[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 138 (Friday, September 6, 2024)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E865-E866]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                           HONORING PAT SMITH

                                 ______
                                 

                       HON. CHRISTOPHER H. SMITH

                             of new jersey

                    in the house of representatives

                       Friday, September 6, 2024

  Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, I would like to take a moment 
to recognize the incredible life and the amazing contributions of my 
friend Pat Smith, who passed away peacefully on August 17th. Tomorrow, 
September 7th there will be a ``Celebration of Life'' to honor and pay 
tribute to the remarkable Pat Smith.
  Pat Smith's extraordinary work for patients, caregivers, and Lyme-
literate doctors around the country has been transformational. An 
incredibly well-informed and tenacious leader, Pat fought effectively 
and relentlessly for greater diagnosis, treatments, and outcomes for 
Lyme patients.
  Because of Pat Smith, legislation to better meet the needs of Lyme 
patients is now the law of the land.
  I first met Pat in 1992 and from that moment on, my understanding, 
advocacy, and legislative work for Lyme patients--and frankly the work 
of this Chamber--was substantially and positively influenced. She was 
an outstanding collaborator. She did meticulous research and was 
painstakingly honest, reliable, and hardworking--often to the chagrin 
of the Lyme deniers.
  A widely respected straight shooter, Pat did not mince words as she 
and I worked together--along with other Lyme victims and family 
caregivers--calling on all public, medical, and insurance industry 
officials to be forthright and dedicated in fighting Lyme and saving 
lives.
  More than 30 years ago, Pat Smith came to one of my town hall 
meetings in Wall, New Jersey, and shared with me the plight of those 
suffering from chronic Lyme, including her two daughters.
  Shortly after, Pat and I sat down with the top leaders at the Centers 
for Disease Control and the National Institutes of Health, who were 
polite but highly dismissive of our concerns surrounding the 
recommended treatment for Lyme.
  Pat was brilliant in that meeting. She told them how CDC's 
``recommendation'' for prescribing up to a mere 1 month's worth of 
antibiotics was being used by health insurance companies as the ceiling 
for what was covered. Even if the patient had Lyme for 5 years, only 1 
month of doxycycline was covered.
  The feds said it wasn't their intention to limit health insurance 
coverage, but they didn't fix the problem either.
  If you knew Pat, you knew that answer would not suffice.
  Already the founder and president of the Lyme Disease Association 
(LDA), Pat embarked on a personal and compassionate mission across the 
Nation to educate and help, spread awareness of this terrible disease, 
how to prevent it, and how to properly diagnose and treat it. She built 
synergistic coalitions around the country that worked relentlessly in 
support of Lyme research and to advance diagnosis and treatment for 
patients.
  Beyond the working coalitions, Pat organized 22 national, scientific 
conferences and shared her wealth of knowledge at hundreds of 
government, business, and school events.
  She provided both oral and written expert testimony in support of 
national and State laws and physicians' right to fully treat Lyme in 
numerous States, including our own.
  When Pat brought her renowned expertise, passion, and admirable no-
nonsense demeanor to Washington, people listened.
  At my request, Pat testified before Congress and provided critical 
insights for substantive reform and Federal Lyme programs. And she 
skillfully made her case each year during the congressional 
appropriations process, ensuring that Lyme disease programs--and 
patients--finally got their due, or close to it.
  Pat also served two terms as a public member of the U.S. Department 
of Health and Human Services' Tick-Borne Disease Working Group, a 
working group created by legislation she and I worked on together and 
helped shepherd into law.

[[Page E866]]

  The working group reports, mandated by Congress, represent a true 
landmark in their far-reaching coverage of the persistent symptoms and 
persistent illness suffered by Lyme disease patients and the need for 
enhanced understanding of Lyme disease-associated chronic illness. And 
the reports referenced many published studies of chronic Lyme disease.
  The groundbreaking content of the working group's reports and their 
positive impact on Lyme patients and Lyme study are due in no small 
part to two term working group member Pat Smith.
  Under Pat's leadership, LDA provided 127 research grants that have 
been acknowledged in 62 scientific journals.
  Working with author Amy Tan, she created LymeAid 4 Kids, a program 
that offers critical support to children with Lyme who come from 
families that face financial challenges. To date, this amazing 
initiative has provided more than $475,000 for diagnosis and treatment 
for children in need.
  Naturally inquisitive and loaded with ``street smarts,'' Pat also 
continued to study and probe the origins of Lyme and the impact defense 
bioweapons experiments on ticks may or may not have had on Lyme's 
epidemic growth in the U.S.
  Pat Smith's unyielding commitment to improving the Federal response 
to Lyme disease has made a huge difference and has offered so much hope 
for Lyme patients across the country.
  She demanded fairness and honesty and never asked anybody to give 
more or do more than she and her husband, Rich, gave and did for the 
cause of conquering Lyme.
   I will greatly miss my good friend, Pat Smith, a trailblazer for 
Lyme disease patients. Pat and I share a birthday, a last name, and a 
thirst for justice for patients with Lyme. For Pat, and in her honor, 
our fight will continue.

                          ____________________