[Congressional Bills 107th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4740 Introduced in House (IH)]







107th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 4740

   To require the Secretary of the Interior to establish a national 
research program to address the animal disease known as chronic wasting 
 disease, which is afflicting wild deer and elk herds in many States, 
                        and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              May 15, 2002

    Mr. Kind (for himself, Mr. Terry, Mr. Barrett of Wisconsin, Mr. 
Gilchrest, Mr. Obey, Mr. Udall of Colorado, and Mr. Kildee) introduced 
 the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Resources, 
  and in addition to the Committee on Agriculture, for a period to be 
subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration 
  of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee 
                               concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
   To require the Secretary of the Interior to establish a national 
research program to address the animal disease known as chronic wasting 
 disease, which is afflicting wild deer and elk herds in many States, 
                        and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Chronic Wasting Disease Research and 
Response Act of 2002''.

SEC. 2. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR PROGRAM TO ADDRESS CHRONIC WASTING 
              DISEASE.

    (a) Establishment of Program.--The Secretary of the Interior shall 
establish and coordinate a national research program to assess chronic 
wasting disease.
    (b) Elements of Program.--Under the program, the Secretary shall--
            (1) develop a long-term program to provide States with 
        technical and financial assistance and timely information to 
        prevent the expansion of chronic wasting disease;
            (2) design a national program for the monitoring and 
        surveillance of chronic wasting disease in wild deer and elk 
        and other wildlife populations and assess whether chronic 
        wasting disease is present in free-ranging populations of 
        cervids adjacent to the endemic area and in new areas of 
        infestation;
            (3) conduct research to determine how chronic wasting 
        disease is transmitted in wild deer and elk and the extent of 
        the risk of transmission of the disease;
            (4) evaluate ecological and environmental factors 
        responsible for the emergence, growth, reproduction, and 
        persistence of chronic wasting disease in the environment;
            (5) develop and provide modeling and analytical strategies 
        to identify, track, and manage the spread of chronic wasting 
        disease;
            (6) investigate and develop new non-lethal detection and 
        diagnostic methods and techniques to identify chronic wasting 
        disease in free-ranging cervid populations;
            (7) investigate and develop safe methods of disposal for 
        carcasses that are or may be infected with chronic wasting 
        disease;
            (8) instruct Federal land managers in areas in proximity to 
        chronic wasting disease endemic areas or areas of new 
        infestation outside of endemic areas to conduct comprehensive 
        assessments of free-ranging cervid populations to determine the 
        presence of chronic wasting disease, the likelihood of 
        transmission to adjacent non-Federal lands, and management 
        options for chronic wasting disease infestations; and
            (9) develop a public outreach and education strategy for 
        the hunting community and general public to inform them about 
        the origin, spread, and risks associated with chronic wasting 
        disease.
    (c) Consultation.--The Secretary shall establish and conduct the 
program in consultation with the States, other Federal agencies, 
nongovernmental organizations, and colleges and universities.
    (d) Implementation Report.--Within 180 days after the date of the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to the 
Committee on Resources of the House of Representatives and the 
Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate a report 
describing the progress made in implementing this section.
    (e) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) The term ``chronic wasting disease'' means the 
        transmissible animal disease that afflicts deer and elk and 
        belongs to the group of diseases known as transmissible 
        spongiform encephalopathies.
            (2) The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary of the 
        Interior, acting through the Director of the United States 
        Geological Survey.
    (f) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated to the Secretary such sums as are necessary to carry out 
the program. Amounts so appropriated shall remain available until 
expended.
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