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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) intro-
duced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Re-
sources, and in addition to the Committee on Agriculture, for a period
to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consider-
ation of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee
concerned
A BILL
To require the Secretary of the Interior to establish a na-
tional 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 Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Chronic Wasting Dis-
ease Research and Response Act of 2002’’.
SEC. 2. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR PROGRAM TO AD-
DRESS 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 moni-
toring 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 dis-
ease;
(4) evaluate ecological and environmental fac-
tors responsible for the emergence, growth, repro-
duction, 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 de-
tection and diagnostic methods and techniques to
identify chronic wasting disease in free-ranging
cervid populations;
(7) investigate and develop safe methods of dis-
posal 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-rang-
ing cervid populations to determine the presence of
chronic wasting disease, the likelihood of trans-
mission to adjacent non-Federal lands, and manage-
ment options for chronic wasting disease infesta-
tions; 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 de-
scribing 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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