Rep. Delgado Co-Sponsors Bill for Lyme DIsease Office

With Lyme disease cases rising 78 percent from 2007 to 2017 in the 19th District he represents, U.S. Rep. Antonio Delgado has signed on as a cosponsor to the National Lyme & Tick-Borne Diseases Control & Accountability Act of 2019.

The bipartisan legislation creates a new Office of Oversight & Coordination for Tick-Borne Disease and would create a national plan to address Lyme disease.

“Lyme disease is under-studied and under-reported; we need a comprehensive federal plan that looks at Lyme disease from all angles,” Delgado said.

“I’ve talked with so many folks in Upstate New York about ways to address the environmental risks and health impacts of Lyme disease. A new federal office is the tool we need to bring folks together and take action. And given that climate change is only exacerbating the spread of Lyme disease, this work is more important than ever.”

The new office would be within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The office will foster collaboration between various government departments and organizations.

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