Continued Rapid Ohia Death Response Act of 2025

H.R. 375 would establish a coordinated federal response to Rapid Ohia Death, a fungal disease caused by the pathogen Ceratocystis fimbriata that affects Hawaii's native ohia trees (Metrosideros polymorpha). The bill passed the House on January 23, 2025, with strong bipartisan support (359-62 vote) and is now in the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.

Under this bill, the Department of the Interior would be required to partner with the Department of Agriculture and the State of Hawaii to address the disease. The U.S. Geological Survey and the Forest Service Institute of Pacific Islands Forestry would continue researching how the disease spreads and identifying its transmission vectors. Additionally, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service would work with state and local stakeholders to manage wild animals such as deer and pigs in designated disease control areas, though management on private lands would require landowner consent.

The bill would also direct the Forest Service to provide financial assistance and funding to prevent the disease's spread and restore Hawaii's native forests. This includes supporting staffing and infrastructure at the Institute of Pacific Islands Forestry for ongoing research. The legislation emphasizes a collaborative, sustained approach involving multiple federal agencies, state government, and local communities to protect this important part of Hawaii's natural heritage.