BITE Act
Latest action (15 Aug 2025): Introduced
What this bill does
H.R. 4980, the BITE Act, would direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to create and maintain a comprehensive national system for preventing vector-borne diseases—illnesses spread by ticks, mosquitoes, and fleas, such as Lyme disease. The system would include a public vector-identification service, an AI-based early warning tool that predicts disease risk using weather, habitat, and wildlife data, surveillance of insurance claims and emergency-room visits to spot outbreaks earlier, and public education efforts coordinated with schools, workplaces, media, and community groups. The bill also sets a national goal of reducing Lyme disease cases by 25 percent by 2035 and aims to support military readiness through improved disease detection.
The bill would affect federal health agencies, which would be responsible for building and running the system; civilians, who could use the identification service and receive alerts and educational materials; and the Department of Defense, which would have access to the identification service and whose medical facilities would participate in disease surveillance. Health insurers and hospitals, both civilian and military, would also be involved through data reporting for surveillance purposes.
The bill was introduced on August 15, 2025, by Rep. Josh Gottheimer and referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce. As an introduced bill, it has not yet been considered, amended, or voted on; further action would require committee review before it could advance to the full House.
Plain-English summary generated by Bill100 AI from the official record. Always verify against the source below.
Official summary
This bill is in the first stage of the legislative process. It was introduced into Congress on August 15, 2025. It will typically be considered by committee next before it is possibly sent on to the House or Senate as a whole.
Common questions
- What does H.R. 4980 do?
- H.R. 4980, the BITE Act, would direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to create and maintain a comprehensive national system for preventing vector-borne diseases—illnesses spread by ticks, mosquitoes, and fleas, such as Lyme disease. The system would include a public vector-identification service, an AI-based early warning tool that predicts disease risk using weather, habitat, and wildlife data, surveillance of insurance claims and emergency-room visits to spot outbreaks earlier, and public education efforts coordinated with schools, workplaces, media, and community groups. The bill also sets a national goal of reducing Lyme disease cases by 25 percent by 2035 and aims to support military readiness through improved disease detection. The bill would affect federal health agencies, which would be responsible for building and running the system; civilians, who could use the identification service and receive alerts and educational materials; and the Department of Defense, which would have access to the identification service and whose medical facilities would participate in disease surveillance. Health insurers and hospitals, both civilian and military, would also be involved through data reporting for surveillance purposes. The bill was introduced on August 15, 2025, by Rep. Josh Gottheimer and referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce. As an introduced bill, it has not yet been considered, amended, or voted on; further action would require committee review before it could advance to the full House.
- Has H.R. 4980 become law?
- Not yet. As of 15 Aug 2025, H.R. 4980 is introduced.
- Who sponsored H.R. 4980?
- H.R. 4980 was sponsored by Rep. Josh Gottheimer [D-NJ5] (Democrat-NJ), with 10 cosponsors.
- What's the latest action on H.R. 4980?
- Introduced (15 Aug 2025).
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