(B) belongs to the group of diseases known 
as transmissible spongiform encephalopathies, 
which group includes scrapie, bovine spongiform 
encephalopathy, and Cruetzfeldt-Jakob disease. 
(2) ELIGIBLE
GRANT
RECIPIENT.—The term 
‘‘eligible grant recipient’’ means a State department 
of wildlife, State department of agriculture, college 
or university, or related research center conducting 
scientific research regarding chronic wasting disease. 
(3) INDIAN TRIBE.—The term ‘‘Indian tribe’’ 
has the meaning given the term in section 4 of the 
Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance 
Act (25 U.S.C. 450b). 
SEC. 3. FINDINGS. 
Congress finds the following: 
(1) Pursuant to State and Federal law, the 
States retain primacy and policy-making authority 
with regard to wildlife management, and nothing in 
this Act interferes with or otherwise affects the pri-
macy of the States in managing wildlife generally, or 
managing, surveying, and monitoring the incidence 
of chronic wasting disease. 
(2) Chronic wasting disease, the fatal neuro-
logical disease found in cervids, is a fundamental 
threat to the health and vibrancy of deer and elk 
VerDate Aug 31 2005 
23:10 Oct 17, 2007
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H3859.IH
H3859
rwilkins on PROD1PC63 with BILLS
populations, and the increased occurrence of chronic 
wasting disease in regionally diverse locations in re-
cent months necessitates an escalation in research, 
surveillance, monitoring, and management activities 
focused on containing and managing this lethal dis-
ease. 
(3) As the States move to manage existing lev-
els of chronic wasting disease and insulate non-
infected wild and captive cervid populations from the 
disease, the Federal Government should endeavor to 
provide integrated and holistic financial and tech-
nical support to these States and the many State de-
partments of wildlife, State departments of agri-
culture, colleges and universities, and related re-
search centers conducting scientific research regard-
ing chronic wasting disease. 
(4) Relevant Federal agencies should provide 
consistent, coherent, and integrated support struc-
tures and programs for the benefit of State wildlife 
and agricultural administrators, as chronic wasting 
disease can move freely between captive and wild 
cervids across the broad array of Federal, State, 
tribal, and local land management jurisdictions. 
(5) The Secretary of the Interior, the Secretary 
of Agriculture, and other affected Federal authori-
VerDate Aug 31 2005 
23:10 Oct 17, 2007
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00004
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H3859.IH
H3859
rwilkins on PROD1PC63 with BILLS
ties can provide consistent, coherent, and integrated 
support systems under existing legal authorities to 
States and the many State departments of wildlife, 
State departments of agriculture, colleges and uni-
versities, and related research centers conducting 
scientific research regarding chronic wasting disease. 
TITLE I—DEPARTMENT OF THE 
INTERIOR ACTIVITIES 
SEC. 101. NATIONAL DATABASE REGARDING CHRONIC 
WASTING DISEASE. 
(a) INFORMATION REPOSITORY.—The Secretary of 
the Interior, acting through the United States Geological 
Survey and using existing authorities, shall establish and 
maintain the official national database for— 
(1) surveillance and monitoring data regarding 
chronic wasting disease in both wild and captive 
cervid populations and other wildlife that is collected 
by the Department of the Interior, the Department 
of Agriculture, other Federal agencies, foreign gov-
ernments, Indian tribes, and State agencies assisted 
under this Act; and 
(2) other relevant information regarding chronic 
wasting disease received from other sources, includ-
ing cooperation with foreign governments. 
VerDate Aug 31 2005 
23:10 Oct 17, 2007
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00005
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H3859.IH
H3859
rwilkins on PROD1PC63 with BILLS
(b) INFORMATION SOURCE.—The national database 
shall be available as a resource for— 
(1) Federal and State agencies, Indian tribes, 
and foreign governments attempting to manage and 
control chronic wasting disease; 
(2) eligible grant recipients and other institu-
tions of higher education and other public or private 
research entities conducting research regarding 
chronic wasting disease; and 
(3) cooperating international wildlife authori-
ties. 
(c) RELATIONSHIP
TO
DEPARTMENT
OF
AGRI-
CULTURE INFORMATION COLLECTION.—The data col-
lected by the Department of Agriculture under title II 
shall be placed in the national database. 
(d) AUTHORIZATION
OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There 
are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of the 
Interior $750,000 to establish and maintain the national 
database. Funds appropriated pursuant to this authoriza-
tion of appropriations shall remain available until ex-
pended. 
VerDate Aug 31 2005 
23:10 Oct 17, 2007
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00006
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H3859.IH
H3859
rwilkins on PROD1PC63 with BILLS
SEC. 102. SURVEILLANCE AND MONITORING PROGRAM RE-
GARDING PRESENCE OF CHRONIC WASTING 
DISEASE IN WILD HERDS OF DEER AND ELK. 
(a) PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT.—Using existing au-
thorities, the Secretary of the Interior, acting through the 
United States Geological Survey, shall develop a national 
surveillance and monitoring program to identify— 
(1) the rate of chronic wasting disease infection 
in wild herds of deer and elk; 
(2) the cause and extent of the spread of the 
disease; and 
(3) potential reservoirs of infection and vectors 
promoting the spread of the disease. 
(b) IMPLEMENTATION.—The Secretary of the Inte-
rior shall provide financial and technical assistance to 
States and Indian tribes to implement the surveillance and 
monitoring program for wild herds. 
(c) COOPERATION.—In developing the surveillance 
and monitoring program for wild herds, the Secretary of 
the Interior shall consult and cooperate with State and 
tribal agencies responsible for managing and controlling 
chronic wasting disease. 
(d) COORDINATION.—The Secretary of the Interior, 
in cooperation with the Secretary of Agriculture, shall es-
tablish uniform standards for the collection and assess-
VerDate Aug 31 2005 
23:10 Oct 17, 2007
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00007
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H3859.IH
H3859
rwilkins on PROD1PC63 with BILLS