[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 11 (Tuesday, January 18, 2022)]
[House]
[Page H200]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   COMBATING CHRONIC WASTING DISEASE

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
Pennsylvania (Mr. Thompson) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. Madam Speaker, I am an avid 
outdoorsman. In November and December, if I have time, I tend to spend 
it out in the woods, deer hunting. This is a popular passion among many 
Pennsylvanians as well as Americans across our great country. Nothing 
beats those early mornings heading out to the woods in hopes you will 
return successful.
  But our deer are currently threatened by chronic wasting disease. 
This is a contagious, neurological disease affecting deer, elk, and 
moose that is always fatal. CWD has been detected in 25 States and was 
first discovered in Pennsylvania deer nearly 10 years ago.
  Working across the aisle, my colleagues and I introduced H.R. 5608, 
the Chronic Wasting Disease Research and Management Act, which 
unanimously passed out of the House Agriculture Committee.
  By working closely with stakeholders, we developed a bill to take us 
one step closer to better understanding the genetic implications of the 
disease and developing policies best suited to solve the problem.
  Specifically, this legislation authorizes $70 million to split evenly 
between CWD management and research efforts through USDA cooperative 
agreements.
  The research funds are authorized to be spent on testing and 
detecting CWD in live cervids, noncervids, and the environment. 
Additionally, these funds are authorized for research of genetic 
resistance to chronic wasting disease, sustainable cervid harvest 
management practices, and any additional factors of local CWD 
emergence.
  The management section authorizes funding for State or Tribal 
wildlife agencies and departments of agriculture based on various 
funding priorities, including the highest incidences of CWD, areas 
demonstrating greatest financial commitments to addressing CWD, efforts 
to develop CWD programs and policies, areas of greatest risk of being 
introduced to CWD, and areas responding to new outbreaks.
  This bill also includes key education provisions in which USDA, 
State, and Tribal agencies are authorized to develop materials to 
inform the public on chronic wasting disease.
  Last but certainly not least, H.R. 5608 directs USDA reviewal of the 
herd certification program within 18 months.
  Madam Speaker, we need all hands on deck to help combat this disease, 
maintain a healthy deer population, and protect our beloved elk range--
certainly, our elk range in Pennsylvania, which is near and dear to me. 
It is imperative we better understand the transmission of, resistance 
to, and diagnosis of CWD.
  I am really pleased that, in December, this House passed H.R. 5608 
with strong bipartisan support, marking an important step in that 
direction. Today, we wait for the Senate to take up this time-sensitive 
bill. It is my belief our colleagues in the Senate recognize the 
urgency and the potential negative economic impacts of CWD if it 
continues to spread at this rate and work toward its passage.

                          ____________________