Beagle Brigade Act of 2023

Beagle Brigade Act of 2023

This bill provides statutory authority for the National Detector Dog Training Center that is operated by the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) of the Department of Agriculture. The center trains dogs to inspect passenger baggage, cargo, mailed packages, and vehicles to detect foreign pests and diseases that threaten domestic agriculture and natural resources.

The bill also requires APHIS to report to Congress on (1) current and emerging threats to domestic agricultural and natural resources from foreign pests and diseases, and (2) recommendations to improve the center's capabilities and procedures.

[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1480 Introduced in House (IH)]

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118th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 1480

 To authorize the National Detector Dog Training Center, and for other 
                               purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             March 9, 2023

 Mr. Bishop of Georgia (for himself, Mr. Ferguson, Mr. Kildee, and Mr. 
Smith of Nebraska) introduced the following bill; which was referred to 
                      the Committee on Agriculture

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To authorize the National Detector Dog Training Center, 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 ``Beagle Brigade Act of 2023''.

SEC. 2. NATIONAL DETECTOR DOG TRAINING CENTER.

    (a) In General.--There is established a National Detector Dog 
Training Center (referred to in this Act as the ``Center'').
    (b) Duties.--The Center shall have the following duties:
            (1) Training dogs for the purpose of safeguarding domestic 
        agricultural and natural resources from foreign and invasive 
        pests and diseases.
            (2) Training human handlers to successfully select and 
        train dogs for the purpose described in paragraph (1).
            (3) Collaborating with relevant Federal agencies, including 
        U.S. Customs and Border Protection, to safeguard domestic 
        agricultural and natural resources.
            (4) Collaborating with external stakeholders, including 
        State departments of agriculture, local and county agricultural 
        officials, private sector entities, and other relevant non-
        Federal partners.
            (5) Ensuring the health and welfare of all dogs under the 
        care of the Center, including by ensuring access to necessary 
        veterinary care, adequate shelter, and proper nutrition.
            (6) Providing opportunities for private adoption of 
        retirement-age trained dogs and dogs that do not complete 
        training.
            (7) Any other duties necessary to safeguard domestic 
        agricultural and natural resources from foreign and invasive 
        pests and diseases, as determined by the Secretary of 
        Agriculture, acting through the Administrator of the Animal and 
        Plant Health Inspection Service.
    (c) Authorization of Appropriations.--In addition to any other 
amounts made available for the operation of the Center, there are 
authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of Agriculture, acting 
through the Administrator of the Animal and Plant Health Inspection 
Service, such sums as are necessary for fiscal year 2024, and each 
fiscal year thereafter, for the operation of the Center.

SEC. 3. REPORT.

    Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the 
Secretary of Agriculture, acting through the Administrator of the 
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, shall submit to Congress a 
report that contains--
            (1) a description of current and emerging threats to 
        domestic agricultural and natural resources from foreign pests 
        and diseases within the purview of the operations of the 
        Center;
            (2) an examination of the role that the Center plays in the 
        protection against foreign pests and diseases;
            (3) a description of improvements needed in Federal 
        programs to minimize threats from foreign pests and diseases 
        within the purview of the operations of the Center, including 
        strengthened coordination among the Animal and Plant Health 
        Inspection Service, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and 
        other relevant Federal agencies;
            (4) recommendations to strengthen the capabilities of the 
        Center in protecting against foreign pests and diseases; and
            (5) recommendations to improve--
                    (A) the dog procurement procedures of the Center; 
                and
                    (B) private adoption opportunities for retirement-
                age trained dogs and dogs that do not complete 
                training.
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