Last week, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Chronic Wasting Disease Research and Management Act. This legislation will provide critical funding to help manage, research, and mitigate the spread of Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD). CWD affects deer, elk, and moose, and is currently uncurable and always fatal.
CWD is the biggest threat to deer conservation and hunting across the country, with cases in at least 27 states. Difficult to test and keep from spreading, CWD kills tens of thousands of deer, elk, and moose each year. Concerns that CWD will continue to spread threatens both the sustainability of the species and the proven management strategies of hunters through the North American Model of Conservation.
This legislation, introduced by Representative Ron Kind (D-WI) and Representative Glenn Thompson (R-PA) will provide much-needed funding – $70 million – for both research and management of CWD. The bill directs the U.S. Department of Agriculture to create this new research program in conjunction with state and tribal agencies. This will bolster deer conservation efforts and promote the role of hunters across the country.
Rep. Thompson said, “This bill was crafted with robust stakeholder support and will prioritize research in the transmission of, resistance to, and diagnosis of CWD. It is imperative we better understand the genetic implications of the disease, so we can develop policies best suited to solve the problem. I look forward to moving quickly with my colleagues in Congress to do our part in eradicating CWD.”
Safari Club International extends a thank you to Reps. Kind and Thompson and the House for passing this critical bill. We encourage the Senate to stand on the side of conservation and hunters and pass this legislation quickly!
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