U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand is calling for swift passage of the Kay Hagan Tick Reauthorization Act to combat the rapid rise of tick-borne illnesses like Lyme disease across New York and the nation.
In a virtual press conference, Gillibrand urged lawmakers to reauthorize the act and voiced support for more than $200 million in federal funding for research, prevention, diagnosis, and treatment programs.
“Tick-borne illnesses are a growing threat in New York and across the country, and we must do more to ensure that all Americans are protected,” Gillibrand said. “New Yorkers deserve the freedom to spend time outdoors without worrying about tick-borne diseases.”
Specifically, the Kay Hagan Tick Reauthorization Act would:
- Require HHS to continue implementing and updating its National Public Health Strategy to Prevent and Control Vector-Borne Diseases in People;
- Reauthorize Regional Centers for Excellence in Vector-Borne Diseases for five years; and
- Reauthorize Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) grants to state health departments to improve data collection and analysis, support early detection and diagnosis, improve treatment, and raise awareness.
In addition to the Kay Hagan Tick Reauthorization Act, Gillibrand has requested over $200 million in appropriations to support research and programs that address Lyme disease and other tick-borne illnesses. These funding requests include:
- $30 million for the Department of Health and Human Services to implement the Kay Hagan Tick Reauthorization Act;
- $35 million for the CDC to further its work on Lyme disease and other tick-borne illnesses;
- $9 million to support the Department of Defense’s Tick-Borne Disease Research Program; and
- $130 million for Lyme disease and tick-borne disease research at the National Institutes of Health.
New York leads the country in reported Lyme disease cases. Infections surged from around 2,200 in 2020 to more than 22,000 in 2023, with hotspots in Suffolk, Orange, and Westchester counties, and growing numbers even in urban areas like New York City.
Gillibrand says the legislation and proposed funding would help improve treatments and preventative measures, while supporting research to better understand and respond to the spread of these diseases.
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