SEC. 104. EXPANSION OF UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL
SURVEY RESEARCH.
(a) EXPANSION.—The Secretary of Interior, acting
through the United States Geological Survey, shall expand
and accelerate research on chronic wasting disease, includ-
ing research regarding detection of chronic wasting dis-
ease, genetic resistance, tissue studies, and environmental
studies.
(b) AUTHORIZATION
OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There
are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of the
Interior $3,000,000 to carry out subsection (a). Funds ap-
propriated pursuant to this authorization of appropria-
tions shall remain available until expended.
TITLE II—DEPARTMENT OF
AGRICULTURE ACTIVITIES
SEC. 201. SURVEILLANCE AND MONITORING PROGRAM RE-
GARDING PRESENCE OF CHRONIC WASTING
DISEASE IN CAPTIVE HERDS OF DEER AND
ELK.
(a) PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT.—The Secretary of Ag-
riculture, acting through the Animal and Plant Health In-
spection Service, shall develop a surveillance and moni-
toring program to identify—
(1) the rate of chronic wasting disease infection
in captive 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 Agri-
culture shall provide financial and technical assistance to
States and Indian tribes to implement the surveillance and
monitoring program for captive herds.
(c) COOPERATION.—In developing the surveillance
and monitoring program for captive herds, the Secretary
of Agriculture shall cooperate with State and tribal agen-
cies responsible for managing and controlling chronic
wasting disease.
(d) COORDINATION.—The Secretary of Agriculture,
in cooperation with the Secretary of the Interior, shall es-
tablish uniform standards for the collection and assess-
ment of samples and data derived from the surveillance
and monitoring program.
(e) AUTHORIZATION
OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There
are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of Agri-
culture $2,000,000 to establish and support the surveil-
lance and monitoring program. Funds appropriated pursu-
ant to this authorization of appropriations shall remain
available until expended.
SEC. 202. EXPANSION OF DIAGNOSTIC TESTING CAPACITY.
(a) PURPOSE.—Diagnostic testing of samples col-
lected under the surveillance and monitoring programs re-
garding chronic wasting disease conducted by the Federal
Government and States and Indian tribes, including the
programs required by sections 102 and 201, will continue
to be conducted by National Veterinary Services Labora-
tories of the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
and laboratories approved by the National Veterinary
Services Laboratories, but current laboratory capacity is
inadequate to process the anticipated sample load.
(b) UPGRADING OF FEDERAL FACILITIES.—The Sec-
retary of Agriculture shall provide for the upgrading of
Federal laboratories to facilitate the timely processing of
samples from the surveillance and monitoring programs
required by sections 102 and 201 and related epidemiolog-
ical investigation in response to the results of such proc-
essing.
(c) UPGRADING
OF CERTIFIED LABORATORIES.—
Using the grant authority provided under section 2(d) of
the Competitive, Special and Facilities Research Grant
Act (7 U.S.C. 450i(d)), the Secretary of Agriculture shall
make grants to provide for the upgrading of laboratories
to be certified by the Secretary to facilitate the timely
processing of samples from the surveillance and moni-
toring programs required by sections 102 and 201 and re-
lated epidemiological investigation in response to the re-
sults of such processing.
(d) AUTHORIZATION
OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There
are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of Agri-
culture $2,500,000 to carry out this section. Funds appro-
priated pursuant to this authorization of appropriations
shall remain available until expended.
SEC. 203. EXPANSION OF AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH SERV-
ICE RESEARCH.
(a) EXPANSION.—The Secretary of Agriculture, act-
ing through the Agricultural Research Service, shall ex-
pand and accelerate research on chronic wasting disease,
including research regarding detection of chronic wasting
disease, genetic resistance, tissue studies, and environ-
mental studies.
(b) AUTHORIZATION
OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There
are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of Agri-
culture $1,000,000 to carry out subsection (a). Funds ap-
propriated pursuant to this authorization of appropria-
tions shall remain available until expended.
SEC. 204. EXPANSION OF COOPERATIVE STATE RESEARCH,
EDUCATION AND EXTENSION SERVICE SUP-
PORTED RESEARCH AND EDUCATION.
(a) RESEARCH EFFORTS.—The Secretary of Agri-
culture, acting through the Cooperative State Research,
Education and Extension Service, shall expand the grant
program regarding research on chronic wasting disease.
(b) EDUCATIONAL EFFORTS.—The Secretary of Ag-
riculture shall provide educational outreach regarding
chronic wasting disease to the general public, industry and
conservation organizations, hunters, and interested sci-
entific and regulatory communities.
(c) AUTHORIZATION
OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There
are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of Agri-
culture $4,000,000 to carry out this section. Of the funds
so appropriated, 75 percent shall be used to carry out sub-
section (a) and 25 percent shall be used to carry out sub-
section (b). Funds appropriated pursuant to this author-
ization of appropriations shall remain available until ex-
pended.
TITLE III—GENERAL
PROVISIONS
SEC. 301. RULEMAKING.
(a) JOINT RULEMAKING.—To ensure that the sur-
veillance and monitoring programs and research programs
required by this Act are compatible and that information
collection is carried out in a manner suitable for inclusion
in the national database required by section 101, the Sec-
retary of the Interior and the Secretary of Agriculture
shall jointly promulgate rules to implement this Act.
(b) PROCEDURE.—Due to the serious consequences
of an unchecked chronic wasting disease epidemic, prompt
implementation of this Act is required. The promulgation
of the rules under subsection (a) shall be made without
regard to—
(1) chapter 35 of title 44, United States Code
(commonly know as the ‘‘Paperwork Reduction
Act’’);
(2) the Statement of Policy of the Secretary of
Agriculture effective July 24, 1971 (36 Fed. Reg.
13804), relating to notices of proposed rulemaking
and public participation in rulemaking; and
(3) the notice and comment provisions of sec-
tion 553 of title 5, United States Code.
(c) CONGRESSIONAL REVIEW
OF AGENCY RULE-
MAKING.—In carrying out this section, the Secretary of
the Interior and the Secretary of Agriculture shall use the
authority provided under section 808 of title 5, United
States Code.
(d) RELATION TO OTHER RULEMAKING.—The re-
quirement for joint rulemaking shall not be construed to
require any delay in the promulgation by the Secretary
of Agriculture of rules regarding the interstate transpor-
tation of captive deer or elk or any other rule by the Sec-
retary of Agriculture or the Secretary of the Interior re-