January 14, 2025
Ms. Hirono introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry
To require the Secretary of the Interior to partner and collaborate with the Secretary of Agriculture and the State of Hawaii to address Rapid Ohia Death, 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 Continued Rapid Ohia Death Response Act of 2025
.
Sec. 2. Findings
Congress finds that—
(1)
the fungus Ceratocystis, known as Rapid Ohia Death
, has killed more than 1,000,000 native trees in the State; and
(2)
the Secretary of Agriculture, acting through the Chief of the Forest Service and the Administrator of the Agricultural Research Service, has provided funding and staff—
(A)
to identify and detect Rapid Ohia Death;
(B)
to prevent the spread of Rapid Ohia Death;
(C)
to identify Ohia trees that are resistant to Rapid Ohia Death; and
(D)
to propagate trees that are resistant to Rapid Ohia Death in order to restore the native forests of the State.
Sec. 3. Definitions
In this Act:
(1) Rapid Ohia Death
The term Rapid Ohia Death means the fungus described in section 2(1) that has killed more than 1,000,000 native trees in the State.
(2) State
The term State means the State of Hawaii.
Sec. 4. Collaboration
The Secretary of the Interior shall partner and collaborate with the Secretary of Agriculture and the State to address Rapid Ohia Death.
Sec. 5. Sustained efforts
(a) Transmission
The Secretary of the Interior, acting through the Director of the United States Geological Survey, shall continue to conduct research on Rapid Ohia Death vectors and transmission.
(b) Ungulate management
The Secretary of the Interior, acting through the Director of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, shall continue to partner with the State and with local stakeholders to manage ungulates in Rapid Ohia Death control areas on Federal, State, and private land.
(c) Restoration and research
The Secretary of Agriculture, acting through the Chief of the Forest Service, shall continue to provide—
(1)
financial assistance, including to the Secretary of the Interior—
(A)
to prevent the spread of Rapid Ohia Death; and
(B)
to restore the native forests of the State; and
(2)
staff and necessary infrastructure funding to the Institute of Pacific Islands Forestry to conduct research on Rapid Ohia Death.
Sec. 6. Authorization of appropriations
For each of fiscal years 2026 through 2036, there is authorized to be appropriated $5,000,000 to carry out this Act, including for activities carried out by the Secretary of the Interior, the Secretary of Agriculture, or both.