[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 114 (Tuesday, July 9, 2019)]
[House]
[Page H5273]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        PREVENTING LYME DISEASE

  (Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania asked and was given permission to 
address the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of 
H.R. 3073, the TICK Act, which would help combat the rise of tickborne 
and bloodborne illnesses across the country. These diseases are rapidly 
becoming a serious and growing threat to public health with more than 
300,000 estimated cases annually.
  In my home State of Pennsylvania alone, ticks are a common threat to 
those who explore our vast network of trails and public lands in 
Pennsylvania.
  While ticks carry a variety of harmful diseases, Lyme disease is one 
of the most prevalent. Currently, there are no uniformly accepted 
treatment options for patients with chronic symptoms of Lyme disease.
  The TICK Act would develop a national strategy to prevent and treat 
Lyme and other diseases, including those spread by mosquitos and fleas. 
It would also authorize the Centers for Disease Control to award grants 
to State health departments to support early detection and diagnosis, 
improve treatment, and raise public awareness.
  I am proud to cosponsor H.R. 3073, and I urge my colleagues to 
cosponsor this legislation to prevent and treat Lyme and other vector-
borne diseases.

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