Chronic Wasting Disease Transmission in Cervidae Study Act
This bill requires the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service to contract the National Academy of Sciences to study the predominant pathways and mechanisms of the transmission of chronic wasting disease in wild, captive, and farmed populations of deer, elk, reindeer, and moose populations in the United States.
[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 3644 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
<DOC>
115th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 3644
To authorize a special resource study on the spread vectors of chronic
wasting disease in Cervidae, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
November 15, 2018
Mr. Barrasso (for himself, Mr. Bennet, Mr. Jones, Mr. Cornyn, Mr.
Johnson, Ms. Collins, Mr. Wicker, Mr. Thune, Mr. Enzi, and Mr. Manchin)
introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the
Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To authorize a special resource study on the spread vectors of chronic
wasting disease in Cervidae, 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 Transmission
in Cervidae Study Act''.
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) Academy.--The term ``Academy'' means the National
Academy of Sciences.
(2) Cervid.--The term ``cervid'' means any species within
the family Cervidae.
(3) 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 group
includes scrapie, bovine spongiform encephalopathy, and
Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease.
(4) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
of Agriculture, acting through the Administrator of the Animal
and Plant Health Inspection Service.
SEC. 3. CHRONIC WASTING DISEASE TRANSMISSION IN CERVIDAE RESOURCE
STUDY.
(a) Study.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary shall enter into an
arrangement with the Academy under which the Academy shall
conduct, and submit to the Secretary a report describing the
findings of, a special resource study to identify the
predominant pathways and mechanisms of the transmission of
chronic wasting disease in wild, captive, and farmed
populations of cervids in the United States.
(2) Requirements.--The arrangement under paragraph (1)
shall provide that the actual expenses incurred by the Academy
in conducting the study under paragraph (1) shall be paid by
the Secretary.
(b) Contents of the Study.--The study under subsection (a) shall--
(1) with respect to wild, captive, and farmed populations
of cervids in the United States, identify--
(A)(i) the pathways and mechanisms for the
transmission of chronic wasting disease within live
cervid populations and cervid products;
(ii) the infection rates for each pathway and
mechanism identified under clause (i); and
(iii) the relative frequency of transmission of
each pathway and mechanism identified under clause (i);
(B)(i) anthropogenic and environmental factors
contributing to new chronic wasting disease emergence
events;
(ii) the development of geographical areas with
increased chronic wasting disease prevalence; and
(iii) the overall geographical patterns of chronic
wasting disease distribution;
(C) significant gaps in current scientific
knowledge regarding the transmission pathways and
mechanisms identified under subparagraph (A)(i); and
(D) for prioritization the scientific research
projects that will address the knowledge gaps
identified under subparagraph (C); and
(2) review and compare science-based best practices,
standards, and guidance regarding the management of chronic
wasting disease in wild, captive, and farmed populations of
cervids in the United States that have been developed by--
(A) the National Chronic Wasting Disease Herd
Certification Program of the Animal and Plant Health
Inspection Service; and
(B) State wildlife and agricultural agencies, in
the case of practices, standards, and guidance that
provide practical, science-based recommendations to
State and Federal agencies for minimizing or
eliminating the risk of transmission of chronic wasting
disease in the United States.
(c) Deadline.--The study under subsection (a) shall be completed
not later than 180 days after the date on which funds are first made
available for the study.
(d) Data Sharing.--The Secretary shall share with the entity
conducting the study under subsection (a) data and access to databases
on chronic wasting disease under the jurisdiction of Veterinary
Services Program of the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
(e) Report.--On completion of the study, the Secretary shall submit
to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry of the Senate
and the Committee on Agriculture of the House of Representatives a
report that describes--
(1) the findings of the study; and
(2) any conclusions and recommendations that the Secretary
determines to be appropriate.
<all>
Introduced in Senate
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.
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