SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT OF A TICK-BORNE DISEASES ADVI-
SORY COMMITTEE. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—Not later than 180 days after 
the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of 
Health and Human Services (referred to in this Act as 
the ‘‘Secretary’’) shall establish within the Office of the 
Secretary an advisory committee to be known as the Tick- 
Borne Diseases Advisory Committee (referred to in this 
section as the ‘‘Committee’’). 
(b) DUTIES.—The Committee shall advise the Sec-
retary and the Assistant Secretary for Health regarding 
the manner in which such officials can— 
(1) ensure interagency coordination and com-
munication and minimize overlap regarding efforts 
to address tick-borne diseases; 
(2) identify opportunities to coordinate efforts 
with other Federal agencies and private organiza-
tions addressing such diseases; 
(3) ensure interagency coordination and com-
munication with constituency groups; 
(4) ensure that a broad spectrum of scientific 
viewpoints is represented in public health policy deci-
sions and that information disseminated to the pub-
lic and physicians is balanced; and 
(5) advise relevant Federal agencies on prior-
ities related to the Lyme and tick-borne diseases. 
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(c) MEMBERSHIP.— 
(1) APPOINTED MEMBERS.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall ap-
point the voting members of the Committee 
from among individuals who are not officers or 
employees of the Federal Government. 
(B) GROUPS.—The voting members of the 
Committee shall include the following: 
(i) At least 4 members from the sci-
entific community representing the broad 
spectrum of viewpoints held within the sci-
entific community related to Lyme and 
other tick-borne diseases. 
(ii) At least 2 representatives of tick- 
borne disease voluntary organizations. 
(iii) At least 2 health care providers, 
including at least 1 full-time practicing 
physician, with relevant experience pro-
viding care for individuals with a broad 
range of acute and chronic tick-borne dis-
eases. 
(iv) At least 2 patient representatives 
who are individuals who have been diag-
nosed with a tick-borne disease or who 
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have had an immediate family member di-
agnosed with such a disease. 
(v) At least 2 representatives of State 
and local health departments and national 
organizations that represent State and 
local health professionals. 
(C) DIVERSITY.—In appointing members 
under this paragraph, the Secretary shall en-
sure that such members, as a group, represent 
a diversity of scientific perspectives relevant to 
the duties of the Committee. 
(2) EX
OFFICIO
MEMBERS.—The Secretary 
shall designate, as nonvoting, ex officio members of 
the Committee, representatives overseeing tick-borne 
disease activities from each of the following Federal 
agencies: 
(A) The Centers for Disease Control and 
Prevention. 
(B) The National Institutes of Health. 
(C) The Agency for Healthcare Research 
and Quality. 
(D) The Food and Drug Administration. 
(E) The Office of the Assistant Secretary 
for Health. 
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(F) Such additional Federal agencies as 
the Secretary determines to be appropriate. 
(3) CO-CHAIRPERSONS.—The Secretary shall 
designate the Assistant Secretary of Health as the 
co-chairperson of the Committee. The appointed 
members of the Committee shall also elect a public 
co-chairperson. The public co-chairperson shall serve 
a 2-year term. 
(4) TERM
OF
APPOINTMENT.—The term of 
service for each member of the Committee appointed 
under paragraph (1) shall be 4 years. 
(5) VACANCY.—A vacancy in the membership of 
the Committee shall be filled in the same manner as 
the original appointment. Any member appointed to 
fill a vacancy for an unexpired term shall be ap-
pointed for the remainder of that term. Members 
may serve after the expiration of their terms until 
their successors have taken office. 
(d) MEETINGS.—The Committee shall hold public 
meetings, except as otherwise determined by the Sec-
retary, after providing notice to the public of such meet-
ings, and shall meet at least twice a year with additional 
meetings subject to the call of the co-chairpersons. Agenda 
items with respect to such meetings may be added at the 
request of the members of the Committee, including the 
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co-chairpersons. Meetings shall be conducted, and records 
of the proceedings shall be maintained, as required by ap-
plicable law and by regulations of the Secretary. 
(e) REPORT.—Not later than 1 year after the date 
of the enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter, the 
Committee, through the Director of the Centers for Dis-
ease Control and Prevention and the Director of the Na-
tional Institutes of Health, shall submit a report to the 
Secretary. Each such report shall contain, at a min-
imum— 
(1) a description of the Committee’s functions; 
(2) a list of the Committee’s members and their 
affiliations; and 
(3) a summary of the Committee’s activities 
and recommendations during the previous year, in-
cluding any significant issues regarding the func-
tioning of the Committee. 
(f) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—For the 
purpose of carrying out this section, there is authorized 
to be appropriated $250,000 for each of fiscal years 2014 
through 2018. Amounts appropriated under the preceding 
sentence shall be used for the expenses and per diem costs 
incurred by the Committee under this section in accord-
ance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act, except 
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that no voting member of the Committee shall be a perma-
nent salaried employee. 
SEC. 3. FEDERAL ACTIVITIES RELATED TO THE DIAGNOSIS, 
SURVEILLANCE, 
PREVENTION, 
AND 
RE-
SEARCH OF LYME AND OTHER TICK-BORNE 
DISEASES. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary, acting as appro-
priate through the Director of the Centers for Disease 
Control and Prevention, the Director of the National Insti-
tutes of Health, the Commissioner of Food and Drugs, 
and the Director of the Agency for Healthcare Research 
and Quality, as well as additional Federal agencies as the 
Secretary determines to be appropriate, and in consulta-
tion with the Tick-Borne Diseases Advisory Committee, 
shall provide for— 
(1) the conduct or support of activities de-
scribed in paragraphs (1) through (4) of subsection 
(b); and 
(2) the coordination of all Federal programs 
and activities related to Lyme disease and other 
tick-borne diseases. 
(b) ACTIVITIES.—The activities to be conducted or 
supported under subsection (a) include the following: 
(1) DEVELOPMENT OF DIAGNOSTIC TESTS.— 
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(A) The development of sensitive and more 
accurate diagnostic tools and tests, including a 
direct detection test for Lyme disease capable 
of distinguishing active infection from past in-
fection. 
(B) Improving the efficient utilization of 
diagnostic testing currently available to account 
for the multiple clinical manifestations of both 
acute and chronic Lyme disease. 
(C) Providing for the timely evaluation of 
promising emerging diagnostic methods. 
(2) SURVEILLANCE AND REPORTING.— 
(A) Accurately determining the prevalence 
of Lyme and other tick-borne disease. 
(B) Evaluating the feasibility of developing 
a reporting system for the collection of data on 
physician-diagnosed cases of Lyme disease that 
do not meet the surveillance criteria of the Cen-
ters for Disease Control and Prevention in 
order to more accurately gauge disease inci-
dence. 
(C) Evaluating the feasibility of creating a 
national uniform reporting system including re-
quired reporting by laboratories in each State. 
(3) PREVENTION.— 
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(A) The provision and promotion of access 
to a comprehensive, up-to-date clearinghouse of 
peer-reviewed information on Lyme and other 
tick-borne disease. 
(B) Increased public education related to 
Lyme and other tick-borne diseases through the 
expansion of the community-based education 
programs of the Centers for Disease Control 
and Prevention to include expansion of informa-
tion access points to the public. 
(C) The creation of a physician education 
program that includes the full spectrum of sci-
entific research related to Lyme and other tick- 
borne diseases. 
(D) The sponsoring of scientific con-
ferences on Lyme and other tick-borne diseases, 
including reporting and consideration of the full 
spectrum of clinically based knowledge, with the 
first of such conferences to be held not later 
than 24 months after the date of the enactment 
of this Act. 
(4) CLINICAL OUTCOMES RESEARCH.— 
(A) The establishment of epidemiological 
research objectives to determine the long-term 
course of illness for Lyme disease. 
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(B) Determination of the effectiveness of 
different treatment modalities by establishing 
treatment outcome objectives. 
(c) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—For the 
purposes of carrying out this section and providing for ad-
ditional research, prevention, and educational activities for 
Lyme and other tick-borne diseases, there is authorized 
to be appropriated $20,000,000 for each of fiscal years 
2014 through 2018. Such authorization of appropriations 
is in addition to any other authorization of appropriations 
available for such purpose. Of the amounts authorized to 
be appropriated under this subsection— 
(1) for fiscal year 2014, at least $7,500,000 
shall be for activities of the Centers for Disease Con-
trol and Prevention; and 
(2) for each of fiscal years 2015 through 2018, 
at least $5,000,000 shall be for activities of the Cen-
ters for Disease Control and Prevention. 
SEC. 4. REPORTS ON LYME AND OTHER TICK-BORNE DIS-
EASES. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 18 months after 
the date of the enactment of this Act, and annually there-
after, the Secretary shall submit to the Congress a report 
on the activities carried out under this Act. 
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(b) CONTENT.—Reports under subsection (a) shall 
contain— 
(1) a description of significant activities or de-
velopments related to the surveillance, diagnosis, 
treatment, education, or prevention of Lyme or other 
tick-borne diseases, including suggestions for further 
research and education; 
(2) a scientifically qualified assessment of Lyme 
and other tick-borne diseases, including both acute 
and chronic instances, related to the broad spectrum 
of empirical evidence of treating physicians, as well 
as published peer-reviewed data, that shall include 
recommendations for addressing research gaps in di-
agnosis and treatment of Lyme and other tick-borne 
diseases and an evaluation of treatment guidelines 
and their utilization; 
(3) a description of progress in the development 
of accurate diagnostic tools that are more useful in 
the clinical setting for both acute and chronic dis-
ease; 
(4) a description of activities for the promotion 
of public awareness and physician education initia-
tives to improve the knowledge of health care pro-
viders and the public regarding clinical and surveil-
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lance practices for Lyme disease and other tick- 
borne diseases; and 
(5) a copy of the most recent annual report 
issued by the Tick-Borne Diseases Advisory Com-
mittee established in section 2 and an assessment of 
progress in achieving recommendations of that Com-
mittee. 
Æ 
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