WGME: Collins-backed tick, Lyme disease bill heads to president after House passage

“Collins-backed tick, Lyme disease bill heads to president after House passage” - WGME, September 2026

A federal bill aimed at strengthening the fight against Lyme disease and other tick-borne illnesses has cleared Congress and is headed to the president’s desk, following a years-long effort by Sen. Susan Collins focused on Maine. The House unanimously passed the Kay Hagan Tick Reauthorization Act Tuesday evening, after the Senate approved it unanimously last month. The legislation secures federal vector-borne disease research and critical Centers for Disease Control and Prevention grants for state health departments through 2030