Chris Smith (R‑NJ) and Lyme Disease: Lab Leak Investigations

Timeframe of Events

• 2019–2020: Chris Smith introduced and passed amendments in the U.S. House of Representatives directing the Department of Defense Inspector General (2019) and later the Government Accountability Office (2020) to investigate whether U.S. government labs (notably at Fort Detrick, Maryland, and Plum Island, New York) had ever weaponized ticks with Lyme disease or other pathogens, and whether any accidental or intentional release occurred.
• 2020–2021: The House approved Smith’s measures, but the Senate did not advance related legislation, and as of late 2021, no conclusive federal investigation had been completed or released.

Was There Any Leak or Intentional Release?

• Allegations and Rationale: Smith’s legislative actions were prompted by credible assertions and historical reports suggesting that government researchers experimented with turning ticks into bioweapons and that Dr. Willy Burgdorfer, who discovered the Lyme disease bacterium, had been involved in bioweapons research.
• Smith’s Position: Smith has not claimed direct evidence of a leak or intentional release. Instead, he has called for official investigations to determine whether any diseased ticks were ever accidentally or intentionally released from government labs.
• Congressional Mandate: The amendments require federal agencies to investigate possible connections between bioweapons programs and the spread of Lyme disease, but as of now, no official report has confirmed that such a leak or intentional release occurred.
• Purpose: Smith’s stated goal is to clarify whether government research contributed to the proliferation of Lyme disease and, if so, to use that knowledge to help develop cures and mitigation strategies.

Summary