National Veterinary Medical Service Act
Public Law 108-161 · H.R. 1367 · 108th Congress · began in the House
Signed by George W. Bush (R) on Dec 6, 2003 · Health
Sponsor: Rep. Chip Pickering (R-MS-3)
Cosponsors (11): Rep. Jim Turner, Rep. John Peterson,
Passage votes
- HouseVoice vote
- SenateUnanimous consent
Data notes
The final version of the law, as each chamber passed it. A chamber that passed it by voice vote or unanimous consent has no count. “Method not stated” means the record does not say how the chamber voted. Where the record has a member-by-member vote, the “Who voted for it” section shows who voted yea.
Summary
The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.
National Veterinary Medical Service Act - Amends the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 to direct the Secretary of Agriculture to provide veterinary school educational loan repayment assistance (for tuition and educational and living expenses) to veterinarians who agree to practice in veterinary shortage situations.
Authorizes the Secretary to enter into agreements (60-day maximum working days during a one-year period) with such veterinarians to provide services to the Federal Government in emergency situations. Provides additional loan repayment and a salary for such service.
Authorizes the Secretary, in determining veterinarian shortage situations, to consider the needs of urban or rural areas, the Federal Government, and areas of practice such as public health, epidemiology, and food safety.
Provides for breach remedies and related waiver authority.
Directs the Secretary to make related tax liability payments to participants.
Authorizes appropriations.
Committees
The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.
Data notes
A committee links to its page only where it exists in the current Congress; older and renamed committees are named without a link.
Related bills
1 bill the Library of Congress relates to this one.
S. 1858Related bill
National Veterinary Medical Service Act
Data notes
Related bills are identified by the Congressional Research Service, the House and the Senate: companion and identical bills, bills with similar text, bills that were folded into this law, and rules that brought it to the floor. A bill that is itself a public law in this site’s data links here; the others link to Congress.gov.
Timeline
From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 20 actions.
- Dec 6, 2003Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 108-161.
- Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- Nov 26, 2003FloorFloor · Presented to President.
- Nov 25, 2003FloorFloor · Message on Senate action sent to the House.
- Nov 24, 2003FloorFloor · Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent.
- CommitteeCommittee · Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry discharged by Unanimous Consent.
- Nov 18, 2003CommitteeCommittee · Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.
- Nov 17, 2003FloorFloor · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
- FloorFloor · On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote.
- FloorFloor · Mr. Gutknecht moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
- FloorFloor · Considered under suspension of the rules.
- FloorFloor · DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 1367.
- Oct 29, 2003CommitteeCommittee · Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by Voice Vote.
- CommitteeCommittee · Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
- CommitteeCommittee · Subcommittee on Conservation, Credit, Rural Development and Research Discharged.
- Jul 29, 2003CommitteeCommittee · Favorable Executive Comment Received from USDA.
- Mar 28, 2003CommitteeCommittee · Executive Comment Requested from USDA.
- CommitteeCommittee · Referred to the Subcommittee on Conservation, Credit, Rural Development and Research.
- Mar 19, 2003CommitteeCommittee · Referred to the House Committee on Agriculture.
- IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in House
Data notes
Every action the Library of Congress lists for the bill, from introduction to signing, plus the dated committee hearings. The source lists many steps twice (the chamber’s own entry and the Library of Congress copy, or a presidential and a became-law entry with the same words); those are shown once. Amendments are listed in their own section.
Amendments
No amendments to this bill are on record.
Data notes
Amendments offered to this bill in either chamber, as the Library of Congress records them: each with a status read from its last recorded step: agreed to, rejected, withdrawn, ruled out of order, fell with another amendment, or offered with no vote recorded (most Senate amendments are only ever offered). The wording of each amendment is the source’s. Amendments to amendments and amendments to other bills are not listed.
Official record
The bill’s full text is on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.