Rep. Delgado Urges Action on Lyme and Tick-Borne Diseases

I rise today to call attention to an urgent issue in upstate New York: Lyme and tick-borne diseases are deeply prevalent in my district, NY-19, and across the country. From 2007 to 2017, Lyme disease cases rose by 78% in my district and approximately half of adult deer ticks in the state carry the bacteria that causes Lyme disease. We should be doing all we can to address this and invest in more effective ways to both diagnose and treat this disease. That's why this week I, along with fellow members of the bipartisan Lyme Disease Caucus, introduced legislation to supplement Congressionally-appropriated funding for research with the Stamp Out Lyme Disease Act. Our bill would create a postage stamp to raise awareness about the disease and directly support medical research to treat and cure tick-borne illnesses. I urge the house to take up legislation to move us closer to a cure.