H.Res. 1279

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 1279 Introduced in House (IH)]

<DOC>

119th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. RES. 1279

Supporting the designation of the month of May as ``Lyme and Tick-borne 
Disease Awareness Month''.

_______________________________________________________________________

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

May 13, 2026

Mr. Smith of New Jersey (for himself, Mr. Doggett, Mr. Fitzpatrick, Mr. 
Gottheimer, and Mr. Mackenzie) submitted the following resolution; 
which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce

_______________________________________________________________________

RESOLUTION

Supporting the designation of the month of May as ``Lyme and Tick-borne 
Disease Awareness Month''.

Whereas, in 2023, over 89,000 cases of Lyme disease were reported to the Centers 
for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) by State health departments and 
the District of Columbia using routine national surveillance, a ninefold 
increase since Lyme disease became a notifiable condition in the United 
States in 1991;
Whereas, using other methods, CDC has most recently estimated that approximately 
476,000 people may be diagnosed and treated for Lyme disease each year 
in the United States;
Whereas the CDC Tick Bite Data Tracker has already reported the highest rates of 
weekly emergency room visits due to tick bites since 2017 in almost 
every part of the country;
Whereas ticks that transmit Lyme disease are now found in all of the 48 
contiguous States and in 50 percent of United States counties;
Whereas early detection and treatment is critical for bringing patients with 
Lyme disease back to full health;
Whereas, even when early intervention is possible, as many as 20 percent of Lyme 
patients exhibit persistent symptoms, known as chronic Lyme;
Whereas the passage of the Kay Hagan Tick Act created, for the first time, a 
whole-of-government national strategy to combat Lyme disease;
Whereas, in December, the Secretary of Health and Human Services hosted a Lyme 
disease roundtable, bringing public health officials, researchers, 
educators and advocates together to discuss successes and opportunities 
in the Federal response to Lyme disease;
Whereas, at the roundtable, the Secretary announced the full renewal of the 
LymeX Innovation Accelerator, a public-private partnership with the 
Steve & Alexandra Cohen Foundation and the world's largest public-
private partnership dedicated to Lyme disease;
Whereas the Department of Health and Human Services has taken critical steps to 
educate the public about the prevalence of Lyme and other tick-borne 
illnesses, including its awareness and prevention campaign, ``No Time 
for Lyme''; and
Whereas, despite tremendous progress being made, the Federal Government can and 
should do more to equip public health agencies with the knowledge and 
training they need to monitor and control outbreaks of Lyme and other 
tick-borne diseases: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the House of Representatives supports the 
designation of ``Lyme and Tick-borne Disease Awareness Month'' and 
continues to champion efforts to spread awareness of and develop better 
clinical responses to Lyme disease and other tick-borne diseases.
<all>