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Bipartisan group of Wis. legislators again introduce "unified" federal CWD response plan

Feingold, Kohl, Green, Ryan offer comprehensive federal strategy in House and Senate for effectively dealing with Chronic Wasting Disease

WASHINGTON - Four Wisconsin legislators, from both parties and both houses of Congress, came together Friday to announce the re-introduction of their legislation to establish a long-term, "unified" federal strategy for addressing Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD).

The four, U.S. Senators Russ Feingold (D-WI) and Herb Kohl (D-WI) and U.S. Reps. Mark Green (R-Green Bay) and Paul Ryan (R-Janesville), are all original co-sponsors of measures in their respective houses.  They said Friday they hope their legislation will once again become the leading vehicles for quickly establishing a comprehensive new federal CWD policy. The four are working together as a team to get quick action on the two bills.

"This legislation is acutely needed. Wisconsin's experience in getting federal assistance to address this problem, though eventually forthcoming, has been extremely slow and frustrating," Feingold said.  "The federal government must make chronic wasting disease a higher priority. This bill does that by providing additional funds and an explicit mandate to establish a coordinated federal program."

Green said he was optimistic the House proposal would quickly gain momentum this session, citing both its bipartisan support and the fact that another of its leading advocates in the House - U.S. Rep. Scott McInnis (R-Colorado) - chairs a key subcommittee looking into the CWD issue.

"The good news is that so far it looks like we’ve been able to keep CWD reasonably well-contained.  This legislation is dedicated to trying to keep it that way,” Green said.  “It may seem like deer season is a long way off, but it’s not.  If we want to seriously try to address the CWD issue this year, we have to start early, and we have to work together.  That’s what we’re trying to do today.  Once again, we’re focused on making testing more available to hunters, securing more money for states to fight CWD, and giving the federal government a better-coordinated strategy for stopping this disease.”

“Just as we have begun to address CWD in the short-term by providing emergency federal funding through the appropriations process, so must we remain committed to finding a long-term strategy to totally eradicate this destructive disease in Wisconsin,” Kohl said.  “This bipartisan legislation sets forth a coordinated strategy that will give states like Wisconsin the resources they need to eliminate CWD.”

“Deer hunting is a big part of our state’s culture.  We cannot let CWD rob us of this heritage and the jobs it brings to our economy,” Ryan said. “As a bow and gun hunter myself, I know how vital it is for us to be able to test, track and research this disease.  Our legislation advances these goals.  By uniting in our efforts, we will make sure this issue gets the attention it deserves in Washington.”

Both bills set out a "unified" federal CWD response structure.  The structure divides up the varied responsibilities for addressing CWD issues between four federal agencies that will coordinate efforts and work together in a unified manner. 

Feingold, Kohl, Green and Ryan said the measures would clear up some jurisdictional questions among the agencies with authority to deal with CWD, and provide for more effective handling of the disease, particularly through the use of federal grants to state governments working to fight CWD.

Among the specific responsibilities assigned by the bills are the expansion of federal ability to test for CWD, distribution of federal dollars to help states test for CWD, development of a national database to track and store information about CWD, and acceleration of state and other grants for the study of the disease.

The duties will be handled by the U.S. Geological Survey, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Agriculture Research Service, and Cooperative State Research, Education and Extension Service.

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