8/12/2019 House E & C Committee Passes Lyme Bill
1/2
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 diseasesincluding 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. Griffin 29:48-
FEDERAL LEGISLATION
Legislative Session 2013-2014
Archive
Legislative Session 2011-2012
Legislative Session 2009-2010
2010 Appropriations Bill
2008 House Floor Debate
Past Action Alerts/Updates
HOME LEGISLATIVE SESSION 2013-2014 HOUSE E & C COMMITTEE
PASSES LYME BILL
search... Search
HOME ABOUT US ABOUT LYME DOCTORS GOVT. RESOURCES GRANTS NEWS
DONATIONS EVENTS
^ back to top
House E & C Committee Passes Lyme Bill
http://www.lymediseaseassociation.org/index.php/legislative-
of 2 8/10/14 3:19
8/12/2019 House E & C Committee Passes Lyme Bill
2/2
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
Facebook Technorati Mr. Wong Stumble It! Diigo Google Yahoo
MyWeb BlinkList Furl Ma.gnolia
Newsvine Reddit Del.icio.us; Digg This!
Next >
CONTACT US
Lyme Disease Association, Inc.
PO Box 1438, Jackson, NJ 08527
888-366-6611 | information line
732-938-7215 | fax
[email protected] | email
NEWSLETTER
Sign up for our Email Newsletter
Newsletter Archive
Contact Us | Shopping | FAQ | Website Policies | Webmaster |
Site Map
1996- 2014 Lyme Disease Association. All rights reserved
^ back to top
House E & C Committee Passes Lyme Bill
http://www.lymediseaseassociation.org/index.php/legislative-
of 2 8/10/14 3:19
