House · HR 375 · 119th Congress
Continued Rapid Ohia Death Response Act of 2025
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Summary
This bill requires federal agencies to keep working with Hawaii to fight Rapid Ohia Death, a deadly fungal disease killing native ohia trees. It directs researchers to study how the disease spreads and orders wildlife managers to control animals that may spread it. The bill also provides money to restore Hawaii's forests.
In Favor
Ohia trees cover nearly a million acres in Hawaii and support rare wildlife found nowhere else. This disease has already killed hundreds of thousands of trees, threatening whole ecosystems. Keeping federal agencies focused and funded gives Hawaii its best chance to stop the spread and save these forests.
Against
This bill locks federal agencies into ongoing programs without setting clear goals or measuring results. Money and staff will keep flowing to these efforts even if they are not working. There is no built-in review to ask whether the approach is effective before committing more resources.
Additional Considerations
Purpose & Problem
Is the problem real and worth federal action?
The bill requires federal agencies and Hawaii to work together to fight Rapid Ohia Death, a fungal disease that kills a native Hawaiian tree called ohia.
Scope & Related Provisions
Does it stay focused, or carry unrelated add-ons?
The provisions stay on topic, covering research on the disease, animal management in affected areas, and forest restoration in Hawaii.
Who Is Affected
Who benefits, and who bears the cost?
Federal agencies including the U.S. Geological Survey, Fish and Wildlife Service, and Forest Service take on new duties. Private landowners in Hawaii may have animals managed on their land, but only with their consent.
Cost & Funding
Is it affordable and responsibly funded?
The Forest Service must provide financial assistance to stop the disease's spread and restore Hawaii's native forests. It must also fund staff and infrastructure at the Institute of Pacific Islands Forestry. No specific dollar amounts are listed in the sources.
Risks & Implementation
What could go wrong in practice?
The bill requires ongoing coordination among multiple federal agencies, the state of Hawaii, and local stakeholders. Managing animals on private land depends on getting consent from individual landowners, which the bill cannot guarantee.
For the actual bill text, see congress.gov.
AI-generated · Published 6/5/2026