[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2430 Introduced in House (IH)]







108th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 2430

   To amend the Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act to coordinate and 
 strengthen scientific research and monitoring, and to promote public 
    outreach, education, and awareness, of Chronic Wasting Disease 
   affecting free-ranging populations of deer and elk, and for other 
                               purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             June 11, 2003

Mr. Kind (for himself, Mr. Udall of Colorado, Mr. Terry, Mr. Gilchrest, 
Mr. Gutknecht, Mr. Pallone, Mr. Manzullo, Mr. Udall of New Mexico, Mr. 
   Peterson of Minnesota, Mr. Kennedy of Minnesota, Mr. Rehberg, Mr. 
 Stupak, Mr. Thompson of California, and Mr. Faleomavaega) 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 amend the Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act to coordinate and 
 strengthen scientific research and monitoring, and to promote public 
    outreach, education, and awareness, of Chronic Wasting Disease 
   affecting free-ranging populations of deer and elk, 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, 
Monitoring, and Education Enhancement Act of 2003''.

SEC. 2. CHRONIC WASTING DISEASE RESEARCH AND MONITORING AND PUBLIC 
              EDUCATION AND OUTREACH.

    (a) In General.--The Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act (16 U.S.C. 
661 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following:

``SEC. 10. CHRONIC WASTING DISEASE.

    ``(a) In General.--The Secretary of the Interior, acting through 
the Director of the United States Geological Survey, shall carry out in 
accordance with this section a program to support, conduct, and 
coordinate programs to strengthen scientific research and monitoring 
and public education activities to elevate knowledge of Chronic Wasting 
Disease in free-ranging populations of deer and elk.
    ``(b) Purposes.--The purposes of the program shall be the 
following:
            ``(1) To initiate and encourage completion of the relevant 
        goals and action plans specified in the National Plan.
            ``(2) To enhance the scientific understanding of Chronic 
        Wasting Disease.
            ``(3) To provide technical assistance in support of State 
        efforts to conduct scientific research, implement wildlife 
        management strategies, and conduct and promote comprehensive 
        public education programs in affected States.
    ``(c) Research and Monitoring.--
            ``(1) In general.--The Secretary may support, promote, and 
        coordinate research on, and long-term monitoring and 
        surveillance of, Chronic Wasting Disease as it affects deer and 
        elk in States identified as having the disease present within 
        their borders, to promote improved understanding of the disease 
        and support State management of deer and elk.
            ``(2) Authorized activities.--Activities under this 
        subsection may include scientific research, monitoring, 
        surveillance, and disease management activities identified in 
        the National Plan, including the following:
                    ``(A) Research to investigate the biology, 
                pathogenesis, host ecology, epidemiology, transmission, 
                and environmental persistence of Chronic Wasting 
                Disease.
                    ``(B) Development and utilization of an Internet-
                based biological data management system and integrated 
                information sharing network.
                    ``(C) Development, testing, and validation of rapid 
                diagnostic methods.
                    ``(D) Development of new testing and screening 
                techniques for Chronic Wasting Disease, including live 
                animal early detection field tests.
                    ``(E) Surveillance programs to track the 
                prevalence, incidence, and distribution of Chronic 
                Wasting Disease in wild populations of deer and elk.
                    ``(F) Research and development of therapeutics and 
                vaccines.
                    ``(G) Development and implementation of field 
                sampling methods and comprehensive assessments of deer 
                and elk populations.
            ``(3) Other activities to implement national plan and 
        support state activities.--The Secretary may implement other 
        research and monitoring activities as necessary to implement 
        the National Plan and to support State activities to manage and 
        conserve deer and elk.
    ``(e) National Public Education Strategy.--
            ``(1) In general.--The Secretary shall develop and promote 
        a national public education strategy--
                    ``(A) to increase awareness among the hunting 
                community and the general public of the distribution of 
                Chronic Wasting Disease;
                    ``(B) to enhance comprehension of the biology, 
                ecology, and epidemiology of the Chronic Wasting 
                Disease; and
                    ``(C) to support and communicate State management 
                activities to control Chronic Wasting Disease in deer 
                and elk populations.
            ``(2) Goals.--The goals of the strategy are the following:
                    ``(A) Increasing public awareness of Federal, 
                State, and tribal Chronic Wasting Disease activities.
                    ``(B) Distilling and disseminating to the general 
                public scientific and technical information concerning 
                Chronic Wasting Disease in an easily comprehended 
                manner.
                    ``(C) Providing updates and reviews of advances in 
                Chronic Wasting Disease control methods for deer and 
                elk.
                    ``(D) Development of print, video, and other 
                interpretive and media materials to implement the 
                strategy and to communicate accomplishments in 
                addressing the problem of Chronic Wasting Disease.
            ``(3) Targeting.--The strategy should target stakeholder 
        groups in States affected by Chronic Wasting disease, including 
        consumptive and non-consumptive users of deer and elk.
    ``(f) Consultation and Coordination.--In conducting, supporting, 
and coordinating activities authorized under this section, the 
Secretary shall consult coordinate, where appropriate, with other 
Federal, interstate, or regional agencies, State agencies, tribes, 
local communities, non-governmental organizations, and colleges and 
universities.
    ``(g) Report Requirements.--Not later than 1 year after the date of 
the enactment of this section, and annually thereafter, the Secretary 
shall report to the Committee on Resources of the House of 
Representatives and the Committee on Environment and Public Works in 
the Senate on the activities implemented under this section.
    ``(h) Availability of Results.--The Secretary shall make available 
to the public the results of research and monitoring conducted, 
supported, or permitted by the Secretary under this section.
    ``(i) Definitions.--For the purposes of this section:
            ``(1) Chronic wasting disease.--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) Deer and elk.--The term `deer and elk' means--
                    ``(A) free-ranging populations of deer and elk 
                residing in proximity of the endemic area for Chronic 
                Wasting Disease as identified in the National Plan; and
                    ``(B) deer and elk residing in States outside of 
                that endemic area, where the disease has been 
                introduced and established in deer and elk populations.
            ``(3) National plan.--The term `National Plan' means the 
        plan published jointly by the Department of the Interior and 
        the Department of Agriculture entitled `Plan for Assisting 
        States, Federal Agencies, and Tribes in Managing Chronic 
        Wasting Disease in Wild and Captive Cervids', dated June 26, 
        2002.
            ``(4) Secretary.--The term `Secretary' means the Secretary 
        of the Interior, acting through the Director of the United 
        States Geological Survey.
            ``(5) State.--The term `State' means the several States of 
        the United States, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, the Virgin 
        Islands, Guam, and the territories and possessions of the 
        United States.
    ``(h) Report.--The Secretary of the Interior shall submit a report 
describing activities undertaken to implement this section to the 
Committee on Resources of the House of Representatives and the 
Committee on Environment and Public Works of the Senate by not later 
than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this section and 
biennially thereafter.
    ``(i) Authorization of Appropriations.--To implement this section 
there are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary the following:
            ``(1) Research and monitoring.--For the implementation of 
        scientific research and monitoring activities under subsection 
        (d), $15,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2004 through 2009.
            ``(2) Public education.--For the implementation of public 
        education activities under subsection (e), $5,000,000 for each 
        of fiscal years 2004 through 2009.
            ``(3) Administration.--For the administration of this 
        section by the Secretary $1,00,000 for each of fiscal years 
        2004 through 2009.''.
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