Christopher H. Smith

“I want the House to pass this bill. It keeps funding programs that fight Lyme and other tick-borne diseases for five more years. It gives money to research centers and local health departments to study, treat, and stop these illnesses.”

“Mr. Speaker, I thank our very distinguished chairman, Brett Guthrie, for his extraordinary leadership on this and other issues related to health especially. He is a champion, and he is doing a tremendous job for the entire country. I thank Brett for what he is doing. I thank his staff and my friends on the other side of the aisle for their work on this bill. This has been a bipartisan effort. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to pass S. 2398, a 5-year reauthorization of the Kay Hagan Tick Act, a law that expires on September 30. It was sponsored by Senator Collins of Maine. My colleagues will recall that our distinguished colleague from North Carolina, Senator Kay Hagan, suffered a tick bite and died in 2019 from encephalitis caused by the Powassan virus. The current law and reauthorization are named in her honor. I point out to my colleagues that, in 2019, the Kay Hagan Tick Act was passed as part of the 2020 Consolidated Appropriations Act. The act created, among other things, a whole-of-government national strategy to combat Lyme and other tick-borne diseases with a special focus on surveillance, diagnosis, treatment, education, and prevention. The national strategy, which was later released in 2024, has identified key public health goals to contain, reduce, and eventually eliminate Lyme and other tick-borne illnesses. It is a strategy that I am heartened to say that Secretary Kennedy has not only adopted, but he has used it as a floor. He has done so much above and beyond the strategy to try to end this terrible, terrible scourge of tick-borne diseases. The bill before us tonight, like the original law, authorizes $50 million over 5 years for the regional centers of excellence, which coordinate with academia and local public health agencies to conduct research on Lyme in their areas and train public health officials to properly identify and treat Lyme. Continuing funding will ensure that these centers can continue to conduct groundbreaking research and ultimately generate new prevention strategies and insights on tick-borne diseases. The legislation also provides $100 million over 5 years to tangibly assist State public health departments and other local entities to support the development and implementation of evidence-based research, interventions, and treatment. Mr. Speaker, HHS Secretary Kennedy has been an amazing champion in combating Lyme disease, and he recently announced a whole new series of initiatives. I will point out one very briefly. It is called the Lyme Clinician Locator, made possible through their partnership with the International Lyme and Associated Diseases Society, or ILADS, enabling patients to easily find a Lyme-literate clinician in their area. Users put in a ZIP Code and get a whole list of people who know what Lyme disease and other tick-borne diseases are all about, hopefully leading to an effective treatment. Mr. Speaker, I thank my good friend and colleague for yielding.”

“I want the House to pass my amendment. Too many unauthorized drones are flying over our military bases and ships. My amendment requires a report to Congress on these drone threats and whether base commanders have the tools and legal power to stop them.”

“Mr. Chair, my amendment addresses a stark and increasing threat to our Nation’s critical infrastructure, the malicious use of drones, especially their use around critical military installations and law enforcement vessels. Amendment No. 283 requires the Inspector General of the Department of War to produce a report to Congress regarding Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) activity around military installations in the United States and abroad, sensitive national security sites, military and law enforcement vessels, and the capabilities possessed by installations to counter this activity, protocols in place to coordinate with state and local law enforcement, and the sufficiency of legal authorities provided to installation commanders to address threats both inside and outside the wire. Over the last several years, there has been persistent unauthorized drone activity around military installations. In 2024, for 17 days a fleet of unidentified drones penetrated the airspace over Langley Air Force Base in Virginia, home to advance jet fighters including F-22s, continuing on to the airspace over Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek and Naval Station Norfolk. Also in 2024, the Department of War confirmed a number of drone sightings over multiple installations in my state of New Jersey, including Picatinny Arsenal and Naval Weapons Station Earle in my district. Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, also in my district, has seen significant unauthorized drone activity including attempts to smuggle contraband in FCI Dix and other drones whose intent was not clear. Additionally, a Coast Guard Commanding Officer told me more than a dozen drones, in formation, followed a 47-foot rescue boat a mere 100 feet off the stern, as it made maneuvers in the ocean off Ocean County. Earlier this year, Barksdale Air Force Base in Louisiana--home to B- 52 bombers who play a critical role in America’s nuclear triad--was forced to issue a shelter in place order due to reports of unauthorized drone activity. And just months ago, here in Washington D.C., Fort McNair saw unauthorized drone overflights. In testimony last year before the Senate Armed Services Committee, NORTHCOM Commander General Gregory M. Guillot expressed concern over what he called the ``rapidly evolving strategic environment’’ and ``the emergence of small unmanned aerial systems (sUAS) as a threat to infrastructure and personnel in the homeland.’’ He went on to describe the threat as ``widespread’’ as ``there were 350 detections reported’’ on military installations in 2024. At the same time, we have seen adversaries--notably Russia and Iran-- make significant investments in drone technology and seen its impact on the battlefield, both in Ukraine and in the Middle East. Communist China is a global leader in drone technology and continues to integrate these capabilities into its military doctrine and exercises. It is vital we gain a thorough understanding of adversary capabilities, and their will deploy these technologies to threaten American interests. Congress has taken steps to address these threats, both the Armed Services Committee and Transportation and Infrastructure Committee have methodically strengthened military and law enforcements authority and ability to deploy counter-drone technology in recent reauthorization bills to, yet a further accounting of how widespread this threat is and what, if any shortfalls remain is needed. Make no mistake, it is imperative Congress ensure that those on the ground and charged with the safety of military installations and the lives of servicemembers and the community at large have the authority and technology necessary to effectively mitigate and overcome these threats to protect the homeland. I thank the Committee on Rules for finding this amendment in order, and I urge my colleagues to support this amendment with a yes vote.”

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“I want the House to pass this bill. It spends $280 million over five years to collect bone marrow and umbilical cord blood. These stem cells treat serious diseases like cancer and save lives.”

“Mr. Speaker, each year over 3.6 million babies are born in the United States. In the past, virtually every placenta and umbilical cord was tossed as medical waste. Today, doctors have turned this medical waste into medical miracles. Not only has God, in his infinite wisdom and goodness, created a placenta and an umbilical cord to nurture and protect the precious life of an unborn child, but now we know another gift awaits immediately after birth. Something very special is left behind: umbilical cord blood that is teeming with life-saving stem cells. Mr. Speaker, today the House will vote to reauthorize the Stem Cell Therapeutic and Research Act of 2005, a law that I authored 21 years ago. That law created a new nationwide umbilical cord blood stem cell program designed to collect, type, and cryogenically freeze cord blood units for transplantation into patients to mitigate and cure serious disease. The law also provided that cord blood stem cells be used for research. The new cord blood program was combined with an expanded bone marrow initiative, crafted over several years by our distinguished former colleague, Congressman Bill Young. Mr. Speaker, umbilical cord blood stem cells obtained after the birth of a child have proven to be highly efficacious in treating over 75 diseases, including lymphoma, leukemia, sickle cell disease, and other metabolic and immune deficiencies. I thank Dr. Joanne Kurtzberg of Duke University, an internationally renowned expert in pediatric hematology, oncology, and umbilical cord blood banking and transplantation. Dr. Kurtzberg helped draft our original law 26 years ago. It took 5 long years to enact it into law. It was blocked at many turns, but she was right there from the beginning and continues to be an extraordinary pioneer in the field. Earlier today, I called Dr. Kurtzberg--we do talk a lot--and she said cord blood has been used as a donor for transplant, enabling over 50,000 patients with cancer, blood disease, and other genetic conditions to have a life-saving treatment. Cord blood is also used as starting material for manufacturing immune effector cells, like CAR T cells, and others to treat patients with cancer and autoimmune diseases. She said there is exciting research now using cord blood to treat children with cerebral palsy, birth asphyxia, and autism. Mr. Speaker, the National Cord Blood Inventory--created by the original law and continued in this reauthorization--provides funding to public cord blood banks participating in the program to allow them to expand the national inventory of cord blood units that are available for transplant. These units are then listed on the registry by the National Marrow Donor Program. The funds appropriated thus far have led to an important increase in the use of these units. The registry now has approximately 121,000 available units. The program registry allows patients and physicians to locate matching cord blood units, as well as adult donors, for both marrow and peripheral blood stem cell transplants. Mr. Speaker, the program registry allows patients and physicians to locate matching cord blood units, as well as adult a donors, for marrow and peripheral blood stem cells. The program is the world’s largest, most diverse donor registry, with more than 43 million potential marrow donors around the world. To date, NMDP, through its operation of the program, has facilitated over 150,000 transplants. The bill before us today, Mr. Speaker, authorizes $280 million for these programs over 5 years--$115 million for cord blood, $165 million for bone marrow programs--to ensure that thousands of present and future patients benefit from this extraordinary field of regenerative medicine. Mr. Speaker, I am deeply grateful to Chairman Guthrie for his amazing support and leadership in advancing the bill. I want to thank others, including my friend Frank Pallone; Doris Matsui, who is the prime Democrat cosponsor; Mr. Bilirakis, one of the originals and a great supporter; Ms. Pingree; Ms. Tenney; Mr. Mfume; and others. We have others, but they were the originals. I also want to thank some of my staff, including Rebecca West, Evan Heitman, John McDonough, who worked overtime--as you know, so many details to be attended to--and, of course, the Staff Director Megan Jackson; Emma Schultheis; and Jackie Weinrich, who worked on the Democrat side in helping to get this to the floor. I thank them all so much. Mr. Speaker, this will save lives, and I urge support for it.”

“I want the House to pass this bill. It extends funding for another five years to fight Lyme disease and other illnesses spread by ticks.”

“Mr. Speaker, I thank Chairman Guthrie for his personal and extraordinarily strong support of H.R. 4348, and his staff, director Megan Jackson, Health Subcommittee staff Jay Gulshen and Emma Schultheis. I also thank my good friend, Frank Pallone, our Health Subcommittee Chair Morgan Griffith, Ranking Member Diana DeGette, as well as the original sponsors, Lloyd Doggett, Paul Tonko, and Tom Kean. Mr. Speaker, at a May 29th press conference in New Hampshire, HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., who has been a tremendous leader in the war on Lyme disease, announced a ``sweeping plan to combat Lyme disease and to advance treatment.’’ Secretary Kennedy said: ``Millions of Americans battling Lyme disease and other tick-borne illnesses have spent years searching for answers, treatment, and support. Today, the Trump administration is launching one of the most ambitious Federal efforts ever to combat Lyme disease by accelerating research, expanding innovation, and improving care for patients and families. We are going after this disease at its source, driving faster diagnostics and new prevention strategies, and delivering the urgency and action Americans deserve.’’ He said: ``The initiative will develop and deploy practical strategies to target and eliminate ticks on wildlife before they can spread diseases to humans.’’ That has been lacking for decades. They are going after the ticks themselves. ``Lyme disease,’’ Mr. Speaker, he said: ``remains one of the Nation’s fastest growing vector-borne health threats. More than 476,000 Americans are diagnosed with Lyme disease each year, and recent data show emergency room visits for tick bites reached their highest springtime level in nearly a decade.’’ Secretary Kennedy also announced new actions to combat Alpha-gal syndrome, a tick-associated condition that can trigger potentially serious allergic reactions to red meat and other products. The CDC estimates nearly 500,000 Americans are living with Alpha-gal syndrome, though emerging evidence suggests the true number may be significantly higher. Mr. Speaker, as my colleagues know, ticks not only transmit Lyme disease but other deadly and debilitating illnesses, such as Alpha-gal, babesiosis, Powassan disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, and anaplasmosis. Vector-borne diseases are now endemic in regions of the country where they have not historically been present. Disease-laden ticks are now found in all 48 contiguous States. The problem is exploding. It is not abating. It is, therefore, critical that Congress take immediate action to support and further sustain ongoing efforts to combat these insidious diseases that kill and disable. I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 4348, a 5-year reauthorization of the Kay Hagan Tick Act, a law that expires on September 30th. My colleagues will recall that our distinguished colleague, North Carolina Senator Kay Hagan, suffered a tick bite and died in 2019 from encephalitis caused by the Powassan virus. The current law and reauthorization is named in her honor. The original Kay Hagan Tick Act, which I led in 2019 here in the House and Susan Collins led it in the Senate, became part of the appropriations act in 2020. The act created, among other things, a whole-of-government national strategy to combat Lyme and other tick- borne diseases with special focus on surveillance, diagnosis, treatment, education, and prevention. I would note parenthetically that I have been working on Lyme disease since 1992, when Pat Smith--no relation--of Wall Township, who actually formed the Lyme Disease Association of America, came up to me in Wall Township and said: What are you doing about Lyme? I said: Nothing. We had lunch. I have been working on it ever since. I introduced my first comprehensive bill--one of many, at times we had over 100 cosponsors--called the Lyme Disease Initiative Act of 1998, almost 30 years ago. We could not move it. It was blocked over and over again. There were some people in HHS and at CDC and elsewhere who were saying, just take 2 weeks of doxycycline and you are cured. When you have chronic Lyme, it takes a very serious effort, very often with a Lyme literate doctor, in order to overcome and put that disease into remission. In February 2024, I remind my colleagues, HHS released the National Public Health Strategy to prevent and control vector-borne diseases. It is an excellent strategy. We are acting on that now as well. It also supports the whole-of-government assault on Lyme. It authorizes $50 million over 5 years for Regional Centers of Excellence. It also, as we did in the original law, authorizes $100 million over 5 years to tangibly assist States’ public health departments and other local entities to support the development and implementation of evidence-based research interventions and treatment with respect to the Lyme disease epidemic. I urge my colleagues to support it. Mr. Speaker, in February, 2024, HHS released the National Public Health Strategy to Prevent and Control Vector-borne Diseases in People with mutually reinforcing goals to: Better understand when, where, and how people are exposed to and get sick or die from VBDs. Develop, evaluate, and improve tools, methods, and guidance to diagnose VBDs and their pathogens. Develop, evaluate, and improve tools, methods, and guidance to prevent and control VBDs. Develop and assess drugs and treatment strategies for VBDs. Disseminate and implement public health tools, programs, and collaborations to prevent, detect, diagnose, and respond to VBD threats. H.R. 4348, supports this whole of government assault on Lyme and other vector borne diseases. H.R. 4348 again authorizes $50 million over five years for the regional centers of excellence, which coordinate with academia and local public health agencies to conduct research on Lyme in their areas and train public health professionals to identify and treat Lyme. Finally, H.R. 434--again as we did in the original law--authorizes cooperative agreement funding for states and localities--$100 million over five years--to tangibly assist state public health departments and other local entities to support the development and implementation of evidence-based research, interventions, and treatment with respect to-- educating and informing the public, based on evidence-based public health research and data, about Lyme Disease and other vector-borne diseases; supporting early detection and diagnosis; supporting prevention; improving treatment; and supporting care planning and management for individuals with Lyme disease and other tick- and vector-borne diseases. I thank the Chairman Brett Guthrie for his personal and extraordinarily strong support of H.R. 4348, as well as his Staff Director Megan Jackson and Health Subcommittee staff Jay Gulshen and Emma Schultheis. Special thanks to Ranking Member Frank Pallone, Health Subcommittee Chair Morgan Griffith and Ranking Member Diana DeGette as well as original cosponsors Lloyd Doggett, Paul Tonko, and Tom Kean.”

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