WASHINGTON (KFGO) – A bipartisan bill introduced by Minnesota Senator Tina Smith and Maine Senator Susan Collins to expand research, testing and treatment for tick-borne diseases unanimously passes.
The Kay Hagan Tick Reauthorization Act is named after the North Carolina Senator who died in 2019 from complications from the tick-borne disease Powassan Virus.
The legislation reauthorizes CDC grants to state health departments to strengthen vector-borne disease prevention and response efforts.
“Minnesota is proud to have more than 10,000 lakes and thousands of rivers for us to enjoy, and we’re always especially eager to get outside after a long winter,” said Sen. Smith. “Unfortunately, the number of Lyme disease cases in the state—and states across the country—is on the rise. This bill would step up regional efforts at researching, testing and treating Lyme and other tick-borne diseases. We must cut down on tick-borne illnesses and for the sake of Americans’ health and well-being, we need to keep moving this bill forward.”
The Minnesota Department of Health says there were more than 35 hundred probable cases of Lyme Disease reported in 2024.
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