A bill to keep federal tick and mosquito disease programs funded through 2030 — a national strategy, research grants, and money for state health departments. Both parties supported it, so the 'debate' consisted of everyone taking turns praising each other and the bill. Nobody opposed anything, which in Congress is what passes for a spirited discussion. It passed, as it was always going to.Written by GLM 5.3 Flash. Updated .
“Let's pass this bill quickly. I want a vote to suspend the rules and pass the bill.”
“I am asking the House to pass this bill to keep funding government work against diseases spread by ticks and mosquitoes.”
“Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (S. 2398) to reauthorize the Kay Hagan Tick Act, and for other purposes. The Clerk read the title of the bill. The text of the bill is as follows:”
Official Congressional Record
Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (S. 2398) to reauthorize the Kay Hagan Tick Act, and for other purposes. The Clerk read the title of the bill. The text of the bill is as follows:
“Mosquitoes and ticks can spread diseases. This bill reauthorizes funding for programs to deal with that. It is a bipartisan bill. I support it. I want everyone to vote for it.”
“I want the House to pass this bill. Mosquitoes, ticks, and fleas carry dangerous diseases that can make anyone very sick. This bill keeps funding programs to help local health departments and research centers stop and treat these diseases.”
“Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of S. 2398, the Senate companion to bipartisan legislation recently advanced by the Committee on Energy and Commerce led by Senator Collins and Congressman Chris Smith of New Jersey. Vectors such as mosquitos, ticks, and fleas can carry life- threatening diseases, and anyone can contract a vector-borne disease with potentially debilitating consequences. This bill reauthorizes the National Strategy and Regional Centers of Excellence in Vector-Borne Diseases, as well as the CDC's cooperative agreements with health departments in high-risk areas for vector-borne diseases. Preventing these diseases and responding to vector-borne threats is a bipartisan issue that I hope we can all support. Mr. Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to vote in favor of the bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.”
Official Congressional Record
Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of S. 2398, the Senate companion to bipartisan legislation recently advanced by the Committee on Energy and Commerce led by Senator Collins and Congressman Chris Smith of New Jersey. Vectors such as mosquitos, ticks, and fleas can carry life- threatening diseases, and anyone can contract a vector-borne disease with potentially debilitating consequences. This bill reauthorizes the National Strategy and Regional Centers of Excellence in Vector-Borne Diseases, as well as the CDC's cooperative agreements with health departments in high-risk areas for vector-borne diseases. Preventing these diseases and responding to vector-borne threats is a bipartisan issue that I hope we can all support. Mr. Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to vote in favor of the bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.
“I want this bill to pass. Tick-borne diseases are up across the country. We must fund more research and government programs to deal with this problem. Please honor Senator Hagan by voting yes.”
“I want the House to pass this bill. Diseases spread by ticks, like Lyme disease, are increasing across the country. This bill funds research, improves testing, and helps states track and fight these illnesses.”
“Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of S. 2398, the Kay Hagan Tick Reauthorization Act. This legislation strengthens the infrastructure and research needed to improve our response to illnesses spread by ticks and other vectors. Tick-borne diseases, including Lyme disease, have been reported in all 50 States and Washington, D.C., and continue to increase. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that almost half a million people are treated for Lyme disease every year. That is more than double compared to two decades ago. This bill expands research, improves testing, and coordinates vector- borne disease efforts across the Federal Government. It also reauthorizes funding for Regional Centers of Excellence for surveillance, prevention, and response to vector-borne diseases, and reauthorizes grants to State health departments to support their vector-borne disease infrastructure. With tick and vector-borne disease increasing in the United States, I encourage all of my colleagues to honor the legacy of Senator Kay Hagan, who died from complications of a virus caused by a tick bite, by voting ``yes'' on this bill. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.”
Official Congressional Record
Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of S. 2398, the Kay Hagan Tick Reauthorization Act. This legislation strengthens the infrastructure and research needed to improve our response to illnesses spread by ticks and other vectors. Tick-borne diseases, including Lyme disease, have been reported in all 50 States and Washington, D.C., and continue to increase. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that almost half a million people are treated for Lyme disease every year. That is more than double compared to two decades ago. This bill expands research, improves testing, and coordinates vector- borne disease efforts across the Federal Government. It also reauthorizes funding for Regional Centers of Excellence for surveillance, prevention, and response to vector-borne diseases, and reauthorizes grants to State health departments to support their vector-borne disease infrastructure. With tick and vector-borne disease increasing in the United States, I encourage all of my colleagues to honor the legacy of Senator Kay Hagan, who died from complications of a virus caused by a tick bite, by voting ``yes'' on this bill. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
“I want this bill to pass. I like that it spends $50 million on research centers and $100 million on state health departments. I like that our Health Secretary is doing things to fight Lyme disease. I'm glad we named it after Senator Hagan. Pass this bill now.”
“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.”
Official Congressional Record
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 said this bill is good before. It will spend money. I will vote yes. Everyone should vote yes.”
“I will vote for this bill, and I urge my colleagues to do the same. It funds important research to fight diseases spread by bugs like ticks and mosquitoes.”
“Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time for the purpose of closing. Mr. Speaker, as I stated previously, I believe that this is an important bill that will expand access and make sure that we are funding important research and developments in our vector-borne disease infrastructure. For those reasons, I will be voting ``yes'' on this bill, and I urge my colleagues to do the same. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.”
Official Congressional Record
Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time for the purpose of closing. Mr. Speaker, as I stated previously, I believe that this is an important bill that will expand access and make sure that we are funding important research and developments in our vector-borne disease infrastructure. For those reasons, I will be voting ``yes'' on this bill, and I urge my colleagues to do the same. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
“I want to praise the other guy for his work on this bill. It is important. Some diseases have spread more in recent years. I want everyone to vote yes. Let's pass this bill.”
“Vote yes on this bill. Diseases spread by ticks have grown a lot in the last few years, and this is an important issue.”
“Mr. Speaker, Mr. Smith of New Jersey has worked tirelessly on this. It is important. Vector-borne tick diseases and these others have just spread in the last few years. Mr. Speaker, I encourage a ``yes'' vote on this bill, and I yield back the balance of my time. The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Van Epps). The question is on the motion offered by the gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. Guthrie) that the House suspend the rules and pass the bill, S. 2398. The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the rules were suspended and the bill was passed. A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.”
Official Congressional Record
Mr. Speaker, Mr. Smith of New Jersey has worked tirelessly on this. It is important. Vector-borne tick diseases and these others have just spread in the last few years. Mr. Speaker, I encourage a ``yes'' vote on this bill, and I yield back the balance of my time. The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Van Epps). The question is on the motion offered by the gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. Guthrie) that the House suspend the rules and pass the bill, S. 2398. The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the rules were suspended and the bill was passed. A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
