Wildlife Health Coordination and Zoonotic Disease Prevention Act of 2026
Term Dictionary
If you come across any unfamiliar words while reading, these resources can help make everything clearer. Pick whichever one works best for you!
- Congress.gov Legislative Glossary - Comprehensive congressional terms
- NVFC Congressional Terms Glossary - Concise, easy-to-understand definitions
The gist
Creates a new federal program with 6 coordinators to track wildlife diseases that can spread to humans, like avian flu and chronic wasting disease.
Who wins, who loses
Wins: farmers, hunters, rural communities, public health workers, and Tribal wildlife agencies.
Loses: no one materially; small budget with mostly coordination duties.
What it does
Establishes the Wildlife Health Coordination and Zoonotic Disease Program inside the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS).
Creates 6 coordinator positions: 1 national, 1 Tribal, and 4 regional (Northeast, Southeast, Midwest, West).
Authorizes $900,000 per year starting fiscal year 2027 to fund the program.
Requires coordinators to share disease data across USFWS, USDA, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and Homeland Security, and report to Congress.
Why should I care?
More than 6 in 10 human infectious diseases start in animals. Supporters say better coordination could catch the next COVID-style outbreak earlier and protect the food supply. Critics argue $900,000 yearly is too small to matter and adds another layer of bureaucracy to agencies already doing this work. Where do you land? Vote below and use "Tell Your Rep" to make sure your voice reaches Congress.