U.S. Reps. Glenn “GT” Thompson, R-15th, and Ron Kind, D-Wis., on Tuesday introduced a bipartisan bill to research and manage the spread of chronic wasting disease.

Affecting cervids, such as deer, elk and moose, the disease, also known as CWD, is a contagious, neurological disease affecting cervids that is always fatal. There is no known cure, and it's unclear how the disease is transmitted.

The Chronic Wasting Disease Research and Management Act will support state and tribal efforts to develop and implement management strategies as well as fund research into methods to better detect and prevent CWD.

“This bill was crafted with robust stakeholder support and will prioritize research in the transmission of, resistance to, and diagnosis of CWD,” said Thompson in a news release. “It is imperative we better understand the genetic implications of the disease, so we can develop policies best suited to solve the problem. I look forward to moving quickly with my colleagues in Congress to do our part in eradicating CWD.”

As of August 2021, CWD has been confirmed in 25 states, including Pennsylvania, and there are serious concerns that the disease will continue to spread to herds across the country.

“CWD is a serious threat to our deer herds, and we need all hands on deck to combat this disease,” said Kind.