03/18/2021
Senate Bill S. 861 was introduced in the US Senate on March 18, 2021, by Senators Tina Smith and Todd Young. That same day the identical bill H.R. 2061 was introduced in the House of Representatives by Representatives Kurt Schrader and Dusty Johnson.
117th U.S. Congress
(January 3, 2021 to January 3, 2023)
(A bill to establish an interagency One Health Program and for other purposes)
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
Senate Press Release
(A bill to establish an interagency One Health Program and for other purposes)
Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and to the Committees on Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Foreign Affairs.
House Press Release
Text essentially the same as the One Health Act of 2019
S. 861 and H.R. 2061 call for a coordinated “One Health” approach to better prevent, prepare for, and respond to zoonotic disease outbreaks. The bills call for appropriate US federal departments and agencies to establish a national One Health Framework to coordinate Federal activities under a One Health Program.
Previously in the 116th Congress
The One Health Act of 2019, Senate Bill S.1903, 'Advancing Emergency Preparedness Through One Health Act of 2019’ was introduced in the US Senate on June 19, 2019, by Senators Tina Smith and Todd Young. It was referred to the Senate’s Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP).
This was followed on July 16, 2019 with introduction in the House of Representatives of the (identical title and text) companion Bill HR.3771 by Representatives Kurt Schrader and Ted Yoho. It was referred to four House Committees; Energy and Commerce, Agriculture, Natural Resources and the Committee on Foreign Affairs.
December 19, 2019, the U.S. Senate unanimously passed a bipartisan Senate Resolution 462 (S Res 462) designating January 2020 as “National One Health Awareness Month” in the U.S. See Press Release. Then, on January 14, 2020, US House Representatives Kurt Schrader and Ted Yoho introduced the same resolution H.Res.794 into the House (see Press Release) which, unfortunately, did not get passed in the House. To highlight these events, a One Health Awareness Month Campaign was launched globally that continues each January. One Health champions are encouraged to use the One Health Awareness Month compilation of teaching and advocacy resources all year round
As the 116th session of Congress concluded in December 2020, lawmakers passed a massive $2.3 trillion Omnibus Appropriations bill. Notably, that final spending package included One Health language directing federal agencies to develop and report back to Congress with a national One Health Framework. (See: Amendment to rules Committee Print for HR6395, Offered by Mr. Schrader of Oregon that contains language identical to Sections 3 and 4 of the One Health Act of 2019.)
Additionally, see language that was included (pp 67-68) in that bill’s accompanying Appropriations Committee Bill Report requiring CDC to develop a national one-health framework and to work with the Department of Agriculture and Department of Interior to develop a One Health coordination mechanism at the federal level. The required report will be sent to Congress by mid-June 2021.
Education and Advocacy
Informal Coalition of U.S. One Health Partners
In September 2019 U.S. Organizations were invited to Sign On to an informal Coalition of U.S. One Health Partners who support One Health and the One Health Act of 2019. That coalition continues and that invitation is 'still' open. See the current list of partners. You may share this invitational link with organizations that might like to be included. https://conta.cc/2NOrwQD
April 6, 2021 Updates to the Informal Coalition of U.S. One Health Partners
October 16, 2023 Updates to the informal Coalition of U.S. One Health Partners
See Other Advocacy Efforts in 2019 and 2020
How to help!
Use Information Handouts. Feel free to download and use when speaking with your own lawmakers.
Use the AVMA Action Alert system to identify and send a letter to your lawmakers about the One Health Bills, S 861 and HR 2061.
See 2020 Informational video about the One Health Act of 2019 prepared by Adtalem Global Education.
See also:
Advancing Legislation on ‘One Health’ in the United States of America, Dunham B, Kaplan B, One Health Newsletter: Volume 11 Issue 1
