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To establish a comprehensive national vector-borne disease prevention system.
Summary
This bill directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish a comprehensive national vector-borne disease prevention system. The system would include a professional vector identification service, an artificial intelligence-enhanced early warning system that predicts disease activity, surveillance of insurance claims and emergency room visits for vector-borne disease symptoms, and comprehensive public education on prevention. The system would aim to reduce Lyme disease by 25 percent by 2035 and enhance military readiness through early detection of vector-borne diseases.
AI-generated plain-language summary of the bill text — neutral, and may be imperfect. See the full text below for the exact wording.
Sponsor (1)
9 cosponsors
- Rep. Bacon, Don [R-NE-2] (R-NE)
- Rep. Bresnahan, Robert P. [R-PA-8] (R-PA)
- Rep. Carson, André [D-IN-7] (D-IN)
- Rep. Fitzpatrick, Brian K. [R-PA-1] (R-PA)
- Rep. Kean, Thomas H. [R-NJ-7] (R-NJ)
- Rep. Keating, William R. [D-MA-9] (D-MA)
- Rep. Lawler, Michael [R-NY-17] (R-NY)
- Rep. Magaziner, Seth [D-RI-2] (D-RI)
- Rep. Mannion, John W. [D-NY-22] (D-NY)
Money behind the sponsor
Top reported contributors to Josh Gottheimer’s campaign committee (2024 cycle) — who funds the bill’s sponsor, not a claim about this bill. Data from FEC.
- BLACKSTONE $116,700
- APOLLO GLOBAL MANAGEMENT $71,500
- KKR & CO INC. $50,600
- CENTERVIEW PARTNERS $25,000
- FORTRESS INVESTMENT GROUP $23,200
Organizations whose employees gave the most — itemized individual contributions grouped by the donor’s reported employer (FEC Schedule A). Full finance for Josh Gottheimer → · Outside spending →
Actions (2)
- Aug 15, 2025 Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce. · house
- Aug 15, 2025 Introduced in House
Similar bills (6)
Bills with similar text or summary — includes reintroductions across Congresses. Ranked by semantic similarity of the bill text (computed locally); a neutral discovery aid, not a claim the bills are duplicates.
Text versions (1)
Bills are re-published as they move (Introduced → Reported → Engrossed → Enrolled …). Each stage below is a separate text; pick two to see what changed. Data from Congress.gov.
Full text
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
August 15, 2025
Mr. Gottheimer (for himself and Mr. Kean) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce
A BILL
To establish a comprehensive national vector-borne disease prevention system.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the “Battling Infections Transmitted by Ticks and Exposure Act” or the “BITE Act”.
SEC. 2. COMPREHENSIVE NATIONAL VECTOR-BORNE DISEASE PREVENTION SYSTEM.
(a) Establishment.—The Secretary of Health and Human Services shall establish and maintain a comprehensive national vector-borne disease prevention system.
(b) Components.—The system described in subsection (a) shall have the following components:
(1) A professional vector identification service, which shall—
(A) include relevant information on ticks, mosquitoes, and fleas as vectors of disease;
(B) be accessible by civilians and the Department of Defense; and
(C) support data reporting that integrates human, animal, and environmental data (commonly known as the “One Health” approach).
(2) An artificial intelligence-enhanced early warning system, which shall—
(A) predict disease activity with weather, habitat, and wildlife data; and
(B) deliver real-time, location-based risk alerts.
(3) Insurance claims surveillance to detect outbreaks earlier than traditional methods, which shall include surveillance of claims made with private or public health insurance.
(4) Syndromic surveillance, which shall monitor emergency room visits (including at civilian hospitals and military medical treatment facilities) for vector-borne symptoms.
(5) Comprehensive public education, which shall—
(A) deliver targeted prevention messaging; and
(B) inform the public by working with schools, workplaces, media, and community organizations.
(6) National strategic alignment, which shall—
(A) support a target of a 25 percent reduction in Lyme disease by 2035; and
(B) enhance military readiness through early detection and ecosystem health. <all>
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