IB 
Union Calendar No. 424 
113TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 4701 
[Report No. 113–573] 
To provide for scientific frameworks with respect to vector-borne diseases. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MAY 21, 2014 
Mr. GIBSON (for himself, Mr. COURTNEY, Mr. PETERSON, Mr. SMITH of New 
Jersey, Mr. WOLF, and Mr. BARLETTA) introduced the following bill; 
which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce 
SEPTEMBER 8, 2014 
Additional sponsors: Mr. WELCH, Mr. SEAN PATRICK MALONEY of New York, 
Mr. POSEY, Mr. WITTMAN, Ms. SCHAKOWSKY, Ms. ESTY, Mr. LANCE, 
Mr. SHIMKUS, Mr. TONKO, Mr. BARROW of Georgia, Mr. KEATING, Mr. 
CONNOLLY, Ms. SHEA-PORTER, and Mr. MAFFEI 
SEPTEMBER 8, 2014 
Reported with amendments, committed to the Committee of the Whole House 
on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed 
[Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed in italic] 
[For text of introduced bill, see copy of bill as introduced on May 21, 2014] 
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A BILL 
To provide for scientific frameworks with respect to vector- 
borne diseases. 
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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 Re-
search Accountability and Transparency Act of 2014’’. 
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: 
‘‘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 ensure 
that each biennial report under section 403 includes infor-
mation on actions undertaken by the National Institutes 
of Health to carry out subsection (a) with respect to Lyme 
disease and other tick-borne diseases, including an assess-
ment of the progress made in improving the outcomes of 
Lyme disease and such other tick-borne diseases. 
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‘‘SEC. 399OO–1. WORKING GROUP. 
‘‘(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Secretary shall establish 
a permanent working group, to be known as the Interagency 
Lyme and Tick-Borne Disease Working Group (in this sec-
tion and section 399OO–2 referred to as the ‘Working 
Group’), to review all efforts within the Department of 
Health and Human Services concerning Lyme disease and 
other tick-borne diseases to ensure interagency coordination, 
minimize overlap, and examine research priorities. 
‘‘(b) RESPONSIBILITIES.—The Working Group shall— 
‘‘(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, preven-
tion, treatment, surveillance, diagnosis, duration 
of illness, intervention, and access to services and 
supports for individuals with Lyme disease or 
other tick-borne diseases; 
‘‘(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 
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‘‘(D) the comments received by the Working 
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; 
‘‘(4) make recommendations to the Secretary re-
garding any appropriate changes to such activities; 
and 
‘‘(5) ensure public input by holding annual pub-
lic meetings that address scientific advances, research 
questions, 
surveillance 
activities, 
and 
emerging 
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; 
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‘‘(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 appro-
priate. 
‘‘(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-
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ficial to the functioning of the Working 
Group. 
‘‘(2) APPOINTMENT.—The members of the Work-
ing Group shall be appointed by the Secretary, except 
that of the non-Federal public members under para-
graph (1)(B)— 
‘‘(A) one shall be appointed by the Speaker 
of the House of Representatives; and 
‘‘(B) one shall be appointed by the Majority 
Leader of the Senate. 
‘‘(3) DIVERSITY OF SCIENTIFIC PERSPECTIVES.— 
In making appointments under paragraph (2), the 
Secretary, the Speaker of the House of Representa-
tives, and the Majority Leader of the Senate shall en-
sure that the non-Federal public members of the 
Working Group represent a diversity of scientific per-
spectives. 
‘‘(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. 
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‘‘(e) REPORTING.—Not later than 24 months after the 
date of enactment of this part, and every 24 months there-
after, 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 
(b)(4), to the Secretary, the Committee on Energy and 
Commerce of the House of Representatives, and the 
Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pen-
sions of the Senate; 
‘‘(2) shall make each such report publicly avail-
able on the website of the Department of Health and 
Human Services; and 
‘‘(3) shall allow any member of the Working 
Group to include in any such report minority views. 
‘‘SEC. 399OO–2. STRATEGIC PLAN. 
‘‘Not later than 3 years after the date of enactment 
of this section, and every 5 years thereafter, the Secretary 
shall submit to the Congress a strategic plan, informed by 
the most recent summary under section 399OO–1(b)(1), for 
the conduct and support of Lyme disease and tick-borne dis-
ease research, including— 
‘‘(1) proposed budgetary requirements; 
‘‘(2) a plan for improving outcomes of Lyme dis-
ease and other tick-borne diseases, including progress 
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related to chronic or persistent symptoms and chronic 
or persistent infection and co-infections; 
‘‘(3) a plan for improving diagnosis, treatment, 
and prevention; 
‘‘(4) 
appropriate 
benchmarks 
to 
measure 
progress on achieving the improvements described in 
paragraphs (2) and (3); and 
‘‘(5) a plan to disseminate each summary under 
section 399OO–1(b)(1) and other relevant information 
developed by the Working Group to the public, includ-
ing health care providers, public health departments, 
and other relevant medical groups.’’. 
Amend the title so as to read: ‘‘A bill to provide for 
research with respect to Lyme disease and other tick- 
borne diseases, and for other purposes.’’. 
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Union Calendar No. 424 
113TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 4701 
[Report No. 113–573] 
A BILL 
To provide for scientific frameworks with respect to 
vector-borne diseases. 
SEPTEMBER 8, 2014 
Reported with amendments, committed to the Committee 
of the Whole House on the State of the Union, and or-
dered to be printed 
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