The Lyme disease epidemic is currently newly infecting an estimated 400,000 Americans annually, with an estimated 10-20% going on to develop chronic debilitating symptoms. This has led to 2 million Americans, with unresolvable long term symptoms. These long term patients are in desperate need of relief through development of effective testing for disease identification and effective treatment. The cost to society in direct medical expenses, lost opportunity, and human suffering is a national tragedy. Congress recently passed legislation providing Lyme research funding, but not nearly at the levels that will be required to bring this to a prompt resolution. Please provide adequate funding, and resources, at the level required to resolve this national tragedy in a prompt manner.