Veterinarian Services Investment Act and Wall Street Reform Update

By Gina Luke, Assistant Director

The House Agriculture Committee has scheduled a "mark-up" for H.R. 3519, the Veterinarian Services Investment Act, on July 28, 2010. It is anticipated that Committee members will modify the bill before reporting it out of Committee. Most mark-ups end with a vote to send the new version of the bill to the floor for final approval. The legislation, sponsored by Adrian Smith (R-Nebraska) and Leonard Boswell (D-Iowa), has broad bipartisan support, with 65 Representatives cosponsoring the bill. The legislation would establish a new competitive grant to increase veterinary services in rural areas. Eligible to compete for grants under the program would be state veterinary medical associations; state, national allied or regional veterinary organizations; specialty boards; colleges of veterinary medicine; university research foundations, veterinary medical foundations; departments of veterinary science or comparative medicine; state agricultural experiment stations; and state, local or tribal government agencies. The companion bill, S. 1709, is awaiting action by the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture.

President Obama Signs Swipe Fee Reform Legislation

President Obama on July 21 signed the Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (H.R. 4173, PL 111-203) into law. The new law includes swipe fee reforms that will bring relief to veterinary offices and other merchants, along with their customers, by reining in the excessive debit swipe fees imposed by credit card companies and big banks. Earlier this year AVMA joined the "Swipe Fee" advocacy campaign led by the Retail Industry Leaders Association. The swipe fee reform language included in the Financial Reform Conference Report was based on an amendment introduced by Senator Richard Durbin (D-Illinois) and passed by the Senate in a broad bipartisan vote on May 13. Representatives Peter Welch (D-Vermont) and Bill Shuster (R-Pennsylvania) were instrumental to consideration of swipe fee reform in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Please contact Gina Luke if you have questions.