| S 2774 IS
107th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 2774
To transfer to the
Secretary of Homeland Security the functions of the Secretary of Agriculture
relating to agricultural import and entry inspection activities.
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED
STATES
July 23, 2002
Mr. ROBERTS (for himself, Mr.
ALLARD, Mr. MILLER, Mr. CRAIG, and Mr. CRAPO) introduced the following
bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture,
Nutrition, and Forestry
A BILL
To transfer to the
Secretary of Homeland Security the functions of the Secretary of Agriculture
relating to agricultural import and entry inspection activities.
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 `APHIS Function Transfer Act'.
SEC. 2. TRANSFER OF CERTAIN
AGRICULTURAL INSPECTION FUNCTIONS OF THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.
(a) DEFINITIONS- In this
section:
(1) COVERED LAW- The term
`covered law' means--
(A) the first section of
the Act of August 31, 1922 (7 U.S.C. 281);
(B) title III of the Federal
Seed Act (7 U.S.C. 1581 et seq.);
(C) the Plant Protection
Act (7 U.S.C. 7701 et seq.);
(D) the Animal Health Protection
Act (7 U.S.C. 8301 et seq.);
(E) section 11 of the Endangered
Species Act of 1973 (16 U.S.C. 1540).
(F) the Lacey Act Amendments
of 1981 (16 U.S.C. 3371 et seq.); and
(G) the eighth paragraph
under the heading `BUREAU OF ANIMAL INDUSTRY' in the Act of March 4, 1913
(21 U.S.C. 151 et seq.) (commonly known as the `Virus-Serum-Toxin Act');
(2) FUNCTION- The term `function'
does not include any quarantine activity carried out under a covered law.
(b) TRANSFER- There is transferred
to the Secretary of Homeland Security the functions of the Secretary of
Agriculture relating to agricultural import and entry inspection activities
under each covered law.
(1) COMPLIANCE WITH DEPARTMENT
OF AGRICULTURE REGULATIONS- The authority transferred under subsection
(b) shall be exercised by the Secretary of Homeland Security in accordance
with the regulations, policies, and procedures issued by the Secretary
of Agriculture regarding the administration of each applicable covered
law.
(2) RULEMAKING COORDINATION-
The Secretary of Agriculture shall coordinate with the Secretary of Homeland
Security in any case in which the Secretary of Agriculture prescribes regulations,
policies, or procedures for administering a covered law at--
(A) a port of entry to the
United States; or
(B) any other similar location,
as determined by the Secretary of Agriculture.
(3) EFFECTIVE ADMINISTRATION-
The Secretary of Homeland Security, in consultation with the Secretary
of Agriculture, may issue such directives and guidelines as are necessary
to ensure the effective use of personnel of the Department of Homeland
Security to carry out the functions transferred under subsection (b).
(1) IN GENERAL- As soon
as practicable after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of
Agriculture and the Secretary of Homeland Security shall enter into an
agreement to effectuate the transfer of functions required by subsection
(b).
(2) REQUIRED TERMS- The
agreement required by this subsection shall specifically address--
(A) the supervision by the
Secretary of Agriculture of the training of employees of the Secretary
of Homeland Security to carry out the functions transferred under subsection
(b); and
(B) the transfer of funds
to the Secretary of Homeland Security under subsection (e).
(3) REVISION- After the
date of execution of the agreement described in paragraph (1), the Secretary
of Agriculture and the Secretary of Homeland Security may jointly revise
the agreement, as necessary.
(4) COOPERATION AND RECIPROCITY-
The Secretary of Agriculture and the Secretary of Homeland Security may
include as part of the agreement--
(A) authority under which
the Secretary of Homeland Security may perform functions that--
(i) are delegated to the
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service of the Department of Agriculture
regarding the protection of domestic livestock and plants; but
(ii) are not transferred
to the Secretary of Homeland Security under subsection (b); and
(B) authority under which
the Secretary of Agriculture may use employees of the Department of Homeland
Security to carry out authorities delegated to the Animal and Plant Health
Inspection Service regarding the protection of domestic livestock and plants.
(e) PERIODIC TRANSFER OF
FUNDS TO DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY-
(1) TRANSFER OF FUNDS- Subject
to paragraph (2), out of any funds collected as fees under sections 2508
and 2509 of the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990
(21 U.S.C.
136, 136a), the Secretary of
Agriculture shall periodically transfer to the Secretary of Homeland Security,
in accordance with the agreement under subsection (d), funds for activities
carried out by the Secretary of Homeland Security for which the fees were
collected.
(2) LIMITATION- The proportion
of fees collected under sections 2508 and 2509 of the Food, Agriculture,
Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990 (21 U.S.C. 136, 136a) that are transferred
to the Secretary of Homeland Security under paragraph (1) may not exceed
the proportion that--
(A) the costs incurred by
the Secretary of Homeland Security to carry out activities funded by those
fees; bears to
(B) the costs incurred by
the Federal Government to carry out activities funded by those fees.
(f) TRANSFER OF DEPARTMENT
OF AGRICULTURE EMPLOYEES- In carrying out this section, the Secretary of
Agriculture shall transfer to the Secretary of Homeland Security not more
than 3,200 full-time equivalent positions of the Department of Agriculture.
(g) PROTECTION OF INSPECTION
ANIMALS-
(1) DEFINITION OF SECRETARY
CONCERNED- Title V of the Agricultural Risk Protection Act of 2000 is amended--
(A) by redesignating sections
501 and 502 (7 U.S.C. 2279e, 2279f) as sections 502 and 503, respectively;
and
(B) by inserting before
section 502 (as redesignated by paragraph (1)) the following:
`SEC. 501. DEFINITION OF SECRETARY
CONCERNED.
`In this title, the term
`Secretary concerned' means--
`(1) the Secretary of Agriculture,
with respect to an animal used for purposes of official inspections by
the Department of Agriculture; and
`(2) the Secretary of Homeland
Security, with respect to an animal used for purposes of official inspections
by the Department of Homeland Security.'.
(2) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS-
(A) Section 502 of the Agricultural
Risk Protection Act of 2000 (as redesignated by paragraph (1)(A)) is amended--
(I) by inserting `or the
Department of Homeland Security' after `Department of Agriculture'; and
(II) by inserting `or the
Secretary of Homeland Security' after `Secretary of Agriculture'; and
(ii) by striking `Secretary'
each place it appears (other than in subsections (a) and (e)) and inserting
`Secretary concerned'.
(B) Section 503 of the Agricultural
Risk Protection Act of 2000 (as redesignated by paragraph (1)(A)) is amended
by striking `501' each place it appears and inserting `502'.
SEC. 3. TRANSFER OF PLUM ISLAND
ANIMAL DISEASE CENTER, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.
(a) IN GENERAL- The Secretary
of Agriculture shall transfer to the Secretary of Homeland Security the
Plum Island Animal Disease Center of the Department of Agriculture, including
the assets and liabilities of the Center.
(b) CONTINUED DEPARTMENT
OF AGRICULTURE ACCESS- On completion of the transfer of the Plum Island
Animal Disease Center under subsection (a), the Secretary of Homeland Security
and the Secretary of Agriculture shall enter into an agreement to ensure
that the Secretary of Agriculture retains access to the Center for research,
diagnostic, and other activities of the Department of Agriculture.
END
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