July 31, 2023
BRUNSWICK, ME — U.S. Senator Angus King has introduced bipartisan legislation to expand and strengthen the Center for Disease Control (CDC)’s mosquito control and response efforts. The Strengthening Mosquito Abatement for Safety and Health (SMASH) 2.0 Act, cosponsored by Senators Marco Rubio (R-FL), Rick Scott (R-FL), and Tina Smith (D-MN), would provide the CDC additional funding to research and fight the spread of dangerous diseases like West Nile Virus. The bill comes as the United States has seen an uptick of illnesses that are being traced to mosquito bites.
The original SMASH Act – signed into law in 2019 as part of the Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Act (PAHPA) reauthorization – has successfully supported states and localities in fighting mosquito-spread illnesses like Zika. Congress is currently considering reauthorization of PAHPA, and SMASH 2.0 was included in the PAHPA reauthorization bill that recently passed out of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, & Pensions (HELP) Committee.
“One of the best parts about living in Maine is being able to spend time outdoors, but the threat of dangerous illnesses from mosquito bites is becoming a real concern,” said Senator King. “We must continue to provide states with the necessary tools to keep their residents, visitors, and everyone trying to enjoy the great outdoors from these ‘invisible’ threats. While the original SMASH Act has improved our response efforts at the national and state level, our detection and control tactics need to continuously evolve. I want to thank my colleagues for joining me in this fight against this harmful pest wreaking havoc in all of our backyards.”
“The threat of mosquito-borne illness is a concern for Florida, Puerto Rico, and other parts of our country. We must take proactive measures to ensure the safety and health of all Americans,” said Senator Rubio. “States and localities must have the tools they need to combat illnesses spread by mosquitoes. This bill is another step toward keeping Floridians and tourists safe.”
“I’m proud to join my colleagues in this bill to strengthen the CDC’s efforts to control mosquito-borne diseases and ensure our state and local governments have the resources they need to combat dangerous illnesses," said Senator Rick Scott. "This is a good step to help Floridians and visitors stay safe and healthy as they enjoy the warm summer months, beautiful beaches and great outdoors that Florida has to offer.”
“As temperatures increase, mosquito populations in many parts of the country are getting larger,” said Senator Smith. “With mosquito-linked illnesses on the rise, this bill would help fight the spread of these dangerous diseases so Minnesotans can continue to safely enjoy spending time outside exploring our parks, swimming and boating in our lakes, and hiking in our forests.”
The SMASH 2.0 Act would:
“Lyme disease, Zika, West Nile virus—every year, we see both more cases and new types of disease spread by mosquitoes, ticks, and other arthropods, and they’re occurring in more places in the U.S. than ever before, too. The SMASH Act would provide critical public health resources for states and communities to respond to vector-borne disease by monitoring and treating outbreaks when they are identified,” said Marianne Alleyne, President of the Entomological Society of America. “It would also support greater use of new and emerging technologies for keeping people, pets, and livestock safe from these threats. The Entomological Society of America appreciates the bipartisan support for this important public health bill.”
“The Strengthening Mosquito Abatement for Safety and Health (SMASH) Act provides the mechanism for local public health agencies to fully implement Integrated Mosquito Management programs. This includes activities such as surveillance-based treatments, pesticide resistance testing, public outreach, and other core components of vector control,” said Daniel Markowski, Technical Advisor for the American Mosquito Control Association. “The American Mosquito Control Association appreciates the bipartisan efforts of Senators King, Rubio, Scott, and Smith to reauthorize and enhance the SMASH Act.”
The SMASH 2.0 Act is endorsed by the following organizations: Entomological Society of America, American Mosquito Control Association, Northeast Regional Center for Excellence in Vector-Borne Diseases, Southeastern Center of Excellence in Vector-Borne Diseases, American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, Infectious Disease Society of America, North Carolina Mosquito and Vector Control Association, Georgia Mosquito Control Association, Mosquito Vector Control Association of California.
