November 10, 2005
U.S. President George Bush signed the '2006 Agriculture Appropriations Bill' (HR 2744) that includes a report calling for RFID Technology (MicroChip) that will work for all pets in the United States.

President's Statement on H.R. 2744, the "Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2006

"Today, I have signed into law H.R. 2744, the "Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2006." The Act funds important agriculture, food safety, natural resource and other programs of the Federal Government." (Office of the White House)

How It Got Started:

Congressman Greg Walden (Rep), chairman of the House Subcommittee on Forests & Forest Health, from Hood River, Oregon, helped to formulate the provision attached to the U.S. Department of Agriculture annual appropriations Bill (HR 2744): "The committee supports the microchipping of pets for identification under the universal 134 kHz International Standards Organization (ISO) system to open microchip technology in which all scanners can read all chips."

Nov. 10, 2005 - RFID Journal - U.S. Bill Includes RFID Provision for Pets
Legislation approved by the U.S. House of Representatives on Oct. 28 and the U.S. Senate on Nov. 3, and now awaiting President Bush's signature, could make it easier for pet hospitals and shelters to use radio frequency identification to reunite pet owners with their lost animals. Million of pets in the United States have RFID tags embedded under their skin, but the tags (which animal hospitals and shelters call microchips) do not all operate at the same frequency, nor are they readable by all RFID interrogators (readers) used by vets and shelters. 

The provision is included in House Report 109-255, accompanying the 2006 Agriculture Appropriations Bill (HR 2744). If President Bush signs it, the legislation would require the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), the branch of the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture charged with protecting and promoting U.S. agricultural health and safeguarding the well being of domestic animals - "to develop the appropriate regulations that allow for universal reading ability and best serve the interests of pet owners." This would ensure that any lost pet could have its implanted tag read and be linked to its owner through a national database.
(read more....) http://www.rfidjournal.com/article/articleview/1976/1/1/ 

Language from House Report 109-255 with HR 2744:

Original Language:

"Microchip identification of pets. --The Committee supports the microchipping of pets for identification under the universal 134 kHz International Standards Organization (ISO) system of open microchip technology in which all scanners can read all chips. The Committee directs APHIS to develop the appropriate regulations to implement the universal 134 kHz ISO system, and to report to Congress within 90 days of the date of enactment of this Act on progress toward that end." 
(This language was stricken from the final committee report after lobbying from the major MicroChip manufacturers ) 

• Supporters of ISO Microchip Technology:
  · American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals  ASPCA
  · Humane Society of United States  HSUS
  · American Kennel Club – Comp. Animal Recovery Program AKC
  · American National Standards Institute ANSI
  · American Humane Association
  · American Veterinary Medical Association
  · American Animal Hospital Association
  · Society for Animal Welfare Administrators
  · American Society of Veterinary Medical Assoc. Exec.
  · American Association of Feline Practitioners

ANIMAL AND PLANT HEALTH INSPECTION SERVICE (APHIS)

House Report 109-255 after lobbying efforts revised the final wording:

http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/cpquery/?&dbname=cp109&sid=cp109PYMnT&refer=&r_n=hr255.109&item=&sel=TOC_194359& 

Here is the final language in the committee report:

"The conferees support the microchipping of pets for identification under a system of open microchip technology in which all scanners can read all chips. The conferees direct APHIS to develop the appropriate regulations that allow for universal reading ability and best serve the interests of pet owners. The conferees also direct APHIS to take into consideration the effect such regulation may have on the current practice of microchipping pets in this country, and to report to the Committees on Appropriations within 90 days of the date of enactment of this Act on progress toward that end."

So 90 days from signing is February 10th 2006. But this is only the deadline for the report. Before any big changes occur there must be a final report, reccomendations, and then the "Law" changed.

Note: On 12-4-05 I searched the APHIS  WEB Site and could not find any news.

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Created by Juddley