Public Law 119-73 (01/23/2026)

21 U.S.C. § 113a

Establishment of research laboratories for foot-and-mouth disease and other animal diseases; research contracts; employment of technicians and scientists; appropriations

section 3105(a) of title 7ProvidedProvidedThe Secretary of Agriculture is authorized to establish research laboratories, including the acquisition of necessary land, buildings, or facilities, and also the making of research contracts under the authority contained in , for research and study, in the United States or elsewhere, of foot-and-mouth disease and other animal diseases which in the opinion of the Secretary constitute a threat to the livestock industry of the United States: , That no live virus of foot-and-mouth disease may be introduced for any purpose into any part of the mainland of the United States (except coastal islands separated therefrom by water navigable for deep-water navigation and which shall not be connected with the mainland by any tunnel) unless the Secretary determines that it is necessary and in the public interest for the conduct of research and study in the United States (except at Brookhaven National Laboratory in Upton, New York) and issues a permit under such rules as the Secretary shall promulgate to protect animal health, except that the Secretary of Agriculture may transport said virus in the original package across the mainland under adequate safeguards, and except further, that in the event of outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease in this country, the Secretary of Agriculture may, at his discretion, permit said virus to be brought into the United States under adequate safeguards. To carry out the provisions of this section, the Secretary is authorized to employ technical experts or scientists: , That the number so employed shall not exceed five and that the maximum compensation for each shall not exceed the highest rate of grade 18 of the General Schedule. There is authorized to be appropriated such sums as Congress may deem necessary; in addition, the Secretary is authorized to utilize in carrying out this section, funds otherwise available for the control or eradication of such diseases.

May 29, 1884, ch. 60, § 12Apr. 24, 1948, ch. 22962 Stat. 198July 31, 1956, ch. 80470 Stat. 742Pub. L. 85–57372 Stat. 454Pub. L. 87–793, § 1001(e)76 Stat. 864Pub. L. 88–426, title III, § 305(1)78 Stat. 422Pub. L. 101–624, title XVI, § 1618(b)104 Stat. 3733(, as added , ; amended , title I, § 119, ; , , ; , , ; , , ; , , .)

Editorial Notes

Codification

63 Stat. 972Pub. L. 89–55480 Stat. 632Section 5102 of Title 5section 5103 of Title 5Provisions that authorized the Secretary to employ technical experts and scientists “without regard to the Classification Act”, meaning the Classification Act of 1923, were omitted as obsolete. Sections 1202 and 1204 of the Classification Act of 1949, , 973, repealed the 1923 Act and all laws or parts of laws inconsistent with the 1949 Act. While section 1106(a) of the 1949 Act provided that references in other laws to the 1923 Act should be held and considered to mean the 1949 Act, it did not have the effect of continuing the exception contained in this section because of section 1106(b) which provided that the application of the 1949 Act to any position, officer, or employee shall not be affected by section 1106(a). The Classification Act of 1949 was repealed by , , § 8(a), (the first section of which revised and enacted Title 5, Government Organization and Employees, into law). contains the applicability provisions of the 1949 Act, and authorizes the Office of Personnel Management to determine the applicability to specific positions and employees.

Amendments

Pub. L. 101–6241990— substituted “United States (except” for “United States except” and “tunnel) unless the Secretary determines that it is necessary and in the public interest for the conduct of research and study in the United States (except at Brookhaven National Laboratory in Upton, New York) and issues a permit under such rules as the Secretary shall promulgate to protect animal health,” for “tunnel, and”.

Pub. L. 87–7931962— substituted “shall not exceed the highest rate of grade 18 of the General Schedule” for “shall not exceed $19,000 per annum”.

Pub. L. 85–5731958— inserted in proviso clause of first sentence the exception clause respecting transportation of virus in original package across mainland under adequate safeguards.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date of 1962 Amendment

Pub. L. 87–793Amendment by effective on first day of first pay period which begins on or after .

Repeals

Act July 31, 1956, ch. 804, title I, § 11970 Stat. 742Pub. L. 88–426, title III, § 305(1)78 Stat. 422, , which increased the maximum compensation of technical experts or scientists, was repealed by , , .

Live Virus Foot and Mouth Disease Research

Pub. L. 110–234, title VII, § 7524122 Stat. 1273Pub. L. 110–246, § 4(a)122 Stat. 1664

“(a)

In General .—

section 12 of the Act of May 29, 188421 U.S.C. 113aThe Secretary [of Agriculture] shall issue a permit required under () to the Secretary of Homeland Security for work on the live virus of foot and mouth disease at any facility that is a successor to the Plum Island Animal Disease Center and charged with researching high-consequence biological threats involving zoonotic and foreign animal diseases (referred to in this section as the ‘successor facility’).
“(b)

Limitation to Single Facility .—

Not more than 1 facility shall be issued a permit under subsection (a).
“(c)

Limitation on Validity .—

7 U.S.C. 8401The permit issued under this section shall be valid unless the Secretary determines that the study of live foot and mouth disease virus at the successor facility is not being carried out in accordance with the regulations promulgated by the Secretary pursuant to the Agricultural Bioterrorism Protection Act of 2002 ( et seq.).
“(d)

Authority .—

The suspension, revocation, or other impairment of the permit issued under this section—
“(1)
shall be made by the Secretary; and
“(2)
is a nondelegable function.”
, , , and , title VII, § 7524, , , 2034, provided that:

Pub. L. 110–234Pub. L. 110–246Pub. L. 110–234section 4(a) of Pub. L. 110–246section 8701 of Title 7[ and enacted identical provisions. was repealed by , set out as a note under , Agriculture.]

References in Other Laws to GS–16, 17, or 18 Pay Rates

Pub. L. 101–509section 5376 of Title 5References in laws to the rates of pay for GS–16, 17, or 18, or to maximum rates of pay under the General Schedule, to be considered references to rates payable under specified sections of Title 5, Government Organization and Employees, see section 529 [title I, § 101(c)(1)] of , set out in a note under .