To authorize the Secretary of the Interior to make grants to State and tribal governments to assist State and tribal efforts to manage and control the spread of chronic wasting disease in deer and elk herds, and for other purposes.

June 26, 2003

Mr. GREEN of Wisconsin (for himself, Mr. MCINNIS, and Mr. RYAN of Wisconsin) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Resources, and in addition to the Committee on Agriculture, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned

To authorize the Secretary of the Interior to make grants to State and tribal governments to assist State and tribal efforts to manage and control the spread of chronic wasting disease in deer and elk herds, 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 Financial Assistance Act of 2003'.

SEC. 2. DEFINITION AND FINDINGS.

(a) CHRONIC WASTING DISEASE DEFINED- In this Act, the term `chronic wasting disease' means the animal disease afflicting deer and elk that--

(1) is a transmissible disease of the nervous system resulting in distinctive lesions in the brain; and

(2) belongs to the group of diseases known as transmissible spongiform encephalopathies, which group includes scrapie, bovine spongiform encephalopathy, and Cruetzfeldt-Jakob disease.

(b) FINDINGS- Congress finds the following:

(1) The States retain undisputed primacy and policy-making authority with regard to wildlife management, and nothing in this Act interferes with or otherwise affects the primacy of the States in managing wildlife generally, or managing, surveying, and monitoring the incidence of chronic wasting disease in animal populations.

(2) Chronic wasting disease is a fundamental threat to the health and vibrancy of deer and elk populations, and the increased occurrence of chronic wasting disease in the United States necessitates government action to manage and eradicate this lethal disease.

(3) As the States and tribal government move to manage existing incidence of chronic wasting disease and insulate non-infected wild cervid populations from the disease, it is appropriate for the Federal Government to support their efforts with financial assistance.

SEC. 3. STATE CHRONIC WASTING DISEASE MANAGEMENT CAPACITY BUILDING GRANTS.

(a) GRANTS AUTHORIZED- The Secretary of the Interior shall make grants to State wildlife management agencies to assist States in developing and implementing long term management strategies to address chronic wasting disease in wild cervids.

(b) ELIGIBILITY- A wildlife management agency of a State whose comprehensive wildlife conservation plan include chronic wasting disease management activities is eligible for a grant under this section.

(c) FUNDING PRIORITIES- In determining the amount of grant funds to be provided to eligible applicants under this section, the Secretary shall prioritize applicants based on the following criteria:

(1) States in which chronic wasting disease has been detected and States located adjacent or in proximity to States in which chronic wasting disease has been detected.

(2) States that have expended State funds for chronic wasting disease management, monitoring, surveillance, and research, with additional priority given to those States that have shown the greatest financial commitment to managing, monitoring, surveying, and researching chronic wasting disease.

(3) States with comprehensive and integrated policies and programs focused on chronic wasting disease management between involved State wildlife and agricultural agencies and tribal governments, with additional priority given to States that have integrated the programs and policies of all involved agencies related to chronic wasting disease management.

(4) States that are seeking to develop a rapid response capacity to address outbreaks of chronic wasting disease, whether occurring in States in which chronic wasting disease is already found or States with first infections, for the purpose of containing the disease in any new area of infection.

(d) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS- There are authorized to be appropriated $7,500,000 to carry out this section.

SEC. 4. GRANTS FOR STATES WITH CHRONIC WASTING DISEASE OUTBREAKS.

(a) GRANTS AUTHORIZED- The Secretary of the Interior shall make grants to State wildlife management agencies to assist States in responding to chronic wasting disease outbreaks in wild cervids.

(b) ELIGIBILITY- A wildlife management agency of a State whose comprehensive wildlife conservation plan include chronic wasting disease management activities is eligible for a grant under this section.

(c) FUNDING PRIORITIES- In determining the amount of grant funds to be provided to eligible applicants under this section, the Secretary shall prioritize applicants based on the following criteria:

(1) State expenditures on chronic wasting disease management, monitoring, surveillance, and research in response to management of an on-going outbreak.

(2) The number of chronic wasting disease cases detected in the State.

(3) The wild cervid population of the State.

(d) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS- There are authorized to be appropriated $10,000,000 to carry out this section.

SEC. 5. TRIBAL CHRONIC WASTING DISEASE MANAGEMENT GRANTS.

(a) GRANTS AUTHORIZED- The Secretary of the Interior shall make grants to tribal wildlife management agencies to assist Indian tribes in developing and implementing long term management strategies to address chronic wasting disease in wild cervids.

(b) ELIGIBILITY- A wildlife management agency of an Indian tribe whose comprehensive wildlife conservation plan include chronic wasting disease management activities is eligible for a grant under this section.

(c) FUNDING PRIORITIES- In determining the amount of grant funds to be provided to eligible applicants under this section, the Secretary shall prioritize applicants based on the following criteria:

(1) Tribal governments managing lands on which cervids with chronic wasting disease have been detected, or managing lands located adjacent or in proximity to lands on which cervids with chronic wasting disease have been detected.

(2) Tribal governments that have expended tribal funds for chronic wasting disease management, monitoring, surveillance, and research, with additional priority given to tribal governments that have shown the greatest financial commitment to managing, monitoring, and surveying chronic wasting disease.

(3) Tribal governments with cooperative arrangements with Federal and State wildlife and agricultural agencies and State governments, with additional priority given to tribal governments that are working with other involved agencies on issues of chronic wasting disease management.

(d) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS- There are authorized to be appropriated $3,000,000 to carry out this section.

SEC. 6. ADMINISTRATION.

The Secretary of the Interior shall carry out this Act acting through the Director, United States Fish and Wildlife Service. Funds appropriated to carry out this Act shall be administered through the Federal Assistance Program in the United States Fish and Wildlife Service. Not more than three percent of such funds may be expended for administrative expenses of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service to carry out this Act.

END