# 119-hr-4979: Tick Identification Pilot Program Act of 2025

119-hr-4979, Tick Identification Pilot Program Act of 2025, is a 119th Congress bill sponsored by Rep. Gottheimer, Josh [D-NJ-5] (D-NJ); status introduced; PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-10-22).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-4979
- As of: 2026-10-22
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: 119-hr-4979
- Congress: 119
- Title: Tick Identification Pilot Program Act of 2025
- Status: introduced
- Introduced: 2025-08-15
- Sponsor: Rep. Gottheimer, Josh [D-NJ-5] (D-NJ)
- Cosponsors: 12
- Policy area: Health
- Touches household money: yes
- Last recorded action: 2026-10-22

## Summary

**Tick Identification Pilot Program** would fund state-run systems to identify ticks from photos and give people fast, expert guidance on disease risk and prevention. - Families and pet owners would be able to submit tick photos electronically and get a response within 72 hours from a qualified professional (a biologist with vector biology training). Replies would include species and life stage when possible, an estimate of disease risk when possible, and recommendations such as seeking medical evaluation or submitting the tick for testing. - State health departments could receive grants, with priority for states that report more Lyme disease and other tick-borne illnesses. Funded programs must keep a database of reported incidents that records date, geographic location, encounter environment, identified tick details, and the guidance given. - Public health officials and Congress would get better surveillance data. The Department of Health and Human Services would collect program data and submit reports for fiscal years 2026 through 2029 on the number and details of reported tick incidents.

## Cosponsors (12)

- Rep. Kean, Thomas H. [R-NJ-7] (R-NJ), 2025-08-15T00:00:00.000Z
- Del. Norton, Eleanor Holmes [D-DC-At Large] (D-DC), 2025-08-19T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Fitzpatrick, Brian K. [R-PA-1] (R-PA), 2025-08-19T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Lawler, Michael [R-NY-17] (R-NY), 2025-09-16T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Carson, André [D-IN-7] (D-IN), 2025-09-30T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Magaziner, Seth [D-RI-2] (D-RI), 2025-10-08T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Bresnahan, Robert P. [R-PA-8] (R-PA), 2025-12-18T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Mannion, John W. [D-NY-22] (D-NY), 2026-01-08T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Lee, Summer L. [D-PA-12] (D-PA), 2026-04-09T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Keating, William R. [D-MA-9] (D-MA), 2026-05-12T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Budzinski, Nikki [D-IL-13] (D-IL), 2026-05-12T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Bacon, Don [R-NE-2] (R-NE), 2026-06-23T00:00:00.000Z

## Provisions PRIA read

- Grants for quick tick identification: benefit, medium. If enacted, HHS through the CDC would fund State pilot programs to identify ticks. States would apply, with priority to States with more Lyme and other tick-borne cases and strong plans. Funded programs would let you send tick photos online with the likely location, the date, and where the tick was…

## Related bills

- 119-hr-9877: Health Equity and Accountability Act of 2026
- 119-hr-1262: Mikaela Naylon Give Kids a Chance Act
- 119-hr-842: Nancy Gardner Sewell Medicare Multi-Cancer Early Detection Screening Coverage Act
- 119-hr-2102: Major Richard Star Act
- 119-hr-2048: Metastatic Breast Cancer Access to Care Act
- 119-hr-1993: 25th Anniversary of 9/11 Commemorative Coin Act

## Sources
- [119-hr-4979 on Congress.gov](https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/4979)

## Related
- [119-hr-9877: Health Equity and Accountability Act of 2026](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-9877)
- [119-hr-1262: Mikaela Naylon Give Kids a Chance Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-1262)
- [119-hr-842: Nancy Gardner Sewell Medicare Multi-Cancer Early Detection Screening Coverage A…](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-842)
- [119-hr-2102: Major Richard Star Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-2102)
- [119-hr-2048: Metastatic Breast Cancer Access to Care Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-2048)
- [119-hr-1993: 25th Anniversary of 9/11 Commemorative Coin Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-1993)
- [All bills in Congress](https://policyrisk.com/legislation)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-4979 (as of 2026-10-22).