RELEASE: With Summer Underway, Gottheimer Announces New Federal Action to Combat Lyme Disease and Tick-borne Illnesses in Jersey

Above: Gottheimer announces federal action to protect families against ticks and Lyme disease.

TENAFLY, NJ — Today, July 25, 2025, U.S. Representative Josh Gottheimer (NJ-5), joined health experts to announce new legislation to help protect families from Lyme disease and tick-borne illnesses. Gottheimer’s legislation will utilize new technologies to raise awareness and protect families, while also boosting investment in R&D for Lyme disease treatments.

Video of the press conference can be found here.

The first week of July saw the highest number of tick-related emergency room visits across the country since 2017. 

Gottheimer highlighted how North Jersey families can protect themselves from ticks and Lyme disease as they enjoy outdoor activities this summer. Current tests for Lyme disease often produce false negatives, and, due to a lack of reliable testing options, many of those infected do not realize their diagnosis until the symptoms have become severe. While Lyme disease can often be treated with antibiotics, there is currently no cure.

“Everyone knows that the Garden State is home to some of the most beautiful trails and parks in the country, but we must also be careful, stay alert, and protect against what’s lurking in the grass and trees: the legitimate threat of ticks and the diseases they can carry, including Lyme disease,” said Congressman Josh Gottheimer (NJ-5). “We can’t afford to cut investments that are helping find a cure to Lyme disease. We’re making progress on treatments — we need to double down. There is nothing partisan about a tick bite and Lyme disease. This is not a left or right issue. This is a Jersey families issue, and we need to do more.”

“As the leading national advocacy organization for Lyme and tick-borne diseases, we’re working diligently to ensure our nation is equipped to prevent, detect and respond to the growing public health crisis of tick-borne diseases. We are grateful for Congressman Gottheimer for being a Lyme and tick-borne disease champion and leading bipartisan solutions to attack this wicked problem head on,” said Meghan Bradshaw, Government Relations Manager at Center for Lyme Action. 

“Tenafly Nature Center is proud to serve as the backdrop for this important conversation about Lyme Disease prevention. As a nearly 400-acre preserve created through the vision of local leaders dedicated to conservation and education, we believe public awareness of tick-borne illnesses is essential to ensuring that everyone can safely enjoy the outdoors,” said Debora Davidson, Executive Director, Tenafly Nature Center.

Ticks and Lyme Disease on the Rise:

• Across the country, an estimated 476,000 people may be diagnosed and treated for Lyme disease each year.
  • New Jersey has the third highest number of cases in the nation — five times higher than the national average.
• In just the first week of this month, the U.S. saw the highest number of tick-related emergency room visits since 2017.
  • According to the CDC, the Northeast region has reported the highest number of cases.
• The number of tick-related ER visits here has nearly doubled this month compared to a year ago.
• Between 2022 and 2024, there were more than 21,000 tick-borne cases reported in New Jersey.
• So far this year, New Jersey has seen more than 2,000 cases of tick-borne diseases. 
• With 50% of Lyme disease cases occurring in the summer, awareness is critical.

Gottheimer’s New Action Against Lyme Disease and Tick-Borne Illnesses:

• First, Gottheimer announced the Battling Infections Transmitted by Ticks and Exposure Act, or BITE Act, to create the world’s first national response system for Lyme disease and other vector-borne illnesses, which includes diseases spread by insects.
  • This system will utilize new technologies, including AI, to monitor high-risk areas and alert nearby families through their phones when they are in a high Tick area — so that they can be better prepared. 
• Second, Gottheimer announced the bipartisan Tick Identification Pilot Program Act, which will award federal grants through the CDC for states to implement tick-identification programs.
  • The program works by taking a photo of the tick, noting the location and date where it was encountered, and submitting it to a database to track encounters and best practices.
• Finally, Gottheimer announced the bipartisan Stamp Out Lyme Disease Act, which will create a new postage stamp to supplement congressionally-appropriated research funding for Lyme and tick-borne disease treatments at the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
  • It will boost investment in R&D for Lyme disease treatment. Rep. Don Bacon (NE-2) is helping lead this bipartisan legislation.
• Gottheimer recently led a letter urging the House Appropriations Committee to ensure the highest possible funding for research on Lyme disease treatment. 
• Previously, Gottheimer has helped lead legislation to combat ticks and Lyme disease:
  • The LymeX Authorization Act aims to encourage innovation in new Lyme disease treatments.
  • The Children Inflicted by Lyme Disabilities Act aims to expand disability protections to children affected by the vicious disease.
  • TICK Act to create a new office within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) dedicated to Lyme disease to further coordinate our national response.

Gottheimer was joined at the Tenafly Nature Center by Tenafly Mayor Mark Zinna, Andrew Mikesh of the Tenafly Nature Center Board of Directors, Meghan Bradshaw from the Center for Lyme Action, and dozens of the Center for Lyme Action advocates.

Below: Gottheimer meets with local advocates to combat Lyme disease and tick-borne illnesses

Gottheimer’s full remarks as prepared for delivery are below:

Good morning. Everyone knows that the Garden State is home to some of the most beautiful trails and parks in the country, including the one behind me here today. So, I know that families from across Jersey are enjoying the outdoors this summer — whether it’s here at the Tenafly Nature Center, at the beautiful Delaware Water Gap, or on New Jersey’s 72 miles of the Appalachian Trail, part of which runs right through my District.

While we are fortunate to have places like this where people can enjoy the outdoors, go for a hike, and barbecue with friends — and that’s one of the great gifts of our state — we must also be careful, stay alert, and protect against what’s lurking in the grass and trees: the legitimate threat of ticks and the diseases they can carry, including Lyme disease.

That’s why I’m here today to announce new federal legislation to help keep our families safe.

As it’s been reported, there’s been a real uptick in tick bites. In just the first week of this month, across the country, we saw the highest number of tick-related emergency room visits since 2017.  According to the CDC, our region has reported the most cases. The number of tick-related ER visits here has nearly doubled this month compared to a year ago.

While ticks are small, these pests can carry dangerous diseases that pose severe risks to the health and safety of our families.

Across the country, an estimated 476,000 cases of Lyme disease are reported each year. Jersey has the third highest number of cases in the nation — five times higher than the national average. Between 2022 and 2024, there were more than 21,000 tick-borne cases reported in New Jersey. So far this year, our state has seen more than 2,000 cases of tick-borne diseases. This includes Lyme disease, which can be brutally debilitating, hard to detect and treat, and cause long-term health issues. Whether you’re a kid or an adult, Lyme disease can lead to rashes, cardiac issues, joint stiffness, neurological issues, depression, fatigue, arthritis, and severe pain for extended periods of time.

Many of those infected do not realize their diagnosis until the symptoms have become severe. And, we have a lack of reliable testing options, so it can be difficult to diagnose. The tests we have for Lyme often produce false negatives several times before reaching an accurate diagnosis. While Lyme disease can often be treated with antibiotics, unfortunately, there is not yet a cure. It can take months, or even years, if ever, to get out of your body.

Too many families here in North Jersey have seen the impacts of this disease firsthand. I’ve had many families visit me with loved ones who have lived with Lyme for years. My own sister-in-law has struggled with Lyme disease for more than a decade; one of my wife’s closest friends faced many debilitating years, too. It often goes undetected because the tests themselves aren’t particularly accurate — they can result in many false negatives.   

With 50 percent of Lyme disease cases occurring in the summer, awareness is critical. That means we have to be on the lookout for the main culprit: ticks. New Jersey has the seventh highest number of ticks in the country.

Lyme disease is spread through the bite of infected ticks, which can attach to any part of the human body. High-brush or wooded areas tend to harbor ticks, but they can also hide in bushes, on blades of grass, or even blow in the wind and land on clothing. They’re often carried by deer and rodents, including squirrels. 

You can protect yourself using repellents, wearing proper clothing, consistently checking yourself and your pets for ticks, and by looking for a red bullseye on your skin. The tick will often bite and fall off, so you still need to look for that bullseye on your skin and follow up with your doctor if you experience a rash or fever in the following weeks.

It’s a silent attacker — and it’s time to fight back much more aggressively. It’s a problem that we must solve. There’s nothing partisan about a tick.

That’s why I’m announcing new bipartisan legislation to fight ticks and Lyme disease and help protect our children and families.

First, I am announcing the Battling Infections Transmitted by Ticks and Exposure Act, or BITE Act, to create the world’s first national response system for Lyme disease and other vector-borne illnesses, which includes diseases spread by insects. This system will utilize new technologies, including AI, to monitor high-risk areas, and alert nearby families through their phones when they are in a high Tick area — so that they can be better prepared. 

We have plenty of information on where these cases are reported, we should be using that data to help protect families. By increasing our detection and readiness capabilities, we are biting back at ticks and the diseases they carry.

Second, building on that point, and the need for more information, it’s incredibly important that we understand where we’re seeing spikes and the types of ticks our families encounter. So, my bipartisan Tick Identification Pilot Program Act will award federal grants through the CDC for states to implement tick-identification programs. 

The program works by taking a picture of the tick, noting the location and date where it was encountered, and submitting it to a federal database to track encounters. This will give families feedback within 72 hours from an expert about what kind of tick they saw, and the best next steps to protect themselves, including any medical treatment they should seek after a bite. This will also help with research, education efforts, and, as part of the BITE Act, spread awareness of where families should be careful. The CDC will also be required to submit a report to Congress on the steps they are taking and the effectiveness of the program.

Finally, I’m announcing bipartisan legislation to boost investment in R&D for Lyme disease treatment. The Stamp Out Lyme Disease Act will create a brand new postage stamp to supplement Congressionally-appropriated research funding for the National Institutes of Health research treatments for Lyme and other tick-borne diseases. So, when you’re out mailing a birthday card or sending a letter to your grandmother, you can help fund the Lyme research we need to finally find better treatments for this disease. Why is it so important to get these extra dollars for Lyme research? 

Because, in part, President Trump’s budget has proposed slashing 2.8 million dollars in funding for the CDC to research treatments for Lyme disease and other tick-related diseases. We can’t afford to cut investments that are helping find a cure to Lyme disease. We’re making progress on treatments — we need to double down.   

I also recently led a letter in Congress urging the House Appropriations Committee to ensure the highest possible funding for research on Lyme disease treatments. That includes increasing what we allocate through the Kay Hagan Tick Act, which I helped pass and get signed into law. 

I’ve also helped lead the LymeX Authorization Act, to encourage innovation in new Lyme disease treatments, the Children Inflicted by Lyme Disabilities Act to expand disability protections to children affected by the vicious disease, and the TICK Act to create a new office within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) dedicated to Lyme disease to further coordinate our national response.

The bottom line: I want children and families to enjoy the natural beauty Jersey has to offer — all the parks, trails, and recreation — and protect themselves from ticks and Lyme disease.

I want all of our families who’ve been affected by Lyme disease to know I stand with them, and I’m so grateful to have such good partners in the fight, including Center for Lyme Action and the Tenafly Nature Center here today, and others working to push for new federal action and investment in finding new treatments and cures.  

To make progress on this, we must work together at every level — in Congress and right here at home. Only then will we be able to tackle Lyme disease and its impacts.

Again, there is nothing partisan about a tick bite and Lyme disease. This is not a left or right issue. This is a Jersey families issue, and we need to do more.

I have every faith — by working together, like we’re coming together today, here in the greatest country in the world— that our best days will always be ahead of us.

God bless you, and may God continue to bless the United States of America.

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