Bill Summary
This is a bill introduced to amend the Animal Health Protection Act in order to establish a grant program for research on chronic wasting disease. The purpose of this bill is to address the need for more research into the transmission, resistance, and epidemiology of this disease in order to inform future policies and ensure the health of cervid populations. The bill defines chronic wasting disease and eligible entities for the grant program, and outlines the criteria for selecting grant recipients. It also authorizes appropriations for funding and specifies that a portion of the funds may be used for administrative costs. This bill is not intended to interfere with the authority of the Federal Government or States to manage wildlife and livestock. Overall, the purpose of this legislation is to support and promote scientific research that could lead to effective methods for detecting and managing chronic wasting disease.
Possible Impacts
1. Researchers in participating institutions of higher education and research centers may receive funding for their research on chronic wasting disease, which could potentially lead to new information on the transmission, resistance, and diagnosis of the disease. This could impact the lives of scientists and researchers by providing them with resources and support to further their studies and potentially make breakthroughs in understanding and combating the disease.
2. State departments of agriculture and Tribal departments of agriculture can also receive funding for research on chronic wasting disease. This could benefit farmers and livestock owners who may be affected by the disease and need resources to manage and monitor its incidence in their herds.
3. In order to receive funding, eligible entities must conduct research on specific areas related to chronic wasting disease, such as methods for detection and decontamination, long-term suppression or eradication, and genetic resistance. This could potentially limit the areas of study for researchers and could lead to a more focused approach in addressing the disease.
[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2081 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
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
Pennsylvania, and Mr. Cuellar) introduced the following bill; which was
referred 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 Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Chronic Wasting Disease Research
Act''.
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 wasting 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 addressing
chronic wasting disease, the Federal Government should
coordinate financial and technical support to States, State
departments of agriculture, institutions of higher education,
and research centers conducting scientific research on chronic
wasting disease;
``(3) under current policies, chronic wasting disease
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:
``(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 nervous
system resulting in distinctive lesions in the brain;
and
``(B) belongs to the group of diseases known as
transmissible spongiform encephalopathies, which
includes scrapie, bovine spongiform encephalopathy, and
Cruetzfeldt-Jakob disease.
``(2) Eligible entity.--The term `eligible entity' 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 scientific
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 Secretary shall establish a
program under which the Secretary shall award grants on a
competitive basis to eligible entities to conduct research on
the transmission 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 research 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 eradication of
chronic wasting disease; or
``(C) determination markers for genetic resistance
to chronic wasting disease and strategies for using
genetic resistance to combat the spread of the disease.
``(3) Number of grant recipients.--
``(A) In general.--To the maximum extent
practicable, subject to subparagraph (B), the Secretary
shall select not fewer than 5 and 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 eligible entities have submitted
applications for a grant.
``(4) Administrative costs by eligible entities.--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 incurred by the eligible entity in
carrying out the research described in that paragraph.
``(d) Authorization of Appropriations.--
``(1) In general.--There is authorized to be appropriated
to the Secretary to carry out this section $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 administrative 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 Government or States to
manage wildlife and livestock, including 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)''.
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