IIB 
117TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 5608 
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 
DECEMBER 9, 2021 
Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, 
and Forestry 
AN ACT 
To support research and state management efforts on chronic 
wasting disease. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
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SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Chronic Wasting Dis-
ease Research and Management Act’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
Congress finds the following: 
(1) Chronic wasting disease, the fatal neuro-
logical disease found in cervids, is a fundamental 
threat to the health and vibrancy of deer, elk, and 
moose populations, and the increased occurrence of 
chronic wasting disease in regionally diverse loca-
tions necessitates an escalation in research, surveil-
lance, monitoring, and management activities fo-
cused on containing and managing chronic wasting 
disease. 
(2) A focus on research into the transmission 
of, resistance to, diagnosis of, and epidemiology of 
chronic wasting disease is needed to inform future 
policies to combat the disease and ensure the health 
of cervid populations. 
(3) Because States and Tribes have diverse 
policies for addressing chronic wasting disease, the 
Federal Government, in consultation with the 
Chronic Wasting Disease Task Force established by 
section 104 of America’s Conservation Enhancement 
Act (Public Law 116–188), should coordinate finan-
cial and technical support to States and Tribes, 
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State and Tribal departments of agriculture, State 
and Tribal wildlife agencies, institutions of higher 
education, and research centers conducting scientific 
research on chronic wasting disease. 
(4) Pursuant to State and Federal law, the 
States retain primacy and policymaking authority 
with regard to wildlife management. 
(5) Under current policies, chronic wasting dis-
ease remains a systemic threat to cervids. 
(6) Scientific advances that lead to the ability 
to stop transmission of chronic wasting disease are 
needed to ensure the long-term viability of cervids. 
SEC. 3. CHRONIC WASTING DISEASE RESEARCH AND MAN-
AGEMENT PROGRAM. 
(a) RESEARCH PROGRAM.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 90 days after 
the date on which funds are made available to carry 
out this section, the Secretary of Agriculture shall 
establish a program under which the Secretary shall 
offer to enter into cooperative agreements or other 
legal instruments, as authorized under 10413 of the 
Animal Health Protection Act (7 U.S.C. 8312), with 
eligible entities to conduct research on the trans-
mission of, resistance to, and diagnosis of chronic 
wasting disease. 
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(2) CRITERIA
FOR
SELECTION.—In entering 
into cooperative agreements or other legal instru-
ments pursuant to paragraph (1), the Secretary 
shall give priority to eligible entities that shall con-
duct research relating to— 
(A)(i) methods and products to effectively 
detect infectious chronic wasting disease prions 
in live cervids, cervid excreta, the environment, 
and inorganic surfaces, and to decontaminate 
such infectious prions; or 
(ii) testing methods that significantly im-
prove sensitivity and accelerate timelines for 
test results on non-live cervids; 
(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; 
(D) sustainable cervid harvest management 
practices to reduce chronic wasting disease oc-
currence and to prevent or limit spatial spread 
of chronic wasting disease; or 
(E) factors contributing to local emergence 
of chronic wasting disease, increased prevalence 
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of chronic wasting disease, and distribution of 
chronic wasting disease, including mechanisms 
of disease transmission and effective barriers to 
transmission. 
(3) SIZE OF AWARDS.—To the maximum extent 
practicable, individual cooperative agreements or 
other legal instruments entered into under para-
graph (1) shall be not less than two percent and not 
more than 10 percent of the funds appropriated to 
carry out this section. 
(4) ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS BY ELIGIBLE ENTI-
TIES.—Of the amount of a cooperative agreement or 
other legal instrument entered into with an eligible 
entity under paragraph (1), the eligible entity may 
use not more than 10 percent of such amounts for 
administrative costs incurred by the eligible entity in 
carrying out the research described in such para-
graph. 
(b) SUPPORT FOR STATE EFFORTS TO MANAGE AND 
CONTROL CHRONIC WASTING DISEASE.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Subject to the availability of 
appropriations, the Secretary shall offer to enter 
into cooperative agreements or other legal instru-
ments, as authorized under section 10413 of the 
Animal Health Protection Act (7 U.S.C. 8312), with 
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State or Tribal wildlife agencies and departments of 
agriculture to provide direct financial assistance to 
support the efforts of such State or Tribal wildlife 
agencies and departments of agriculture to develop 
and implement management strategies to address 
chronic wasting disease within their respective juris-
diction. 
(2) APPLICATION.—A State or Tribal wildlife 
agency or department of agriculture seeking direct 
financial assistance under this subsection shall sub-
mit to the Secretary an application at such time and 
manner, and containing such information as the Sec-
retary may require. 
(3) FUNDING PRIORITIES.—In allocating funds 
made available to carry out this subsection for a fis-
cal year among State and Tribal wildlife agencies or 
departments of agriculture that submit an applica-
tion for direct financial assistance under this sub-
section, the Secretary shall give priority to States 
and Indian tribes that have— 
(A) within their respective jurisdictions, 
the highest incidence of chronic wasting disease; 
(B) shown the greatest financial commit-
ment to managing, monitoring, surveying, and 
researching chronic wasting disease; 
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