Swine Health Protection Act
Public Law 96-468 · H.R. 6593 · 96th Congress · began in the House
Signed by Jimmy Carter (D) on Oct 17, 1980 · Agriculture and Food
Sponsor: Rep. Paul Findley (R-IL-20)
Cosponsors (42): Rep. Edward Madigan, Rep. James Abdnor,
Passage votes
- HouseMethod not stated
- SenateMethod not stated
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.
Swine Health Protection Act - Prohibits the feeding, or the permission to feed, of garbage to swine unless such garbage has been treated to kill disease organisms, in accordance with regulations issued by the Secretary of Agriculture (or the chief agricultural or animal health official of a State with an agreement with the Secretary).
Exempts waste from ordinary household operations which is fed directly to swine on the same premises as the household from coverage as "garbage" under this Act.
Requires persons operating a garbage-treatment facility who know such garbage is to be fed to swine to hold a valid permit issued under this Act.
Provides for the issuance, suspension, and revocation of such permits. Requires that such facilities to be issued such permits: (1) meet requirements prescribed by the Secretary to prevent the introduction or dissemination of any infectious or communicable disease of animals or poultry; and (2) be so constructed that swine are unable to enter the premises or have access to untreated garbage or material coming in contact with such garbage.
Sets forth civil and criminal penalties for violations of this Act.
Provides for general enforcement of this Act by the Attorney General, upon the request of the Secretary, in U.S. district courts.
Provides for cooperative agreements with State agencies for coordination of enforcement, administration, and regulation under this Act and under State law.
Grants each State effectively enforcing adequate State laws regulatory the feeding of garbage to swine primary enforcement for violation of laws and regulations under this Act.
Directs the Secretary to appoint an advisory committee to evaluate State programs and consult with the Secretary concerning other matters within the scope of this Act.
Specifies that nothing in this Act shall be construed to repeal supercede any State law prohibiting the feeding of garbage to swine.
Authorizes appropriation necessary to carry out this Act.
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.
Timeline
From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 12 actions.
- Oct 17, 1980Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- PresidentPresident · Public Law 96-468.
- Oct 8, 1980PresidentPresident · Measure presented to President.
- PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in Senate.
- PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in House.
- Oct 1, 1980FloorFloor · Measure passed Senate.
- FloorFloor · Measure called up by unanimous consent in Senate.
- FloorFloor · Measure passed House, amended.
- FloorFloor · Measure called up by unanimous consent in House.
- Sep 24, 1980CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Agriculture Committee
- Feb 25, 1980CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Agriculture Committee
- IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in the House
Data notes
Shows the introduction, each committee and subcommittee step the source dates (referral, hearings, markup, report, discharge), and the floor, conference, presidential and became-law steps. Calendar placements, messages between the chambers, amendments and committee report numbers are not shown for laws before the 108th Congress. Two entries the source lists twice are shown once.
Official record
The bill’s full text and every action, including introduction and committee steps, are on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.