Sponsors (2)
The bill strengthens surveillance, coordination, and support for State and Tribal wildlife and zoonotic disease response—reducing outbreak risk and protecting livestock—but expands federal spending and oversight with potential regulatory impacts on farmers, uneven adoption across jurisdictions, and some accountability and trade/port impacts.
Rural, agricultural, and underserved communities (including farmers, tribal residents, and local health providers) gain stronger wildlife and zoonotic disease surveillance and earlier outbreak detection, reducing local disease risk to people and livestock.
State, Federal, and Tribal governments (and the communities they serve) get permanent regional and tribal coordinators and clearer Federal–State–Tribal collaboration, speeding response and improving coordination during wildlife and zoonotic disease events.
Livestock owners and agricultural responders receive better protection because improved interagency communication, explicit linkage to the Animal Health Protection Act, and coordination reduce the chance of costly livestock disease outbreaks.
Taxpayers face increased federal spending and program costs (including an annual authorization and expanded activities), which could raise taxes or divert funds from other priorities.
Farmers, hunters, and rural livelihoods may face greater regulatory burdens (movement controls, testing, monitoring) that could restrict activities and increase compliance costs.
States and Tribes may adopt voluntary best-practice guidance unevenly, leaving gaps in disease control and reducing the program's overall effectiveness for some communities.
Based on analysis of 4 sections of legislative text.
Establishes a federal wildlife health coordination program with national, tribal, and regional coordinators and authorizes $900,000/year to strengthen surveillance and interagency response to zoonotic diseases.
Official title: 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.
Introduced April 30, 2026 by Tammy Baldwin · Last progress April 30, 2026
Creates a new Wildlife Health Coordination and Zoonotic Disease Program within the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to improve coordination, surveillance, and prevention of diseases that move between wildlife, livestock, and people. The program establishes one national coordinator, one tribal coordinator, and four regional coordinators who will share information, help jurisdictions access resources, develop best practices, and report recommendations to Congress, with an authorized $900,000 per year starting FY2027.