I 
114TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. R. 789 
To provide for research with respect to Lyme disease and other tick-borne 
diseases, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
FEBRUARY 5, 2015 
Mr. GIBSON (for himself, Mr. SEAN PATRICK MALONEY of New York, Mr. 
WITTMAN, Mr. SMITH of New Jersey, Mr. ZELDIN, Mr. KATKO, Mr. 
COURTNEY, Mr. WELCH, Mr. BARLETTA, and Ms. STEFANIK) introduced 
the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and 
Commerce 
A BILL 
To provide for research with respect to Lyme disease and 
other tick-borne diseases, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Tick-Borne Disease 
Research Accountability and Transparency Act of 2015’’. 
SEC. 2. LYME DISEASE AND OTHER TICK-BORNE DISEASES. 
Title III of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 
241 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following 
new part: 
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‘‘PART W—LYME DISEASE AND OTHER TICK- 
BORNE DISEASES 
‘‘SEC. 399OO. RESEARCH. 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall conduct or 
support epidemiological, basic, translational, and clinical 
research regarding Lyme disease and other tick-borne dis-
eases. 
‘‘(b) BIENNIAL REPORTS.—The Secretary shall en-
sure that each biennial report under section 403 includes 
information on actions undertaken by the National Insti-
tutes of Health to carry out subsection (a) with respect 
to Lyme disease and other tick-borne diseases, including 
an assessment of the progress made in improving the out-
comes of Lyme disease and such other tick-borne diseases. 
‘‘SEC. 399OO–1. WORKING GROUP. 
‘‘(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Secretary shall estab-
lish a permanent working group, to be known as the Inter-
agency Lyme and Tick-Borne Disease Working Group (in 
this section and section 399OO–2 referred to as the 
‘Working Group’), to review all efforts within the Depart-
ment of Health and Human Services concerning Lyme dis-
ease and other tick-borne diseases to ensure interagency 
coordination, minimize overlap, and examine research pri-
orities. 
‘‘(b) 
RESPONSIBILITIES.—The 
Working 
Group 
shall— 
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‘‘(1) not later than 24 months after the date of 
enactment of this part, and every 24 months there-
after, develop or update a summary of— 
‘‘(A) ongoing Lyme disease and other tick- 
borne disease research related to causes, pre-
vention, 
treatment, 
surveillance, 
diagnosis, 
diagnostics, duration of illness, intervention, 
and access to services and supports for individ-
uals with Lyme disease or other tick-borne dis-
eases; 
‘‘(B) advances made pursuant to such re-
search; 
‘‘(C) the engagement of the Department of 
Health and Human Services with persons that 
participate at the public meetings required by 
paragraph (5); and 
‘‘(D) the comments received by the Work-
ing Group at such public meetings and the Sec-
retary’s response to such comments; 
‘‘(2) ensure that a broad spectrum of scientific 
viewpoints is represented in each such summary; 
‘‘(3) monitor Federal activities with respect to 
Lyme disease and other tick-borne diseases; 
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‘‘(4) make recommendations to the Secretary 
regarding any appropriate changes to such activities; 
and 
‘‘(5) ensure public input by holding annual pub-
lic meetings that address scientific advances, re-
search questions, surveillance activities, and emerg-
ing strains in species of pathogenic organisms. 
‘‘(c) MEMBERSHIP.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Working Group shall 
be composed of a total of 14 members as follows: 
‘‘(A) FEDERAL MEMBERS.—Seven Federal 
members, consisting of one or more representa-
tives of each of— 
‘‘(i) the Office of the Assistant Sec-
retary for Health; 
‘‘(ii) the Food and Drug Administra-
tion; 
‘‘(iii) the Centers for Disease Control 
and Prevention; 
‘‘(iv) 
the 
National 
Institutes 
of 
Health; and 
‘‘(v) such other agencies and offices of 
the Department of Health and Human 
Services as the Secretary determines ap-
propriate. 
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‘‘(B) NON-FEDERAL PUBLIC MEMBERS.— 
Seven non-Federal public members, consisting 
of representatives of the following categories: 
‘‘(i) Physicians and other medical pro-
viders with experience in diagnosing and 
treating Lyme disease and other tick-borne 
diseases. 
‘‘(ii) Scientists or researchers with ex-
pertise. 
‘‘(iii) Patients and their family mem-
bers. 
‘‘(iv) Nonprofit organizations that ad-
vocate for patients with respect to Lyme 
disease and other tick-borne diseases. 
‘‘(v) Other individuals whose expertise 
is determined by the Secretary to be bene-
ficial to the functioning of the Working 
Group. 
‘‘(2) APPOINTMENT.—The members of the 
Working Group shall be appointed by the Secretary, 
except that of the non-Federal public members 
under paragraph (1)(B)— 
‘‘(A) one shall be appointed by the Speaker 
of the House of Representatives; and 
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‘‘(B) one shall be appointed by the Major-
ity Leader of the Senate. 
‘‘(3) DIVERSITY
OF
SCIENTIFIC
PERSPEC-
TIVES.—In making appointments under paragraph 
(2), the Secretary, the Speaker of the House of Rep-
resentatives, and the Majority Leader of the Senate 
shall ensure that the non-Federal public members of 
the Working Group represent a diversity of scientific 
perspectives. 
‘‘(4) TERMS.—The non-Federal public members 
of the Working Group shall each be appointed to 
serve a 4-year term and may be reappointed at the 
end of such term. 
‘‘(d) MEETINGS.—The Working Group shall meet as 
often as necessary, as determined by the Secretary, but 
not less than twice each year. 
‘‘(e) APPLICABILITY OF FACA.—The Working Group 
shall be treated as an advisory committee subject to the 
Federal Advisory Committee Act. 
‘‘(f) REPORTING.—Not later than 24 months after 
the date of enactment of this part, and every 24 months 
thereafter, the Working Group— 
‘‘(1) shall submit a report on its activities, in-
cluding an up-to-date summary under subsection 
(b)(1) and any recommendations under subsection 
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