Bill Summary
The Stamp Out Lyme Disease Act is a bill that proposes the creation and sale of a semipostal stamp to fund research on Lyme disease and other tick-borne illnesses. Lyme disease is a serious and potentially chronic illness that affects thousands of people in the United States each year. The bill cites findings from government agencies and research institutions to support the need for increased funding for research on Lyme disease. If passed, the United States Postal Service will issue the Lyme Disease Research Semipostal Stamp and the proceeds from its sale will be transferred to the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases for research purposes. The stamp will be available for purchase for at least 6 years and will not be taken into account when determining federal funding for the institute. A semipostal stamp is a type of stamp where the cost of the stamp includes an additional amount that goes towards a designated cause.
Possible Impacts
1. Increased funding for Lyme disease and related tick-borne illness research could lead to improved understanding and treatment options for those affected by these diseases.
2. People may choose to purchase the stamp in order to contribute to funding for research, leading to increased public involvement in addressing the issue of Lyme disease.
3. The duration of at least 6 years for the availability of the stamp may provide sustained support for research efforts, potentially leading to long-term benefits for those affected by Lyme disease.
[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5299 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
116th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 5299
To provide for the issuance of a Lyme Disease Research Semipostal
Stamp.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
December 4, 2019
Mr. Delgado (for himself, Mr. Smith of New Jersey, Mr. Peterson, and
Mr. Zeldin) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Oversight and 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
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To provide for the issuance of a Lyme Disease Research Semipostal
Stamp.
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 ``Stamp Out Lyme Disease Act''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSE.
(a) Findings.--Congress finds the following:
(1) According to the Tick-Borne Disease Working Group, an
estimated 291,430 to 437,150 new cases of Lyme disease were
reported in the United States in 2016.
(2) The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
reports that Lyme disease is difficult to diagnose due to its
diverse manifestations and a lack of reliable testing options.
(3) The National Institutes of Health (NIH) discovered that
while Lyme disease symptoms can be managed with proper care,
the disease currently has no cure.
(4) The Tick-Borne Disease Working Group reports that 10 to
20 percent of Lyme disease patients will suffer from persistent
symptoms which can be chronic and disabling.
(5) According to the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of
Public Health, Lyme disease costs the United States healthcare
system up to $1,300,000,000 dollars per year.
(b) Purpose.--To afford a convenient way for members of the public
to contribute to funding for Lyme disease and related tick-borne
illness research within the National Institute of Allergy and
Infectious Diseases, the United States Postal Service shall issue a
semipostal stamp (hereinafter in this Act referred to as the ``Lyme
Disease Research Semipostal Stamp'') in accordance with this section.
SEC. 3. LYME DISEASE RESEARCH SEMIPOSTAL STAMP.
(a) Terms and Conditions.--The issuance and sale of the Lyme
Disease Research Semipostal Stamp shall be governed by the provisions
of section 416 of title 39, United States Code, and regulations issued
under such section.
(b) Disposition of Proceeds.--
(1) In general.--All amounts becoming available from the
sale of the Lyme Disease Research Semipostal Stamp (as
determined under section 416(d) of such title 39) shall be
transferred to the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious
Diseases, for the purpose described in subsection (a), through
payments which shall be made at least twice a year.
(2) Proceeds not to be offset.--In accordance with section
416(d)(4) of such title 39, amounts becoming available from the
sale of the Lyme Disease Research Semipostal Stamp (as so
determined) shall not be taken into account in any decision
relating to the level of appropriations or other Federal
funding to be furnished in any year to the National Institute
of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.
(c) Duration.--The Lyme Disease Research Semipostal Stamp shall be
made available to the public for a period of at least 6 years,
beginning no later than 12 months after the date of the enactment of
this Act.
(d) Definition.--For purposes of this Act, the term ``semipostal
stamp'' refers to a stamp described in section 416(a)(1) of title 39,
United States Code.
<all>