This section contains activity which Members of Congress or Congressional Committees or Caucuses are undertaking relative to tick-borne diseases.
On December 20, 2019, President Trump signed the Kay Hagan Tick Act into law as part of an end-of-year spending package that had passed both Houses. The bill had been introduced by Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ) in the House and by Senator Susan Collins (R-ME) in the Senate. The bill language was changed in […]
The Senate Tick Act (Collins, ME) was passed out of the Senate HELP Committee; however, it was a different bill than the one that was originally submitted to the Senate Committee that many Lyme groups supported. The HELP committee replaced it in its entirety with a Manager’s Amendment, submitted “in the nature of a substitute,” which still keeps the same bill number, S-1657, and it was renamed the Kay Hagan Tick Act. For more information and action to take…
If you DO NOT see your congressperson’s name on list below, or for more info, Return to Tick Act Article & Steps to Take
Explanation of Tick Act Changes From the Lyme Disease Association & How To Help On October 31, the Senate Tick Act (Collins ME) was passed out of the Senate HELP Committee; however, it was a different bill than the one submitted to the Senate Committee that many Lyme groups supported. The HELP committee replaced it […]
TO: Lyme Disease Advocates & Patients FROM: Lyme Disease Association, Inc. Pat Smith, President, 8-15-19 RE: Urgent & Immediate Help Needed to Investigate Information Which Could Lead to Helping to Solve Tick-Borne Diseases Problem ISSUE: The debate over the prevalence of Lyme disease and whether it exists in a chronic form has raged for decades. […]
Congressman Christopher Smith (R-NJ-04) has been pushing for funding and recognition of Lyme and tick-borne diseases over the past 27 years. On July 9, 2019, Mr. Smith testified before the Committee on Rules and introduced two amendments relating to Lyme and tick-borne diseases to the Defense Authorization Bill (National Defense Appropriations Act). ONE PASSED RULES […]
Senator Susan Collins (R-ME), along with Tina Smith (D-MN), a member of the Senate Health Committee, and Senator Angus King (I-ME) an original cosponsor, introduced a bipartisan effort to improve research, prevention, diagnostics, and treatment for tick-borne diseases. Representative Christopher Smith (R-NJ), with lead co-sponsor Representative Collin Peterson (D-MN) introduced a bipartisan companion bill, the […]
The last year has seen a flurry of activity in Washington. Here’s the scoop on the bills, briefings, and bipartisan politics.
On May 29, 2019, The Lyme & Tick-Borne Diseases Congressional Town Meeting Sponsored by Congressman Christopher H. Smith (NJ-4) was held in the Wall Township, NJ, Municipal Building. Despite tornado warnings, flash flood warnings with torrential rains, a packed house of more than 200 people attended the three and a half hour event. Wall Mayor Kevin […]
The House Lyme Caucus members sent this letter to the House Appropriations Committee for inclusion in the 2020 Labor HHS Appropriations.