Hoeven, Daines bill tackles chronic wasting disease

U.S. Sens. John Hoeven (R-ND) and Steve Daines (R-MT) on April 28 unveiled bipartisan legislation to provide $70 million per year to equally support both the research and management of chronic wasting disease (CWD), which the federal government says is a fatal, neurological illness occurring in North American members of the deer family, including white-tailed deer, mule deer, elk, and moose.

Since its discovery in 1967, CWD has spread geographically and increased in prevalence locally, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. 

“CWD is a growing threat to both wildlife and livestock, impacting sportsmen, ranchers and the local ecology of regions across the U.S.,” Sen. Hoeven said. “Our legislation would empower state and tribal governments to better manage and prevent outbreaks of this deadly disease, while also advancing new methods for detecting CWD and limiting its spread.”

Sen. Hoeven proposed the Chronic Wasting Disease Research and Management Act of 2022, S. 4111, with eight original cosponsors, including Sen. Daines and U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-NM) to authorize the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to administer the allocated funds through cooperative agreements with state and tribal wildlife agencies and agriculture departments, according to a bill summary provided by Sen. Hoeven’s staff.

“By threatening Montana wildlife and ecosystems, chronic wasting disease also threatens our sportsmen legacy and outdoor way of life,” Sen. Daines said. “My bipartisan bill will support Montana’s ongoing efforts to research, manage, and contain the spread of chronic wasting disease among wildlife populations.”

If enacted, S. 4111 also includes an authorization for USDA and state and tribal agencies to develop educational materials to inform the public on CWD and would direct USDA to review its herd certification program within 18 months, among several other provisions, according to the summary. 

The measure is supported by the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, Backcountry Hunters and Anglers, the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation, the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership, the National Wildlife Federation, Boone & Crockett, the National Deer Association, the North American Deer Farmers Association, the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, and the Mule Deer Foundation.