Frank Pallone, Jr.

Mr. Speaker, Procedure · 9 wordsI yield myself such time as I may consume.Procedure Mr. Speaker, Claims · 171 wordsI rise in support of H.R. 4348, the Kay Hagan Tick Act, sponsored by my colleagues Chris Smith of New Jersey and Lloyd Doggett of Texas. I understand that Mr. Kean from New Jersey is also a sponsor. This bill reauthorizes the national strategy and regional centers of excellence in vector-borne diseases.¹ Tick-borne diseases, including Lyme disease, have rapidly increased over the last decades. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that nearly a half million people may, in fact, be diagnosed and treated for Lyme disease every year in the United States.² That is a dramatic increase from 30,000 annual cases just two decades ago.³ H.R. 4348 would expand research, improve testing, and coordinate vector-borne disease efforts across the Federal Government.⁴ The bill would also reauthorize funding for Regional Centers of Excellence for surveillance, prevention, and response to vector-borne diseases and reauthorize grants to State health departments to support vector-borne disease infrastructure.⁵ Tick and vector-borne disease have rapidly increased, Mr. Speaker, particularly in the northeastern part of our country. The ask · 28 wordsI encourage all of my colleagues to honor the legacy of Senator Kay Hagan, who died of complications from a tick-borne disease, by voting ``yes’’ on H.R.⁶ 4348. Mr. Speaker, Procedure · 7 wordsI reserve the balance of my time.Procedure