After years of effort, Rep. Chris Smith (R-4th District) told News12 New Jersey that he has no plans on giving-up the fight to get chronic Lyme disease recognized both federally and within even the medical community.

Congressman Smith spoke with News12 New Jersey reporter Nadia Ramdass outside News12 New Jersey's Edison, NJ studio to discuss the fight against Lyme disease and efforts to help those suffering with the disease. Smith held a congressional town meeting last week in Monmouth County with leading experts on Lyme, including a top expert on Lyme from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and in Washington founded and co-chairs the bipartisan Lyme Disease Caucus. Addressing about 200 residents who braved heavy rains and winds to attend the meeting at the Wall Township Municipal Building, were Pat Smith, President of the Lyme Disease Association (no relation to Rep. Smith) and a member of the new HHS Tick-Borne Disease Working Group, created by legislation Rep. Smith helped shepherd into law, the 21^st Century Cures Act, as well Dr. Ben Beard, deputy director of the Division on Vector-Borne Diseases at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, and Dr. Richard I. Horowitz, MD, an internist in Hyde Park, NY, and Rep. Smith.




The story was taped June 1 2019 and aired June 1-3. It was originally posted online at:

http://newjersey.news12.com/clip/14835717/rep-smith-federal-funding-for-tick-borne-diseases-is-a-joke 

More information from Rep. Smith's town meeting, including texts of his and the other speakers' remarks, can be found here.