On March 6 Congressional Sportsmen’s Caucus (CSC) Members Congressman Ron Kind of Wisconsin and Senator Jon Tester of Montana introduced the Chronic Wasting Disease Management Act companion bills in the House (H.R. 1550) and Senate (S. 689).
Currently, 26 states across the country have confirmed the presence of CWD, the degenerative neurological disease, which is fatal to deer, elk and moose. There is currently no treatment or vaccine.
With new detections of CWD in both wild populations and farmed herds in areas that had previously been CWD-free last year, increased attention has been brought to the need for reliable data on CWD transmission pathways on which wildlife agencies can base their management strategies.
H.R. 1550 would authorize $35 million to support state and tribal efforts to develop and implement management strategies and control methods, as well as $10 million for additional research on the causes of CWD. In addition to the funding authorized in the House version, S. 689 would authorize an additional $15 million for additional CWD research (totaling $25 million).
“Being a hunter is a big part of who I am, and the Wisconsin way of life. I know firsthand how vital it is that we maintain a healthy deer herd across our state, so we can protect our outdoor traditions and our outdoor economy,” Rep. Kind said.
"This bill will give state and tribal agencies access to the resources they need to combat this disease before it permanently diminishes our big-game herds and limits our ability to hunt," said Sen. Tester.
The CWD Management Act complements the recently introduced Chronic Wasting Disease Transmission in Cervidae Study Act, championed by CSC Members Congressman Ralph Abraham of Louisiana, and Senator John Barrasso of Wyoming.