House Approves Chris Smith Amendment Increasing Lyme Research by $4M

News from Congressman Chris Smith website:

The House of Representatives passed an amendment authored by Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ) which increases Lyme disease research funding by $4 million, for a total of $20 million, at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for fiscal year 2021. The amendment, which passed July 30th, has been co-sponsored by lead Democrat, Rep. Collin Peterson (MN), and Reps. Elise Stefanik (R-NY), Antonio Delgado (D-NY), Max Rose (D-NY), and Raul Grijalva (D-AZ).

Rep. Smith said, “Just three years ago CDC’s Lyme budget was only $11.7 million. The increase in funding achieved through my amendment will help CDC develop better diagnostic tests for Lyme, expand tick surveillance activities across the US and strengthen the federal government’s overall strategy to combat Lyme.”

In the news release, Pat Smith, LDA President was quoted: “Rep. Smith’s funding amendment is an important step in the fight to reign in Lyme disease. The rising case numbers and increasing spread of tick-borne diseases are alarming and require a sustained focus from Congress to try to control this epidemic. We are grateful to Congressman Smith for his continued dedication to this effort and his success along with his colleagues to acquire an additional $4M in funding for Lyme disease and other tick-borne diseases. In these difficult times for our country, that is an outstanding accomplishment.”

Earlier in July, the House agreed to another Smith Lyme Disease amendment to mandate a GAO investigation into possible use of ticks in a Department of Defense bioweapons program. Read more on LDA website

Rep. Smith introduced the House version of the recently enacted law, the TICK Act  (Ticks: Identify, Control, Knockout Act—HR 3073), which implements a national strategy to fight Lyme disease and authorizes an additional $150 million to increase funding for Lyme research, prevention and treatment programs.  Senator Susan Collins (ME) had introduced the Senate version.  Read more on LDA website

Read Rep. Chris Smith’s full news release here

Read history of the amendment on LDA website