Reps. Meyer, Nofs, Farhat, Acciavatti, Newell, Sheltrown, DeRossett, Spade, Accavitti, Adamini, Anderson, Brandenburg, Caswell, Farrah, Gillard, Huizenga, Hummel, Julian, Koetje, Law, Middaugh, Minore, Nitz, Paletko, Plakas, Richardville, Vagnozzi, Vander Veen, Voorhees, Brown, Drolet, Ehardt, Gieleghem, Hager, Hopgood, Hune, Lipsey, Murphy, Pappageorge, Phillips, Rivet, Sak, Shackleton, Stahl, Tobocman, Woodward and Tabor offered the following resolution:

            House Resolution No. 58.

            A resolution to memorialize the Congress of the United States to continue providing assistance to Michigan to help eradicate bovine tuberculosis.

            Whereas, Bovine tuberculosis is an infectious disease that poses a significant risk to domestic livestock, wildlife, companion animals, and humans throughout the world; and

            Whereas, Bovine tuberculosis has many severe impacts beyond the disease itself.  It increases costs, limits markets for livestock producers nationally and internationally, depresses interest in the state’s hunting and tourism industries, and requires state resources for its eradication.  These factors have impacted the families of northeastern Lower Michigan significantly; and

            Whereas, Since the discovery of bovine tuberculosis in wild white-tailed deer in Michigan in 1995, and in cattle in 1998, the state of Michigan, in a partnership with Michigan State University, the livestock industry, the hunting and outdoors community, and local and federal officials, has worked diligently to control, contain, and eradicate the disease; and

            Whereas, Through an aggressive testing plan for livestock and wildlife, Michigan is able to demonstrate to other states and the world that this disease is not present throughout the entire state of Michigan and that the tremendous efforts undertaken with both livestock and wildlife are moving the state toward eradication; and

            Whereas, Federal assistance on technical, financial, and staff levels has been critical to Michigan’s efforts to eradicate bovine tuberculosis; and

            Whereas, With many other current and emerging plant and animal diseases, resources are challenged at both the federal and state levels to address these diseases adequately; now, therefore, be it

            Resolved by the House of Representatives, That we memorialize the Congress of the United States to continue providing assistance to Michigan to help eradicate bovine tuberculosis; and be it further

            Resolved, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, the members of the Michigan congressional delegation, and the United States Department of Agriculture.