30

Jul
2014
House E & C Committee Passes Lyme Bill
The LDA is pleased to announce that the Lyme bill, HR 4701, July 23, 2014 version, passed with voice vote out
of the Energy & Commerce Committee, today, July 30.
I am delighted to announce this important milestone in the years-long effort to combat
Lyme and tick-borne diseases, said Congressman Chris Gibson (NY-19). This
legislation is the first-ever standalone bill to address Lyme disease. I deeply
appreciate the support and advocacy of the many citizens who speak out on this issue
every day, especially Pat Smith and the members of the Lyme Disease Association. I
look forward to passage of this bill by the full House, but I will not relent in our fight for
improved research, treatment, and prevention of this public health scourge.
The bill sets up a working group with patients and physicians at the table and contains language requiring the
Secretary of HHS to submit a strategic plan to Congress including "a plan for improving outcomes of Lyme
disease and other tick-borne diseases, including progress related to chronic or persistent symptoms and chronic
or persistent infection and co-infections.... "
The battle for passage of this bill began early this year when LDA met with House leadership to present
objections to a vector-borne diseases bill from being introduced in the House Health Subcommittee that would
have covered Lyme disease but had no representation at all from patients and physicians and would not have
covered other tick-borne diseases because of incidence rates. The LDA provided language changes which
provided patient input and transparency. The bill was brought before the Subcommittee, but an amendment in
the nature of a substitute was offered and passed out insteada substitute that was dangerous for patients.
The LDA led a nationwide campaign to bring back patient friendly language and had a letter signed by 154
groups nationwide stating what was necessary from a patient perspective which was sent to all of the Members
of the Energy & Commerce Committee. We then worked with Mr. Gibson and the Committee to change the
language to produce a bill which will help provide a research agenda for Lyme and other tick-borne diseases
including evaluating chronic or persistent infection and co-infections.
This bill provides recognition that research is needed for Lyme disease and all tick-borne diseases and provides for
a structure where the ultimate stakeholders, Lyme patients, will finally have a voice at the table in a transparent
setting said Lyme Disease Association President Pat Smith. Additionally, the inclusion of chronic or persistent
infection finally allows that to be more fully examined as part of the federal research agenda."
The LDA thanks Mr. Gibson, bill sponsor; Mr. C. Smith; and Mr. Upton and all of the Committee members who
supported the bill. We also thank our partner groups who were instrumental in the effort to pass this legislation,
and all Lyme groups across the country, patients, and other groups who worked on this effort. The next step for
the bill is to go to the House floor, which will probably occur sometime after the summer Congressional recess.


Links to video of bill passage
The US House Energy & Commerce website has a video of the two day hearing on its website. The top box is
day one which only includes opening statements on all the bills to be heard. Those relevant to HR 4701 in Day 1
(7/29) can be found at approximately the times listed below:
Mr. Waxman 5:25-6:35
Mr. Pitts 9:45- 10:30
Mr. Pallone 15:00-
Mr. Grifn 29:48-
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House E & C Committee Passes Lyme Bill http://www.lymediseaseassociation.org/index.php/legislative-ses...
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Day 2 video (7/30), bill voting, is in the second video box, begins at 33:20.
http://energycommerce.house.gov/markup/markup-hr-4067-hr-hr-3522-hr-4701-hr-3670-hr-5161-hr-1575
__________________________________________________________________
Link to legislation passed 7/30/14, HR 4701 July 23 version
http://docs.house.gov/meetings/IF/IF00/20140729/102597/BILLS-113-HR4701-P000373-Amdt-3.pdf
_____________________________________________________________________
Bill History
Link to Bill History




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