I 
116TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 2081 
To amend the Animal Health Protection Act to establish a grant program 
for research on chronic wasting disease, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
APRIL 4, 2019 
Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania (for himself, Mr. VELA, Mr. JOYCE of Penn-
sylvania, and Mr. CUELLAR) introduced the following bill; which was re-
ferred to the Committee on Agriculture 
A BILL 
To amend the Animal Health Protection Act to establish 
a grant program for research on chronic wasting disease, 
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 Act’’. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
00:27 Apr 16, 2019
Jkt 089200
PO 00000
Frm 00001
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H2081.IH
H2081
pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS
SEC. 2. CHRONIC WASTING DISEASE RESEARCH GRANT 
PROGRAM. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Animal Health Protection 
Act is amended by inserting after section 10409A (7 
U.S.C. 8308a) the following: 
‘‘SEC. 10409B. CHRONIC WASTING DISEASE RESEARCH 
GRANT PROGRAM. 
‘‘(a) FINDINGS.—Congress finds that— 
‘‘(1) a focus on research into the transmission 
of, resistance to, and epidemiology of chronic wast-
ing disease is needed to inform future policies to 
combat the disease and ensure the health of cervid 
populations; 
‘‘(2) because States have diverse policies for ad-
dressing chronic wasting disease, the Federal Gov-
ernment should coordinate financial and technical 
support to States, State departments of agriculture, 
institutions of higher education, and research cen-
ters conducting scientific research on chronic wast-
ing disease; 
‘‘(3) under current policies, chronic wasting dis-
ease remains a systemic threat to cervids; and 
‘‘(4) scientific advances that lead to the ability 
to stop transmission of chronic wasting disease are 
needed to ensure the long-term viability of cervids. 
‘‘(b) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
00:27 Apr 16, 2019
Jkt 089200
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H2081.IH
H2081
pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS
‘‘(1) CHRONIC
WASTING
DISEASE.—The term 
‘chronic wasting disease’ means the animal disease 
afflicting deer, elk, and moose populations that— 
‘‘(A) is a transmissible disease of the nerv-
ous system resulting in distinctive lesions in the 
brain; and 
‘‘(B) belongs to the group of diseases 
known as transmissible spongiform encephalop-
athies, which includes scrapie, bovine spongi-
form encephalopathy, and Cruetzfeldt-Jakob 
disease. 
‘‘(2) ELIGIBLE ENTITY.—The term ‘eligible en-
tity’ means— 
‘‘(A) a State department of agriculture; 
‘‘(B) a Tribal research facility; 
‘‘(C) a Tribal department of agriculture; 
‘‘(D) an institution of higher education (as 
defined in section 101 of the Higher Education 
Act (20 U.S.C. 1001)); and 
‘‘(E) a research center conducting sci-
entific research on chronic wasting disease. 
‘‘(c) GRANT PROGRAM.— 
‘‘(1) IN
GENERAL.—Not later than 90 days 
after the date of enactment of this section, the Sec-
retary shall establish a program under which the 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
00:27 Apr 16, 2019
Jkt 089200
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H2081.IH
H2081
pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS
Secretary shall award grants on a competitive basis 
to eligible entities to conduct research on the trans-
mission of, resistance to, and diagnosis of chronic 
wasting disease. 
‘‘(2) CRITERIA FOR SELECTION.—In awarding 
grants under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall give 
priority to eligible entities that shall conduct re-
search relating to— 
‘‘(A) methods and products— 
‘‘(i) to effectively detect infectious 
chronic wasting disease prions in live 
cervids, the environment, and inorganic 
surfaces; and 
‘‘(ii) to decontaminate those infectious 
prions; 
‘‘(B) the long-term suppression or eradi-
cation of chronic wasting disease; or 
‘‘(C) determination markers for genetic re-
sistance to chronic wasting disease and strate-
gies for using genetic resistance to combat the 
spread of the disease. 
‘‘(3) NUMBER OF GRANT RECIPIENTS.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—To the maximum ex-
tent practicable, subject to subparagraph (B), 
the Secretary shall select not fewer than 5 and 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
00:27 Apr 16, 2019
Jkt 089200
PO 00000
Frm 00004
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H2081.IH
H2081
pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS
not more than 10 eligible entities to receive 
grants under paragraph (1). 
‘‘(B) EXCEPTION.—The Secretary may 
award grants under paragraph (1) to fewer 
than 5 eligible entities if not more than 5 eligi-
ble entities have submitted applications for a 
grant. 
‘‘(4) ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS BY ELIGIBLE EN-
TITIES.—Not greater than 15 percent of the amount 
of a grant awarded under paragraph (1) may be 
used by an eligible entity for administrative costs in-
curred by the eligible entity in carrying out the re-
search described in that paragraph. 
‘‘(d) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—There is authorized to be 
appropriated to the Secretary to carry out this sec-
tion $15,000,000 for fiscal year 2020 and each fiscal 
year thereafter, to remain available until expended. 
‘‘(2) ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS.—The Secretary 
may use not greater than 3 percent of the funds 
made available under paragraph (1) for administra-
tive costs incurred by the Secretary in carrying out 
this section. 
‘‘(e) EFFECT.—Nothing in this section shall interfere 
with or otherwise affect the authority of the Federal Gov-
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
00:27 Apr 16, 2019
Jkt 089200
PO 00000
Frm 00005
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H2081.IH
H2081
pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS
ernment or States to manage wildlife and livestock, includ-
ing managing, surveying, and monitoring the incidence of 
chronic wasting disease.’’. 
(b) TECHNICAL AMENDMENT.—Section 10403(8) of 
the Animal Health Protection Act (7 U.S.C. 8302(8)) is 
amended by striking ‘‘(25 U.S.C. 450b)’’ and inserting 
‘‘(25 U.S.C. 5304)’’. 
Æ 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
00:27 Apr 16, 2019
Jkt 089200
PO 00000
Frm 00006
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6301
E:\BILLS\H2081.IH
H2081
pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS