a joint task force was convened by the Animal Plant Health Inspection Service and the Fish and Wildlife Service to develop a Federal-State CWD road-map. And while that group formalized the broad outlines of an intergovernmental CWD program, Congress is still waiting for the implementation plan, and budget requests, that would give this program form, substance and meaning. My understanding is that the implementation report is essentially done, but awaiting approval somewhere in the administrative chain-of-command. I look forward to hearing from our government witnesses about the status of that report.

So in the absence of that unified Federal game-plan, today we consider H.R. 2057. The bill, authored with the substantial input of my colleagues from Wisconsin Mr. Green and Ryan, creates a broad Federal framework to support State efforts to contain and eradicate CWD in both captive and wild deer and elk populations. Colleagues, I consider this bill a starting point in this discussion, and I look forward to working with all of our witnesses and other interested Members to refine the bill as needed to make sure that the Federal Government gets the maximum bang for its scarce buck as it supports State-led efforts to remove the threat of Chronic Wasting Disease to deer and elk populations around the country.

Statement of The Honorable Scott McInnis, Chairman,
Subcommittee on Forests and Forest Health, on H.R. 2416

The upsurge of public interest in paleontology has created an opportunity for paleontologists to share more of their research and findings with the general public. Learning of these findings and observing fossils in museums and educational institutions has become an introduction to Science for countless American students. Fossils are for everyone children and adults, amateurs and professionals. From fossils we learn about the history of life, but much of the story is yet to be written. Fossils from public lands are an educational and scientific resource for our generation and those yet to come.

Scientifically significant fossils on Federal lands belong to all the people of the United States. They should not be removed from the public domain, but preserved for the enjoyment and education of all Americans for all time. In my own district in Colorado there are several fossil sites and museums that support learning about paleontological sciences. The Wasatch and Green River Formations within the region have produced important fossilized resources which have been collected and studied by the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago, the University of Colorado Museum in Boulder, The Smithsonian Institute and the Museum of Western Colorado. Vertebrate fossils have been identified, collected and studied and the area has been identified as one with a rich fossil record.

Another site is the Cretaceous limestone site near Fort Hays just south of Pueblo, the Creede Formation, near Creed, Colorado, has plant and insect fossils. There are many plant fossils such as pine needles, cones, willow leaves, and many more located in road cuts along the Rio Grande. Most significant is the site of Dinosaur National Monument, which had 299,142 visitors last year. This museum is home to over 1500 dinosaur bones. Today, many ideas about dinosaurs are changing, and the fossils at Dinosaur National Monument continue to help us learn more about these fascinating prehistoric animals. The fossils that give the monument its name were discovered in 1909 by Earl Douglass. He was a paleontologist who worked for the Carnegie Museum of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. President Woodrow Wilson heard about the great dinosaur quarry that Douglass had started, and proclaimed the site as Dinosaur National Monument in 1915. Years later, the National Park Service began to develop the quarry as it is today. The rock layer containing the fossil bones forms one wall of the Quarry Visitor Center. On this wall, scientists have carefully chipped away the rock to uncover the bones and leave them in place.

The Paleontological Resources Preservation Act (PRPA) will ensure that fossils from Federal lands will be used for the benefit of all the people of the United States by fostering the maximization of information that is gained from these fossils and by providing access to these fossils for researchers and the public.

STATEMENT OF THE HON. MARK GREEN, A REPRESENTATIVE
IN CONGRESS FROM THE STATE OF WISCONSIN
Mr. GREEN. Thank you, Chairman. Thank you so much for
yielding time for the courtesy of allowing me to sit on this

Subcommittee for the day. And of course I appreciate the hearing itself on H.R. 2057.

As I know this body is aware, chronic wasting disease is a significant and growing problem in a growing number of States from a wildlife management perspective, but also an economic perspective.

In my home State of Wisconsin, which has received I think the most attention recently in terms of the chronic wasting disease challenge, we estimate that chronic wasting disease presents a one billion dollar economic impact.

And a State the size of Wisconsin, you can imagine what that means potentially. It is critically important that we get our arms around this challenge. I am proud to join Congressman McInnis, Congressman Ryan, and others in introducing H.R. 2057. It creates a comprehensive Federal framework for assisting the States. The key points of this are, first, it is comprehensive, and I think that is critical. It seems to me that if we are going to tackle this challenge in the long run that we have to be comprehensive.

We have to involve a wide range of agencies and institutions, institutions like APHIS, if we are going to succeed. There is no single silver bullet out there to this problem. Instead, we hope that by crossing agency lines, and by pulling the best minds in from agencies and institutions that we can develop the plan that will lick this problem in the long run.

And the second key point to this legislation that I believe is so critical is about assistance to the States. Whether this legislation passes or even better, the Administration moves quickly enough to administer and implement the principles that are in this legislation, we have to do everything we possibly can to shift more resources out to the States.

It is the States where this problem will truly be fought. They are on the front lines, and they are the ones who are dealing with this year around, and especially during hunting season.

So I do believe that it is important that we do everything that we can to get the monies, including the monies that have already been appropriated, as quickly as possible out to the States for comprehensive plans so that we can make a very important difference. Mr. Chairman, thank you again for yielding time. I do appreciate it, and strongly support this legislation, and look forward to working with you to see that its principles are implemented. Thank you. Mr. McINNIS. Thank you. Since none of the other members that are entitled to opening remarks are here, we are going to proceed directly to the witnesses. I would ask the witnesses that you keep your comments to 5 minutes.

We have a vote that we expect to take place in about 50 minutes. I would like everyone to-I realize this, but I want to get our witnesses out.

Mr. RYAN. I would just want to ask for unanimous consent to have my statement be included in the record.

Mr. McINNIS. There is no problem with that. Of course. Are there any objections or any unanimous consents? No? They are all in. Which also includes Mr. Ryan permission to sit where you are sitting, but we went ahead and granted that, too. So you are welcome to the Committee. At any rate, we want to get the witness

statements in, and I want to leave plenty of time for the panel to ask these questions. I think that is where we are going to get the most out of this hearing.

[The prepared statement of Mr. Ryan follows:]

Statement of The Honorable Paul Ryan, a Representative in Congress from the State of Wisconsin, on H.R. 2057

Thank you for giving me the opportunity to return to this Committee to share my concerns about Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD), which affects my home state of Wisconsin and 11 other states. Last year, Wisconsin became the first state east of the Mississippi River to have confirmed cases of Chronic Wasting Disease. This discovery indicated that the disease was spreading, and that quick and thorough action was imperative. Since we last held a hearing on this issue in May 2002, six more states have reported discovering CWD in either their captive or wild herds. Obviously this is a problem that continues to grow and requires a serious response.

CWD is a deadly disease that affects deer and elk by penetrating the brain with millions of microscopic holes, infecting the tonsils, spinal cord, and lymph nodes, and is always fatal. Unless this disease can be controlled soon, it could be damaging to Wisconsin's deer hunting industry. Every year, sportsmen in the state spend over $2.3 billion and support 45,000 jobs throughout the state. It is vital to Wisconsin to preserve and support this industry by ensuring the good health of the deer.

As an avid sportsman, I am deeply concerned about CWD and will continue to support the Federal and state CWD programs to contain and eradicate the disease. Over the past year, Wisconsin has worked hard to manage the spread of CWD. My colleague Mark Green and I joined our fellow hunters in Wisconsin for one of the four one-week hunting sessions held last summer and an extended hunting season in the fall. These hunts contributed to the 41,245 deer samples that have been analyzed. This is more testing than any other state has conducted. Of those samples, 207 animals have tested positive for the fatal deer disease. Almost all of the infected deer-201-came from the 411-square mile eradication zone of Dane, Iowa, and Sauk counties, indicating good disease management. However, officials believe the disease may be far more widespread within that zone.

The testing of these deer samples has provided information to hunters, farmers, and recreationalists who depend on the health of the deer herds. Wisconsin has used this information to calm the concerns of citizens who worried whether it was safe to hunt and eat the meat, whether cattle were at risk, or whether this disease could be passed on to humans. Wisconsin's intensive testing effort consumed thousands of hours, involved 1,200 people, and has cost millions of dollars.

I believe that the most effective role for the Federal Government is to support states like Wisconsin with the burdens of this effort by providing for surveillance, management, and research programs. Most of all, our backing of sound scientific research is critical to finding all of the necessary answers to the many unanswered questions surrounding CWD. If we are to manage this disease properly, if we are to calm citizens' concerns, and if we are to ultimately end the spread of this disease, scientific research will show us the way.

Our legislation, H.R. 2057, which is the result of a bipartisan collaboration between Mr. Green, Mr. McInnis, and myself and Wisconsin's two U.S. Senators, establishes a strong alliance between the states and the Federal Government to combat CWD. This comprehensive approach will benefit the states by expanding the resources and support available within the Federal Government.

In closing, I am more confident than ever that this disease can be controlled and eradicated. In just over a year, we have taken important strides towards managing CWD and learning about the disease. I will work to see that state and Federal agencies are provided the support they need to overcome obstacles in eradicating CWD. More resources should be dedicated towards testing, and extensive, collaborative research is especially needed to determine the cause of this problem. Lastly, we need to continue to manage the current problem while focusing efforts on discovering a live test, a vaccine, or a cure for the disease.

Mr. McINNIS. So I would call up the first witnesses on H.R. 2057. On panel one, we have Mr. Groat, who is the Director, U.S. Geological Survey. You have got name tags up there, and if you would take your place.

Mr. Bobby Acord, and he is the Administrator of the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Services; Mr. George Russ, I introduced you earlier-Director, Colorado Division of Wildlife; Mr. Taylor, Legislative Director, International Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies; and I understand that Mr. Fisher, or Dr. Fisher, and Dr. Fisher, thank you, and he is with the Southeast Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study.

And since we called them in that order, we will go ahead and begin in that order. Mr. Groat, you may proceed. You have 5 minutes. And by the way, thank you to all of the witnesses today for making this effort.

I will tell you that Thursday is a very active day. I, for example, have Ways and Means going on right now. So the lack of presence of some of the members should not be indicative of their lack of interest. There is a lot of interest in this. This is very, very important.

There will be lots of statements that will be entered in the record, and there will be lots of review of the comments that you make into the record by people not able to be present here today. Again, I appreciate your thoughtfulness in attending. And, Mr. Groat, with that, you may proceed.

STATEMENT OF CHIP GROAT, DIRECTOR, U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Mr. GROAT. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I am pleased to present the Department of Interior's views on H.R. 2057. We so share your concern, both for the wildlife populations, the captive herds, as well as Mr. Green's point for the economic impacts that this is having. At the outset the Department strongly supports the concepts embodied in H.R. 2057, particularly the recognition and the facilitation of the critical role that State Wildlife Management Agencies, universities, and non-governmental organizations, play.

There may be a couple of instances in the legislation where the mechanisms that are called upon in the Department of the Interior are already in place, but we do strongly support the efforts to make the best use of those.

We also recognize that there are varied roles for different Federal agencies, as well as State agencies, and those that are outlined for the Department of the Interior, and USGS in particular, are by and large appropriate as you have described them.

We have already committed in the Fiscal Year 2004 budget the Administration's requested $3.8 million for chronic wasting disease efforts within the USGS. That will allow us to expand one of the main contributions we make, and that has to do with research and technical assistance to partners dealing with the biological information and understanding of the disease itself.

Within this appropriations year, the Park Service will continue to monitor and do surveillance on the disease in the parks and provide for chronic wasting disease response teams. Also, the national refuge system will be watched over by the Fish and Wildlife Service and they will do surveillance there.

We are also working cooperatively with Colorado, Wisconsin, and other State and Fish and Wildlife Agencies, providing technical assistance manpower, and participating in collaborative research.

For example, we recently initiated collaborative research studies with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and the University of Wisconsin to enhance scientific knowledge about chronic wasting disease and the development of management strategies.

Over the past year the department embarked on an aggressive program of research into the biology of chronic wasting disease, its host, and its avenues of transmission, clearly one of the least understood aspects of the disease.

And as was pointed out, where there is a need for lots of people with good ideas to participate in trying to understand that. In addition, we and our partners are working to develop methods needed to identify diseased animals in the pre-clinical stages.

During 2003, we have augmented our ongoing program of chronic wasting disease projects with over a million dollars in new research, and $300 thousand in new activities initiated in cooperation with the States. That brings our total commitment to $2.7 million for this year.

The recent addition of detection of chronic wasting disease in free ranging deer in additional States points to the need for continued Federal, State, and tribal coordination to manage the disease. I want to speak now specifically very quickly to the provisions of H.R. 2057, which relate to instructions to the Secretary of the Interior.

It directs the Secretary of the Interior through the USGS to use existing authorities to establish and maintain a national data base for chronic wasting disease related information, which is to include surveillance and monitoring data for both wild and captive herds. We agree that information is an extremely important part of the program, and through our national biological information infrastructure, the USGS has recently implemented a prototype wildlife disease information network to develop a chronic wasting disease national data repository for scientific, technical and geospacial information.

However, in terms of the data base suggested by this legislation, we believe that it should be developed in close coordination with the Department of Agriculture, and that we provide a national prospective by working cooperatively with them on providing this capability.

Under the provisions of H.R. 2057, we are also, the USGS, is charged with using existing authorities in a chronic wasting disease surveillance and monitoring program in cooperation with the State and tribal agencies, and also in cooperation with the Department of the Interior.

We really strongly believe that the surveillance and monitoring program is an extremely important component of any national strategy, particularly as it relates to wild herds in our area of responsibility.

I am pleased to report, Mr. Chairman, that on May 1 of this year that the USGS released a report called Surveillance Strategies for Detecting Chronic Wasting Disease in Free Ranging Deer and Elk.

This 41-page document is a culmination of a 3 day workshop that involved several agencies and many disciplines, and it was held at our wildlife health center in Madison, Wisconsin. This is the first of its kind, and it provides one of the kinds of tools that you