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HR4980FEDERALin_committee

The BITE Act (Battling Infections Transmitted by Ticks and Exposure Act)

Original title: BITE Act

August 15, 2025

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Where This Stands

Introduced
Committee
Floor Vote
Passed
Signed

Currently in_committee. The next step in the legislative lifecycle is Floor Vote.

Last action
Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.Aug 15, 2025

Version history

Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.

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The Frame

What this does

If passed, this bill would create a new federal infrastructure for monitoring s, with a specific national goal of reducing Lyme disease cases by 25 percent by 2035.

Who is mentioned in the record

Potentially affected actors named in the source documents. Mention is not a position.

General Public

Residents will be subject to new public education campaigns and receive location-based disease risk alerts.

Department of Defense

The agency will gain access to a new vector identification service and benefit from improved early detection for military readiness.

Healthcare Providers

Emergency rooms will be monitored as part of the syndromic surveillance system to track vector-borne symptoms.

What changed

Current stage: in_committee.

What's next

Floor Vote.

Summary

This bill directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to create a national system for tracking and preventing diseases spread by ticks, mosquitoes, and fleas. The proposed system would use artificial intelligence, insurance data, and emergency room monitoring to provide real-time risk alerts and public health education.

Key Facts

  • The Secretary of Health and Human Services is mandated to establish a national vector-borne disease prevention system.
  • The system must include a professional identification service for ticks, mosquitoes, and fleas accessible to both civilians and the military.
  • The system must integrate human, animal, and environmental data using the 'One Health' approach.
  • An AI-enhanced early warning system will be developed to predict disease activity using weather, habitat, and wildlife data.
  • The system will provide real-time, location-based risk alerts to the public.
  • The bill mandates surveillance of private and public health insurance claims to detect disease outbreaks.
  • The system will conduct 'syndromic surveillance' by monitoring emergency room visits for symptoms related to vector-borne diseases.
  • A public education component will be established to deliver prevention messaging through schools, workplaces, and media.
  • The bill sets a national target to reduce Lyme disease cases by 25 percent by the year 2035.
  • The system is intended to enhance military readiness through early detection and ecosystem health monitoring.

Why It Matters

If passed, this bill would create a new federal infrastructure for monitoring s, with a specific national goal of reducing Lyme disease cases by 25 percent by 2035.

Frequently Asked Questions

What diseases does this bill cover?
The bill focuses on s, specifically mentioning those transmitted by ticks, mosquitoes, and fleas.
How will the government track these diseases?
The bill proposes using artificial intelligence to analyze weather and wildlife data, monitoring health insurance claims, and tracking emergency room visits.
Will I receive alerts about disease risks in my area?
Yes, the bill mandates the creation of an AI-enhanced system to deliver real-time, location-based risk alerts.

News Coverage

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Sponsors

Discoveries

Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.

policy shift95% confidence

Integration of Military and Civilian Data

The bill explicitly mandates a system that integrates data from both civilian hospitals and military medical facilities, signaling a shift toward unified national vector surveillance.

Connected Entities

organizationDepartment of DefenseThe agency that will have access to the vector identification service and benefiMap →
personThomas Kean Jr.U.S. Representative who co-sponsored the bill.Map →
personJosh GottheimerU.S. Representative who introduced the bill.Map →
organizationDepartment of Health and Human ServicesThe federal agency tasked with establishing and maintaining the proposed preventMap →

Analysis Score

0–100
  • Significance65
    How much this matters to a regular citizen
  • Controversy20
    Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
  • Entertainment10
    Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
  • Buzz35
    Current news / social attention level

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