From Valleynewslive · · 1m 10s
Smith's Lyme disease bill heads to president's desk
A bipartisan bill to expand research and treatment for Lyme disease passes Congress with support from Minnesota's senator.
In brief
A bipartisan bill to expand research and treatment for Lyme disease passes Congress with support from Minnesota's senator. The Kay Hagan Tick Reauthorization Act will fund research, testing, and treatment for Lyme and other tick-borne diseases through 2030. Originally reported by Valleynewslive.
Bipartisan bill clears Congress
The Kay Hagan Tick Reauthorization Act passed the Senate in August and the House this week, heading to the president's desk.
Named after late senator
The bill honors former North Carolina Sen. Kay Hagan, who died in 2019 from complications of Powassan virus, a tick-borne illness.
Minnesota faces rising cases
Minnesota reported 3,551 probable Lyme disease cases in 2024, plus hundreds more cases of anaplasmosis, babesiosis, and Powassan virus.
Funds research through 2030
The bill extends funding for the Department of Health and Human Services' vector-borne disease strategy and CDC grants to state health departments.
Centers of Excellence expand
Regional Centers of Excellence will continue supporting research, surveillance, and public health efforts for tick-borne and vector-borne diseases.
Smith: this will save lives
Senator Smith says the bill will help people battling Lyme disease as outdoor activities increase tick exposure across Minnesota and the country.
“When this bill soon becomes law, it will save lives and help people battling Lyme Disease”
The key point
The Kay Hagan Tick Reauthorization Act will fund research, testing, and treatment for Lyme and other tick-borne diseases through 2030.
