R eps. Chris Smith (NJ) and Collin Peterson (MN) have introduced new legislation to create a new national strategy to aggressively fight Lyme disease and target an additional $180 million to boost funding for research, prevention, and treatment programs.
Congressman Collin Peterson
The new bipartisan bill, dubbed the TICK (Ticks: Identify, Control, Knockout) Act (HR 3073), is a companion to identical legislation introduced in the Senate. It was also inspired by legislation Smith and Peterson introduced earlier this year (HR 220) to create a new national strategy on Lyme disease with enhanced provisions to provide funding for critical research, prevention, and protection programs and to coordinate federal efforts across agencies to fight Lyme disease. The Senate version was introduced by Sens. Susan Collins (ME), Tina Smith (MN), and Angus King (ME).
“Lyme disease prevalence has exploded, and there are cases in every state across the nation. We need a strong, coordinated effort at all levels to combat this disease, which is crippling Americans of all ages,” Smith said. “The recent report to Congress of the HHS Tick-Borne Disease working group should sober us all—there are around 300,000 estimated new cases of Lyme in the U.S. each year, with 18 recognized tick-borne pathogens and new ones emerging.”
“Having identical bills in the House and Senate, with bipartisan support in each chamber, reflects an added urgency to combat Lyme and offers the best opportunity to finally meet this disease with the federal resources and funding it demands,” Smith said.
National Strategy Needed to Fight Lyme Disease
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