Bills
| 3.23.22

Stamping Out Vector-Borne Diseases (H.R. 789)

Do you support or oppose this bill?

What is H.R. 789?

(Updated July 13, 2017)

This bill would require the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and Prevention to research at least two vector-borne diseases that appear frequently in the U.S.

Vector-borne diseases are infectious diseases spread to humans and other animals by ticks, mosquitoes and fleas. A prominent example of a vector-borne disease is Lyme disease. Spread by ticks, Lyme disease infects 300,000 people every year.


Through amendments to the Public Health Service Act, this bill would develop research by:

  • Summarizing the most current literature on preventing, diagnosing and treating vector-borne diseases.
  • Determining the environmental and biological processes that contribute to vector-borne diseases.
  • Identifying scientific advances that could potentially contribute to treatment.
  • Establishing a review process for evaluating scientific research. This would be accompanied with public notices about various developments.  
  • Creating a recommendation system for directors to use when considering grants.

The NIH and the CDC would also be required to establish working groups for exploring ways to combat these diseases.

Argument in favor

This bill creates the foundation of a comprehensive campaign for targeting and eliminating infectious diseases.

Argument opposed

Vector-borne diseases already receive substantial attention from the CDC and the NIH and don’t need another bridge fund to reach their goals.

Impact

Victims of vector-borne diseases, the CDC, and the NIH.

Cost of H.R. 789

According to a CBO cost estimate, the bill would cost $338 million between 2015-2019.

Additional Info

In Depth: Sponsoring Rep. Christopher Gibson (R-NY) explained in a press release that the bill was critical to combatting Lyme disease:

"Passage of this constituent-driven bill represents a real victory for Lyme sufferers and the people of Upstate New York. As Lyme becomes even more prevalent in the Hudson Valley and spreads to new regions, it is imperative that the federal government adopt a more aggressive strategy to improve detection, treatment, and prevention of these tick-borne diseases. Our legislation requires action from the research community, and it brings together stakeholders from across the Lyme community."
Of Note: Vector-borne diseases are considered a serious health concern in the U.S. — in addition to Lyme disease, U.S. residents are afflicted by Rocky Mountain spotted fever, Ehrlichiosis, typhus, Q fever, and anaplasmosis, among others. 

But more recently, the U.S. has seen outbreaks of West Nile Virus — a disease spread from birds to mosquitoes and humans. Here’s the really bad news: the U.S. is experiencing its highest rate of West Nile viruses in recorded history. Some scientists believe this is due to a prolonged drought in the Western U.S., which is forcing mosquitoes to breed in bodies of water that are closer to human beings.

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(Photo Credit: Flickr user fairfaxcounty)