HR1726-118

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Continued Rapid Ohia Death Response Act of 2023.

2. Findings Congress finds that— the fungus Ceratocystis, known as Rapid Ohia Death, has killed more than 1,000,000 native trees in the State; and 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— to identify and detect Rapid Ohia Death; to prevent the spread of Rapid Ohia Death; to identify Ohia trees that are resistant to Rapid Ohia Death; and to propagate trees that are resistant to Rapid Ohia Death in order to restore the native forests of the State.

3. Definitions In this Act: 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. The term State means the State of Hawaii.

4. Collaboration The Secretary of the Interior shall partner and collaborate with the Secretary of Agriculture and the State to address Rapid Ohia Death.

5. Sustained efforts 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. 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. The Secretary of Agriculture, acting through the Chief of the Forest Service, shall continue to provide— financial assistance, including to the Secretary of the Interior— to prevent the spread of Rapid Ohia Death; and to restore the native forests of the State; and staff and necessary infrastructure funding to the Institute of Pacific Islands Forestry to conduct research on Rapid Ohia Death.