Referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, and in addition to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
The Stamp Out Lyme Disease Act directs the U.S. Postal Service to create and sell a special "semipostal" stamp (a stamp that costs more than regular postage) dedicated to funding Lyme disease research. All revenue from the stamp sales will be transferred to the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases for research purposes, with payments made at least twice yearly. The bill affects postal customers who choose to purchase the stamp and Lyme disease patients and researchers who may benefit from increased funding. The stamp must become available within 12 months of the bill's enactment and remain available for at least 6 years. This legislation responds to the significant public health burden of Lyme disease, which the CDC estimates affects 476,000 Americans annually and costs the healthcare system up to $1.3 billion per year, while acknowledging that 10 to 20 percent of patients suffer chronic, disabling symptoms.
Take Action
Your position
Add a comment
to comment on this bill.
Annotate the text
Highlight any passage on the Summary or Full Text tab to attach a note. Annotations appear on the Annotations tab.