Lyme Disease Research Bill Heads to the President’s Desk

The ticks advance, the cases climb,
Congress mailed a bill this time.
A senator’s name, a grant renewed —
Now sign it fast, before you’re chewed.

A bipartisan measure to extend federal work on Lyme disease and other tick-borne illnesses has cleared both chambers of Congress and now awaits the president’s signature. The Kay Hagan Tick Reauthorization Act, named for the late North Carolina senator who died from complications of Powassan virus, keeps CDC grants and regional centers of excellence funded through 2030.

Cases Keep Climbing

Minnesota reported 3,551 probable Lyme cases in 2024, plus hundreds of anaplasmosis and babesiosis infections. Sen. Tina Smith of Minnesota and Sen. Susan Collins of Maine led the bill. It reauthorizes HHS’s national strategy on vector-borne disease, supports early detection, and funds state health departments. Hundreds of thousands of Americans are diagnosed with Lyme each year.

Research Over Slogans

Better tests and faster treatment matter more than press releases. A separate UConn Health study this week found a one-step multiplex ELISA could cut lab turnaround by more than two hours compared with the old two-tier process. Public money works best when it buys diagnostics and prevention, not another layer of paperwork. The bill now sits on the president’s desk.