Veterinarian Services Investment Act

Floor Speech

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Mr. SMITH of Nebraska. I sincerely appreciate today's consideration of H.R. 3519, the Veterinarian Services Investment Act. The need for skilled veterinarians has already been stated. It may not be at the forefront of debate here in Washington, but it is an issue which impacts many areas of our country and many aspects of our lives.

Our food animal veterinary workforce is on the front lines of food safety, public health, and animal health. This vital profession, however, is facing a critical shortage in the public, private, industrial, and academic sectors. To make matters worse, the problem is certainly on the rise.

Large animal veterinarians in particular are integral to small rural communities, but in many of these communities--communities with few people but with large numbers of animals--we are seeing a very distressing trend. According to the USDA, Nebraska's Cherry County, one of the top three beef production counties in the United States, has 145,000 food animals per one veterinarian.

To this end, I've introduced H.R. 3519, the Veterinarian Services Investment Act, with Mr. Boswell. The legislation authorizes the Secretary of Agriculture to award competitive grants to help develop, implement, and sustain veterinary services especially in identified and underserved areas.

Though we may not realize it, veterinarians make a difference every day. They understand animals and are integral parts of our rural communities. Unfortunately, too many rural communities don't have this necessary support. This investment act will make a difference, and I urge its passage.

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