What This Bill Does
This law creates a new National Detector Dog Training Center. The Center will train dogs to find foreign and invasive pests and diseases that could hurt American farms and natural resources. The Center will also train the people who handle these dogs.
Who It Affects
The U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service will run this Center. U.S. Customs and Border Protection will work with the Center. State agriculture departments, local and county farm officials, and private businesses may also be involved.
Key Provisions
- The Center must train dogs to protect American agricultural and natural resources from foreign and invasive pests and diseases (Sec. 2(b)(1))
- The Center must train human handlers to select and train dogs for this work (Sec. 2(b)(2))
- The Center must work with federal agencies like U.S. Customs and Border Protection and with non-federal partners like state agriculture departments (Sec. 2(b)(3) and (4))
- The Center must take care of all dogs under its control, including providing veterinary care, shelter and food (Sec. 2(b)(5))
- The Center must offer retired trained dogs and dogs that don't finish training to private families for adoption (Sec. 2(b)(6))
- The Secretary of Agriculture must submit a report to Congress within one year describing threats, the Center's role in protection, needed improvements, and recommendations (Sec. 3)
What Changes
The National Detector Dog Training Center is officially established by law. A written report about the Center's work and future improvements must be sent to Congress.
Important Definitions
None defined in the bill text.
138 STAT. 2658
PUBLIC LAW 118–191—DEC. 23, 2024
Public Law 118–191
118th Congress
An Act
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 retire-
ment-age trained dogs and dogs that do not complete training.
(7) Any other duties necessary to safeguard domestic agri-
cultural 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.
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;
Examination.
7 USC 2279l.
7 USC 2201 note.
Beagle Brigade
Act of 2023.
Dec. 23, 2024
[S. 759]
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138 STAT. 2659
PUBLIC LAW 118–191—DEC. 23, 2024
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY—S. 759:
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 170 (2024):
Nov. 21, considered and passed Senate.
Dec. 18, considered and passed House.
Æ
(3) a description of improvements needed in Federal pro-
grams 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.
Approved December 23, 2024.
Recommenda-
tions.
Recommenda-
tions.
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