[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 148 (2002), Part 15]
[Senate]
[Page 21006]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                USDA TESTING FOR CHRONIC WASTING DISEASE

  Mr. FEINGOLD. Mr. President, I rise today to urge Secretary Veneman 
to provide more details on the United States Department of 
Agriculture's recent announcement regarding chronic wasting disease, 
CWD, testing, and urge her to provide hunters with more testing 
opportunities for CWD.
  On Tuesday of this week, USDA announced an increase of up to 200,000 
more Government-approved tests for chronic wasting disease this deer 
hunting season. Prior to the announcement, USDA officials have said 
labs certified to test for the disease would only accommodate the needs 
of the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, DNR, and not provide 
testing opportunities for hunters.
  I appreciate USDA's recent decision to allow Government laboratories 
certified by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, USDA, to offer an 
additional 200,000 chronic wasting disease or CWD tests to Wisconsin 
hunters. As I noted in my September 24, 2002, letter to Secretary 
Veneman, given hunters' concerns in my state, it is appropriate for 
USDA to offer any excess test processing capacity in the Government 
system to Wisconsin on a priority basis. This assistance from USDA 
allows Wisconsin to be able to offer testing to our hunters on request, 
and gives Wisconsin hunters access to the ``gold standard'' 
immunohistochemistry, IHC, test.
  While I commend USDA for these efforts, I will be closely monitoring 
the implementation of the new testing program in the State, and in 
particular the Department's stated commitment of providing 200,000 more 
tests to Wisconsin hunters. It is important to note that nine of the 
Government laboratories that will be processing Wisconsin tests this 
fall have not previously conducted such tests. Given the time it took 
to get the Wisconsin State Veterinary Laboratory in a position to be 
able to process CWD tests, USDA must be vigilant in ensuring that these 
Government labs are ready in the next month. In addition, I also urge 
USDA to assist the State of Wisconsin in ensuring that the labs that 
will process Wisconsin's CWD tests provide accurate and prompt 
information regarding the test processing costs.
  I commend the USDA for finally taking steps to provide more testing 
opportunities through Government labs. But the USDA must do more, 
including continuing efforts to certify private labs, like the 
Marshfield Clinic, and to approve rapid test kits for this fall's hunt. 
I want to ensure that USDA meets, and I hope exceeds, its commitment of 
providing 200,000 additional tests to Wisconsin's hunters for this 
year's hunt.
  To that end, I hope that the administration will endorse my 
legislation, S. 3090, the Comprehensive Wildlife Disease Testing 
Acceleration Act of 2002. This legislation would provide hunters with 
more testing opportunities for chronic wasting disease by requiring 
USDA to develop appropriate testing protocols and to certify private 
labs to conduct CWD tests.
  My legislation will remove bureaucratic roadblocks by requiring the 
USDA to expand the number of labs that can provide CWD testing to 
hunters. Until I am satisfied that USDA has done everything possible to 
bring this disease under control, I will continue to press this 
legislation forward.
  Our 2001 deer hunt involved more than 400,000 deer. With only 250,000 
tests total for Wisconsin, some hunters may still lack the ability to 
have their deer tested. USDA must continue efforts to provide more 
testing opportunities for hunters. By certifying private labs like the 
Marshfield Clinic and approving a rapid test this fall, USDA can ensure 
that Wisconsin hunters have the information they deserve.
  Action on this problem is urgently needed. I am glad that the 
Secretary has finally begun to take a step in the right direction, and 
I urge her to undertake all the necessary measures to bring these 
diseases under control.

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