House of Representatives orders Pentagon to investigate whether ticks were once used as biological weapons

The House calls for Pentagon's Inspector General to look at experiments done between the years 1950 and 1975;  introduced by NJ Rep. Chris Smith, inspired by "a books and articles about research at US government facilities (Fort Detrick, Maryland, and Plum Island, New York) to turn ticks into bioweapons. During debate: "What were the parameters of the program? Who ordered it? Was there any accidental release anywhere of any of the diseased ticks?" If the investigation proves Defense department weaponized Lyme disease in ticks, the amendment calls for a report on the scope of the experiment and whether the insects used were "released outside of any laboratory by accident or experiment design." During the amendment's debate, Smith said Lyme disease and other tick-borne diseases were "exploding" in the US and that "Americans have a right to know whether any of this is true."