Wildlife Health Coordination and Zoonotic Disease Prevention Act of 2026

The Wildlife Health Coordination and Zoonotic Disease Prevention Act of 2026 establishes a new program within the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to improve communication and collaboration among federal, state, tribal, and private agencies regarding diseases that spread between animals and humans. This legislation creates five specific coordinator positions, including one national role, one tribal role, and four regional roles, who are appointed by various wildlife associations to facilitate information sharing and resource access. These coordinators will work to develop shared disease management strategies, assist states and tribes in securing funding, and submit reports to Congress on how to better prevent and respond to emerging health threats. The bill authorizes $900,000 annually starting in fiscal year 2027 to support these efforts and aims to strengthen the nation's ability to handle outbreaks that impact public health, agriculture, and wildlife populations.