109th Congress

Lyme and Tick-Borne Disease Prevention, Education, and Research Act of 2005

H.R. 2877, S. 1479/H.R. 3427

Background

Lyme disease, caused by the bacterium Borellia burgdorferi and transmitted through the bite of deer ticks and their nymphs, continues to be a growing concern across the United States; the same is true for other tick-borne diseases. According to surveillance data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), cases of Lyme disease have been reported by almost every State and the District of Columbia, with 12 States—Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Wisconsin—accounting for 95 percent of cases reported nationally. Various bills targeting Lyme and other tick-borne diseases have been introduced by Members representing high-risk States. In the 109th Congress, three bills were introduced on this topic, all focused on increasing Federal prevention, research, and education efforts.

Provisions of the Legislation/Impact on NIH

H.R. 2877, the Act for Lyme Education and Research and Tick-Borne Diseases or ALERT Act, would have required the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), acting through the Directors of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), CDC, and the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), to establish a 5-year plan that provides for the following:

• Development of a sensitive and definitive diagnostic test, its effective utilization, and the rapid evaluation and adoption of emerging test methods
• Accurate determinations of the prevalence of Lyme disease and other tick-borne diseases in the United States and the feasibility of developing a reporting system for physician-diagnosed cases that do not meet CDC criteria
• Access to a comprehensive, up-to-date clearinghouse of peer-reviewed information on Lyme and other tick-borne diseases, as provided by the Director of AHRQ, in consultation with the Directors of NIH and CDC
• Public education through the expansion of CDC’s community-based education programs
• Scientific conferences on Lyme and other tick-borne diseases that report on and consider the full spectrum of clinically based knowledge

The bill would have provided $20 million for each of the fiscal years 2006 through 2010 for research and educational activities. It would have also required the Secretary to establish a Tick-Borne Diseases Advisory Committee to ensure interagency coordination and communication, minimize overlap, identify opportunities to coordinate with other Federal agencies and private organizations, ensure interagency coordination and communication with constituency groups and representatives of a broad spectrum of scientific viewpoints, and advise relevant Federal agencies on priorities regarding Lyme and other tick-borne diseases. The Directors of NIH, CDC, and AHRQ; the Administrator of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA); and representatives from the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health and other Federal agencies would serve as ex officio members of the Committee.

S. 1479 and H.R. 3427 would have also required the Secretary of HHS to establish a Tick-Borne Diseases Advisory Committee within the Office of the Secretary with the same duties as described above. Rather than requiring the establishment of a formal 5-year plan, provisions of these two bills would have required the Secretary, acting through the Directors of NIH, CDC, and AHRQ and the Administrator of FDA, to provide for coordination of all Federal programs and activities related to Lyme and other tick-borne diseases, including those outlined in the provisions of H.R. 2877 above.

Status and Outlook

H.R. 2877 was introduced by Representative Christopher H. Smith (R-NJ) on June 14, 2005, and was referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce. The bill had 2 original cosponsors and 24 additional cosponsors. No further action occurred on this legislation during the 109th Congress.

S. 1479, the companion measure to H.R. 3427, was introduced by Senator Christopher J. Dodd (D-CT) on July 25, 2005, and was referred to the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions. The bill had 12 cosponsors. No further action occurred on this legislation during the 109th Congress.

H.R. 3427, the companion measure to S. 1479, was introduced by Representative Smith on July 26, 2005, and was referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce. The bill had 83 cosponsors. No further action occurred on this legislation during the 109th Congress.