Senators Announce Bipartisan Group Focused on Boosting Veterinary Medicine Roles in Public Health, Food Supply & Medical Research

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.) and Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) today announced the 119th Congress membership of the Senate Veterinary Medicine Caucus, which they founded in 2023 to focus attention on the critical policy challenges facing an industry that is key to the nation’s health and agricultural sector.

Hyde-Smith and Klobuchar will again serve as co-chairs of the caucus, which will advocate policies to address such issues as the troubling shortage of public service and rural large animal veterinarians.

“Our caucus demonstrates that animal health is a bipartisan issue, which I believe bodes well for our ability to influence policies to promote the veterinary profession.  Our nation needs more veterinarians, especially large animal vets to serve rural America, and lawmakers can and should act to fill the void,” Senator Hyde-Smith said. “Our caucus believes more Americans should understand just how much of their day-to-day lives are touched by the good work done by veterinarians who protect our food supplies, support public health, and advance medical breakthroughs.”

“Veterinarians provide a critical service to farmers, ranchers, and families,” said Senator Klobuchar, Ranking Member on the Senate Agriculture Committee.  “The bipartisan Senate Veterinary Medicine Caucus allows Congress to work with veterinarians across the country to better support medical advancements, protect our nation's food supply, and to ensure the prevention of animal disease.”

In addition to Hyde-Smith and Klobuchar, the bipartisan caucus includes Agriculture Committee Chairman John Boozman (R-Ark.), and U.S. Senators Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), Roger Marshall, M.D. (R-Kan.), Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), James Risch (R-Idaho), Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), and Roger Wicker (R-Miss.).

In light of the current outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza and the threat of New World Screwworm, the caucus will strive to highlight the veterinary profession beyond the majority of veterinarians now practicing in small animal clinics, particularly the roles veterinarians play to support public health, the food supply, and medical research.

The caucus will continue to try to influence public policy related to the critical roles of veterinarians in all forms of clinical practice and in non-clinical roles, including federal inspection of meat, poultry, and catfish products; comparative medical research benefitting both people and animals; and animal and zoonotic disease prevention, detection and response. 

Dr. Sandra Faeh, President of the American Veterinary Medical Association, welcomed the expanded Senate caucus.

“Amplifying the voice of the veterinary profession is essential to ensuring the unique perspective of the veterinarian is considered when important public policy matters are being measured,” Dr. Faeh said.  “Establishing a Veterinary Medicine Caucus in Congress will help promote, protect, and advance veterinary medicine.  We are extremely grateful to Senators Hyde-Smith and Klobuchar for their leadership and dedication to supporting the veterinary community in Congress.”