Kay Hagan Tick Reauthorization Act
What does the Kay Hagan Tick Reauthorization Act do?
S 2398 is a Senate bill sponsored by Sen. Susan M. Collins (R-ME). The 2019 Kay Hagan Tick Act created two federal programs at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention aimed at tick-borne and other vector-borne diseases: a national strategy plus regional centers of excellence (PHS Act §317U), and cooperative agreements with state, local, and tribal health departments in high-risk areas (PHS Act §2822). Both programs' authorizations of appropriations ran through fiscal year 2025. This bill extends both authorizations through fiscal year 2030, drops the requirement that HHS consult the Tick-Borne Disease Working Group when developing the national strategy, and changes how HHS carries out the centers-of-excellence program — from the Secretary acting "in coordination with" the CDC Director to the Secretary acting "through" the CDC Director.
Did S 2398 pass? Where it stands
As of August 24, 2026, S 2398 has passed the Senate.
Status: Passed Senate
Latest vote: Senate Passed by voice vote on August 6, 2026
Outlook: Likely
Key provisions
- 5-year Extension of Two Vector-borne Disease Programs
- National strategy + centers of excellence: reauthorized fiscal years 2026 through 2030
- State/local health department cooperative agreements: reauthorized fiscal years 2026 through 2030
- Underlying authorized amounts ($10M and $20M per year respectively) are unchanged in this bill
- Tick-Borne Disease Working Group Dropped from Consultation List
- Statute previously required consulting the Tick-Borne Disease Working Group established under section 2062 of the 21st Century Cures Act
- Bill strikes that requirement and inserts "appropriate individuals"
- The Working Group's authorization has otherwise lapsed — 42 U.S.C. §284s(c)(7) sunsets it 6 years after December 13, 2016
- CDC Role Language Change
- Statute directed HHS to award centers-of-excellence grants "in coordination with" the CDC Director
- Bill changes it to "acting through" the CDC Director
- Signals CDC leads the grant program rather than being a coordinating partner
Last updated August 12, 2026