Groundbreaking News on Lyme Bill!

Published on Dec 1, 2016

Congressman Chris Smith (NJ-04), Chair, Foreign Relations Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, Global Human Rights, and International Organizations; Co-Chair, House Lyme Disease Caucus, spoke just before the passage of the 21st Century Cures Act, which will establish a new working group on Tick-borne Disease and help patients with Chronic Lyme.

Update: Bill with Lyme language passes House, 392- 26!

November 30, 2016 Lyme community leaders are pleased to announce that language on tick-borne diseases (TBD) will be included in the 21st Century Cures Act (the House Amendment to Senate Amendment to HR 34). The inclusion of this language was achieved after 2 days of intense negotiations with Congressional offices. The language will be included in the House version of the bill which is expected to pass easily due to its broad bipartisan support. The signatories listed below mutually agreed upon the new TBD language that will now be included in the bill.

Yesterday and early today, Leaders put out calls to the community to have them contact their federal Senators and Representatives to pull out congressionally proposed Lyme language that would have contradicted the bill’s intent. Thank you all for those efforts. Congressional leaders responded by indicating a willingness to work with the Lyme community. That effort was successfully concluded at 5pm today when the Rules committee met and the proposed language agreed upon by both sides was incorporated into the large 21st Century Cures amendment legislation.

We would like to thank House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, Chairman Fred Upton of the Energy & Commerce Committee, and Congressman Christopher H. Smith, Co-Chair of the House Lyme Caucus, for their efforts to make this happen. We also thank Congressman Chris Gibson whose work in having Lyme language inserted into the original Cures Act which passed the House enabled us to move forward with this groundbreaking effort.

A vote on the Rules portion and then on the Managers Amendment will take place Tomorrow Wednesday, midday, and will be broadcast on House.gov. Go to House.gov in the AM to get schedules and watch proceedings.

Click here for link to changes in the language on tick-borne diseases (TBD) that will be included in the 21st Century Cures Act (the House Amendment to Senate Amendment to HR 34)

Click here for roll call vote on bill

Patricia Smith, President, Lyme Disease Association, Inc.

Jill Auerbach Chair, Hudson Valley Lyme Disease Association

Phyllis Mervine, President, LymeDisease.org

Ira Auerbach, Hudson Valley Lyme Disease Association

Christina T. Fisk, President, Lyme Action Network

David Roth, Founder of Tick Borne Disease Alliance and Global Lyme Alliance

Bruce Fries, President, Patient Centered Care Advocacy Group

Holly Ahern, Vice President, Lyme Action Network

Dorothy Leland, Vice President, LymeDisease.org

Timohy Lynagh, Board Member, Lyme Disease Association, Inc. 

Key Legislators Involved With Lyme Language In 21st Century Cures Bill

House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy Chairman Fred Upton of the Energy & Commerce CommitteeCongressman Christopher H. Smith, Co-Chair of the House Lyme CaucusCongressman Chris Gibson, Author of Original 21st Century Cure Lyme Language