The House Agriculture Committee has unanimously passed the Chronic Wasting Disease Research and Management Act. The bill, formally H.R. 5608, now awaits consideration on the House floor.
Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) is a fatal neurological disease found in cervids and is a fundamental threat to the health and vibrancy of deer, elk and 11 moose populations. The Chronic Wasting Disease Research and Management Act would allow the Department of Agriculture to establish a program to research the transmission of, resistance to, and diagnosis of CWD. The bill would also provide direct financial assistance to support the efforts of such wildlife agencies and departments of agriculture to develop and implement management strategies to address CWD within their respective jurisdictions.
The Chronic Wasting Disease Research and Management Act was introduced by Republican Leader Glenn “GT” Thompson and Representative Ron Kind of Wisconsin. It’s supported by the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation, Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership, National Wildlife Foundation, Boone and Crockett Club, National Deer Association, Mule Deer Foundation, North American Deer Farmers Association, Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, and Wildlife Management Institute.
“The Chronic Wasting Disease Research and Management Act is not only a critical piece of legislation, but it is also a model for Committee process,” Thompson said in a statement. “I am proud of this bipartisan work and the extensive stakeholder input we sought along the way to craft a bill that will protect our cervid populations and provide the necessary support to better research and prevent Chronic Wasting Disease. I’d like to thank fellow outdoorsman, Congressman Ron Kind, for his tireless support of this legislation, and I urge my colleagues to join us in moving quickly to do our part to eradicate this terrible disease.”
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