zoonotic 
potential;
(11) the United States Fish and Wildlife Service is 
responsible for disease surveillance, response, and management 
of diseases that threaten wildlife and other animal populations 
and humans;
(12) State fish and wildlife agencies exercise primary 
statutory authority over the management of fish and wildlife as 
public trust resources within their borders;
(13) the Department of Agriculture is primarily responsible 
for safeguarding the health of livestock, developing and 
conducting monitoring and surveillance for livestock diseases, 
preventing the spread of pests and diseases that pose a threat 
to the agricultural industry, and conducting wildlife disease 
research and implementing a National Wildlife Disease Program 
that focuses on wildlife disease surveillance;
(14) the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is the 
leading public health agency responsible for--
(A) monitoring and responding to human health 
threats posed by wildlife diseases and zoonotic 
diseases; and
(B) conducting surveillance and research and 
providing guidance to prevent and control the spread of 
zoonotic diseases to and among humans;
(15) the Department of Homeland Security is primarily 
responsible for securing borders to prevent the introduction of 
wildlife diseases and zoonotic diseases;
(16) increased coordination and collaboration between 
Federal, State, and Tribal agencies with respect to wildlife 
disease and zoonotic disease efforts is necessary to adequately 
monitor and respond to ongoing and potential disease outbreaks, 
especially outbreaks that pose public health threats;
(17) there is critical need to support existing Federal, 
State, and Tribal coordination and management efforts relating 
to wildlife disease and zoonotic disease early detection, 
surveillance, and research and management;
(18) greater permanence for Wildlife Health Coordinators as 
intermediaries between the Department of Agriculture, the 
Department of the Interior, State fish and wildlife agencies, 
and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention would 
facilitate communication, information sharing, and coordinated 
efforts to prevent, detect, and respond to wildlife diseases 
and zoonotic diseases;
(19) Wildlife Health Coordinators help address State agency 
capacity nationally, including the interagency National Fish 
and Wildlife Health Initiative with membership from the 
Department of Agriculture and Department of the Interior and 
Tribal and State representatives; and
(20) coordinated efforts described in paragraphs (18) and 
(19) are essential to protect public health, wildlife 
populations, and agricultural interests from the impacts of 
ongoing and emerging infectious disease threats.

SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

In this Act:
(1) Indian tribe.--The term ``Indian Tribe'' has the 
meaning given the term in section 4 of the Indian Self-
Determination and Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 5304).
(2) Livestock.--The term ``livestock'' has the meaning 
given the term in section 10403 of the Animal Health Protection 
Act (7 U.S.C. 8302).
(3) Program.--The term ``Program'' means the Wildlife 
Health Coordination and Zoonotic Disease Program established by 
section 4(a).
(4) Wildlife health coordinator.--The term ``Wildlife 
Health Coordinator'' means an individual appointed to a 
position described in section 4(c)(1).
(5) Wildlife disease.--The term ``wildlife disease'' means 
any infectious disease originating in wildlife that can be 
transmitted, directly or indirectly, from an infected animal, 
host or vector, parasitic insects, inanimate source, or any 
other source to non-human animals, including wildlife, 
livestock, and domestic animals.
(6) Zoonotic disease.--
(A) In general.--The term ``zoonotic disease'' 
means any disease that is transmissible between animals 
and humans.
(B) Inclusion.--The term ``zoonotic disease'' 
includes any wildlife disease that can be transmitted 
between animals and humans.

SEC. 4. WILDLIFE HEALTH COORDINATORS.

(a) Establishment.--There is established within the United States 
Fish and Wildlife Service a program, to be known as the ``Wildlife 
Health Coordination and Zoonotic Disease Program'', to be jointly 
administered by the Director of the United States Fish and Wildlife 
Service and the Administrator of the Animal and Plant Health Inspection 
Service, to serve as a liaison between the Department of the Interior, 
the Department of Agriculture, the Centers for Disease Control and 
Prevention, the Department of Homeland Security, and other relevant 
Federal, State, and Tribal agencies, as determined necessary by the 
Director of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service and the 
Administrator of the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
(b) Purposes.--The purposes of the Program are--
(1) to improve coordination among Federal, State, and 
Tribal partners on wildlife health issues and wildlife 
diseases, particularly diseases that have zoonotic potential; 
and
(2) to support communication, planning, and capacity 
building efforts to address emerging and ongoing national, 
State, and regional wildlife health concerns.
(c) Wildlife Health Coordinators.--
(1) Positions.--There are established in the Program the 
following positions, to be appointed in accordance with 
paragraph (2):
(A) 1 National Wildlife Health Coordinator.
(B) 1 Tribal Wildlife Health Coordinator.
(C) 4 Regional Wildlife Health Coordinators.
(2) Appointments.--The Wildlife Health Coordinators shall 
be appointed in accordance with the following, using amounts 
made available through grants, contracts, and cooperative 
agreements provided with amounts made available to carry out 
this section:
(A) The position of National Wildlife Health 
Coordinator described in paragraph (1)(A) shall be 
appointed by the Association of Fish and Wildlife 
Agencies.
(B) The position of Tribal Wildlife Health 
Coordinator described in paragraph (1)(B) shall be 
appointed by the Native American Fish and Wildlife 
Society.
(C) The 4 positions of Regional Wildlife Health 
Coordinators described in paragraph (1)(C) shall be 
appointed by each of--
(i) the Western Association of Fish and 
Wildlife Agencies;
(ii) the Midwest Association of Fish and 
Wildlife Agencies;
(iii) the Northeast Association of Fish and 
Wildlife Agencies; and
(iv) the Southeastern Association of Fish 
and Wildlife Agencies.
(3) Regions.--The Regional Wildlife Health Coordinators 
appointed under paragraph (2)(C) shall--
(A) serve 4 distinct regions in the United States, 
including the Northeast, Southeast, Midwest, and West, 
which shall be defined as each region represented by 
the Regional Associations described in clauses (i) 
through (iv) of that paragraph; and
(B) collaborate across those regions for unified 
work.
(4) Qualifications.--A Wildlife Health Coordinator shall 
have expertise in wildlife health, veterinary science and 
medicine, epidemiology, or another related field.
(5) Duties.--A Wildlife Health Coordinator shall--
(A) establish relationships with relevant Federal, 
State, and Tribal agencies to carry out the purposes of 
this Act;
(B) facilitate information sharing about existing 
and emerging wildlife diseases, including disease 
threats to livestock and domestic animals, and zoonotic 
disease outbreaks or emerging disease threats between 
States, including State departments of agriculture, 
environment, natural resources, fish and wildlife, and 
public health and State animal health officials, Indian 
Tribes, the National Animal Health Laboratory Network, 
the National Wildlife Health Center of the United 
States Geological Survey, the Department of 
Agriculture, the United States Fish and Wildlife 
Service, the Centers for Disease Control and 
Prevention, the Department of Homeland Security, and 
other relevant Federal agencies, as determined by the 
Director of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service 
and the Administrator of the Animal and Plant Health 
Inspection Service;
(C) assist States and Indian Tribes in accessing 
resources, including applying for funding, to work on 
wildlife health and zoonotic disease issues, including 
diseases--
(i) with potential to transmit between 
wildlife and livestock or domestic animals, 
especially in areas where wildlife has frequent 
contact with livestock and domestic animal 
populations; and
(ii) with zoonotic potential;
(D) coordinate--
(i) between States, including State 
departments of agriculture, environment, 
natural resources, fish and wildlife, and 
public health and State animal health 
officials, and Federal agencies; and
(ii) with other relevant entities engaged 
in wildlife disease and zoonotic disease 
testing, research, monitoring, surveillance, 
and management activities, including entities 
convened by the Association of Fish and 
Wildlife Agencies;
(E) develop and share best management practices 
relating to wildlife health threats and zoonotic 
diseases prepared by the Department of Agriculture, the 
United States Fish and Wildlife Service, the Centers 
for Disease Control and Prevention, and State and 
Tribal agencies between those Federal agencies and 
State and Tribal agencies, including State departments 
of agriculture, environment, natural resources, fish 
and wildlife, and public health and State animal health 
officials; and
(F) submit to Congress a report on recommendations 
for improving interagency coordination and additional 
resources necessary to address and prevent wildlife 
diseases of concern and zoonotic disease outbreaks, 
particularly diseases that threaten public health.
(6) Best management practices.--Best management practices 
developed and shared under paragraph (5)(E) may include 
voluntary guidance relating to the humane dispatch of animals 
in the field, disease surveillance and monitoring techniques, 
biosecurity and biosafety measures, public education, and other 
information, as jointly determined necessary by the Director of 
the United States Fish and Wildlife Service and the 
Administrator of the Animal and Plant Health Inspection 
Service.
(d) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out this section $900,000 for fiscal year 2027 
and each fiscal year thereafter.
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