2025 House Resolution 36

Whereas, Avian influenza, commonly referred to as the “bird flu,” is a disease caused by avian influenza A viruses often originating in wild water bird hosts that commonly spreads across bird populations. Symptoms in birds can vary widely, with wild birds often infected without showing signs of sickness, but the disease can be deadly for poultry like chickens and turkeys. In humans, bird flu may cause symptoms including fever, fatigue, headaches, muscle aches, and, in severe cases, shortness of breath, seizures, and death; and

Whereas, The United States is currently in the midst of a bird flu outbreak affecting the poultry and dairy industries, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). As of January 28, 2025, there were over 11,000 positive tests among wild birds for avian influenza. The CDC reports that, as of February 2025, over 150 million poultry had been affected by bird flu and 51 separate jurisdictions had seen outbreaks. Worldwide, the disease has spread from a variety of bird populations to other animals, including mammals like cows, cats, and humans. In February 2025, the CDC reported that nearly 1,000 dairy herds across the United States had been affected by the bird flu outbreak, with confirmed outbreaks having occurred in 16 states. Among humans, bird flu has been confirmed as having infected 68 individuals, at least one of whom having died; and

Whereas, Although currently there is no evidence of human-to-human transmission of bird flu in the United States, the continued outbreak risks a viral evolution that could be devastating to Americans nationwide. Michigan first saw the emergence of the bird flu in our domestic poultry populations in 2021, and, by 2024, the disease had infected our dairy cattle. As reported by scientists, the current bird flu outbreak is one of the first instances of such a disease sustaining prolonged, efficient transmission from mammal to mammal. Future mutations could render the bird flu easily transmissible between humans if the outbreak remains unchecked; and

Whereas, Aside from the potential unforeseen consequences that the bird flu may have on our collective health, the outbreak also has direct impacts on the health and productivity of our agriculture industry. Already, the United States is in the midst of experiencing the downstream effects of the disease infecting poultry and dairy cattle stock - egg prices in Michigan and across the nation have been steady rising which is due, in part, to complications from bird flu ravaging bird flocks. If outbreaks remain unchecked and farmers are forced to regularly cull large numbers of birds in an effort to contain the spread of disease, eggs and chicken prices will undoubtedly rise in response. In dairy farms, bird flu outbreaks among cows have severe impacts on milk production. As the bird flu continues to undermine our agricultural industry, consumers in Michigan and across the United States will continue to bear rising food costs; and

Whereas, President Trump recently ordered a “blackout” for federal health agencies, including the CDC, which prohibited real-time external communications about public health information. President Trump also issued orders that resulted in the removal of various datapoints from health agency websites. These actions have modified, delayed, and prevented essential public health information from being shared with the public. Without timely and uncensored updates from health experts at the federal level, healthcare professionals in Michigan and beyond are rendered unable to appropriately respond to the outbreak of bird flu and mitigate the risks posed by such a continued spread; now, therefore, be it

Resolved by the House of Representatives, That we urge the federal government to prioritize creating a national strategy to curb the spread of bird flu; and be it further

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