Bill > HR1726

This bill, the Continued Rapid Ohia Death Response Act of 2023, requires the Secretary of the Interior to partner and collaborate with the Secretary of Agriculture and the State of Hawaii to address Rapid Ohia Death, a fungal disease affecting the Metrosideros polymorpha tree species in Hawaii. The bill defines Rapid Ohia Death and the term "State" as referring to Hawaii. It directs the Secretary of the Interior, through the U.S. Geological Survey and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, to continue research on disease vectors and transmission, as well as manage ungulates (hoofed animals) in Rapid Ohia Death control areas on federal, state, and private land. Additionally, the Secretary of Agriculture, through the U.S. Forest Service, is required to provide financial assistance to prevent the spread of the disease and restore native forests in Hawaii, and to fund the Institute of Pacific Islands Forestry to conduct further research on Rapid Ohia Death.