Tick-borne diseases

The Secretary of Health and Human Services (referred to in this section as “the Secretary”) shall continue to conduct or support epidemiological, basic, translational, and clinical research related to vector-borne diseases, including tick-borne diseases. The Secretary shall ensure that each triennial report under section 283 of this title (as amended by section 2032) includes information on actions undertaken by the National Institutes of Health to carry out subsection (a) with respect to tick-borne diseases. The Secretary shall establish a working group, to be known as the Tick-Borne Disease Working Group (referred to in this section as the “Working Group”), comprised of representatives of appropriate Federal agencies and other non-Federal entities, to provide expertise and to review all efforts within the Department of Health and Human Services related to all tick-borne diseases, to help ensure interagency coordination and minimize overlap, and to examine research priorities. The working group shall— not later than 2 years after December 13, 2016, develop or update a summary of— Federal activities related to tick-borne diseases, including— The members of the working group shall represent a diversity of scientific disciplines and views and shall be composed of the following members: Seven Federal members, consisting of one or more representatives of each of the following: Seven non–Federal public members, consisting of representatives of the following categories: The Working Group shall meet not less than twice each year. Not later than 2 years after December 13, 2016, and every 2 years thereafter until termination of the Working Group pursuant to paragraph (7), the Working Group shall— The Working Group shall be treated as an advisory committee subject to the Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.).11 See References in Text note below. The Working Group under this section shall terminate 6 years after December 13, 2016.