ITHACA, NY (607NewsNow) – Congressman Josh Riley is trying to help the fight against tick-borne diseases in Upstate New York.
On July 21, the Kay Hagan Tick Reauthorization Act was passed in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Co-sponsored by Riley, the bill extends federal programs through 2030, supports regional establishments handling the response to tick-borne diseases, and directs funding to local agencies.
“Tick-borne illnesses like Lyme can be devastating – kids struggling in school, workers losing time on the job, and medical bills piling up,” said Riley. “With these diseases on the rise, I’m proud to have secured more funding to ramp up our response, support local health departments, and keep Upstate New Yorkers safe.”
Key Components of the Kay Hagan Tick Reauthorization Act – Full Bill Text Available Here
- Requires the Department of Health and Human Services to continue implementing and updating its national strategy to prevent and control tick-borne diseases by expanding research, improving testing, and coordinating responses across the federal government
- Reauthorizes Regional Centers of Excellence in Vector-Borne Disease for five years
- Reauthorizes CDC grants to state health departments to improve data collection and analysis, support early detection and diagnosis, improve treatment, and raise awareness
According to New York’s Department of Health, tick populations and tick-borne diseases continue to rise across the Empire State, and New York has been one of the hardest hit states in the union.
