Bush Will Sign BSE, FMD Bill

May 30, 2001

President Bush said Friday he would sign a law meant to help authorities seal U.S. borders against bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) and foot-and-mouth disease. The measure, which is titled Mad Cow and Related Disease Prevention Act of 2001, would create an interagency task force to coordinate government efforts to prevent an outbreak of the two animal diseases in the United States, according to the American Meat Institute.

Specifically, the law would require the Secretary of Agriculture to submit a report within 30 days to both the Senate and House Agriculture Committees covering coordinated interagency activities to assess, prevent, and control the spread of FMD and BSE; sources of information by the federal government available to the public regarding FMD and BSE; and any need for legislative authority, appropriations and/or product bans to prevent the introduction of FMD or BSE into the U.S.

Within 180 days the Secretary must report the economic impact of FMD and BSE to the United States; potential risks to public and animal health from FMD, BSE and vCJD, including domestic and imported livestock, animal products, wildlife and blood products; recommendations to protect U.S. animal herds and citizens from those risks; analysis of effectiveness of current preventative measures taken by the public, private and nonprofit sectors; description of any measures or plans to be taken by any federal agency regarding FMD, BSE and vCJD; plans to coordinate prevention and research efforts between federal agencies and in partnership with private sector; plans for compensation for animals affected with BSE or FMD; and recommendations for legislation and/or appropriations to prevent FMD, BSE and vCJD.

Membership in the task force would include the secretaries of Agriculture, Commerce, Health and Human Services, State and the Treasury; the directors of NIH, CDC and FEMA; the commissioners of Food and Drug and Customs; and any other federal department heads considered necessary by the Bush administration.