[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 90 (Wednesday, July 12, 2006)]
[House]
[Page H5050]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  LYME AND TICK-BORNE DISEASE PREVENTION, EDUCATION, AND RESEARCH ACT

  (Mrs. KELLY asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Mrs. KELLY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to urge passage of the Lyme and 
Tick-borne Disease Prevention Act. I have co-introduced this bill 
because a more coordinated Federal effort to fight Lyme disease is long 
overdue.
  Lyme disease is one of the most mysterious and misunderstood 
illnesses that our families, including our children, face every day. 
Our health care community faces extremely difficult challenges in 
diagnosing and treating Lyme disease.
  The epicenter of Lyme disease is in my district in the Hudson Valley, 
but incidence rates have increased dramatically throughout the country 
in the past few years. There are 49 States that have experienced Lyme 
disease cases.
  It is time for the Federal Government to assume greater Lyme fighting 
responsibilities. Our bill will help develop a realistic and reliable 
diagnostic test, it will help increase Lyme disease research, and it 
will create an advisory committee of patient advocates and specialized 
physicians to help Health and Human Services develop and implement a 
vastly improved national strategy to fight Lyme disease.
  We can't leave the burden of controlling Lyme disease to our local 
health agencies alone. By passing this bipartisan legislation, more 
work will be done at the Federal level to help our local communities. 
Please help me pass this legislation.

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