[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2421 Introduced in House (IH)]






109th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 2421

    To amend the Public Health Service Act to combat autism through 
            research, screening, intervention and education.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              May 18, 2005

Mrs. Bono (for herself and Ms. DeGette) introduced the following bill; 
       which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
    To amend the Public Health Service Act to combat autism through 
            research, screening, intervention and education.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Combating Autism Act of 2005''.

SEC. 2. DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES SURVEILLANCE AND RESEARCH PROGRAM.

    (a) Surveillance Program; Centers of Excellence; Clearinghouse.--
Section 102(e) of the Children's Health Act of 2000 (42 U.S.C. 247b-4b) 
is amended by striking ``There are authorized'' and all that follows 
and inserting the following: ``For the purpose of carrying out this 
section, there are authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be 
necessary for fiscal year 2006 and each subsequent fiscal year.''.
    (b) Additional Programs.--Title III of the Public Health Service 
Act (42 U.S.C. 241 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end thereof the 
following:

                 ``PART R--PROGRAMS RELATING TO AUTISM

``SEC. 399AA. INFORMATION AND EDUCATION RELATING TO AUTISM.

    ``(a) In General.--The Secretary shall establish and implement a 
program to provide information and education on autism and its risk 
factors to health professionals and the general public, including 
information and education on advances in the diagnosis and treatment of 
autism and training and continuing education through programs for 
scientists, physicians, and other health professionals who provide care 
for patients with autism. The program shall place special emphasis on 
early identification of autism and those at risk for autism and prompt 
referral for appropriate services.
    ``(b) Stipends.--The Secretary may use amounts made available under 
this section to provide stipends for health professionals who are 
enrolled in training programs under this section.
    ``(c) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out this section, $10,000,000 for each of fiscal 
years 2007 through 2011.

``SEC. 399BB. INTERAGENCY AUTISM COORDINATING COMMITTEE.

    ``(a) Establishment.--The Secretary shall establish a committee to 
be known as the `Autism Coordinating Committee' (in this section 
referred to as the `Committee') to coordinate all efforts within the 
Department of Health and Human Services concerning autism, including 
activities carried out through the National Institutes of Health and 
the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention under the amendments 
made by the National Autism Research Act.
    ``(b) Membership.--
            ``(1) In general.--The Committee shall be composed of--
                    ``(A) the Director of the Centers for Disease 
                Control and Prevention;
                    ``(B) the Directors of such national research 
                institutes of the National Institutes of Health as the 
                Secretary determines appropriate;
                    ``(C) the heads of such other agencies as the 
                Secretary determines appropriate; and
                    ``(D) the additional members appointed under 
                paragraph (2) (if any).
            ``(2) Additional members.--If determined appropriate by the 
        Secretary, the Secretary may appoint to the Committee--
                    ``(A) individuals with autism or other pervasive 
                developmental disorders;
                    ``(B) parents or legal guardians of individuals 
                with autism or other pervasive developmental disorders;
                    ``(C) representatives of leading autism research 
                and service organizations; and
                    ``(D) representatives of other governmental 
                agencies that serve children with autism such as the 
                Department of Education.
    ``(c) Administrative Support; Terms of Services; Other 
Provisions.--The following shall apply with respect to the Committee:
            ``(1) The Committee shall receive necessary and appropriate 
        administrative support from the Secretary.
            ``(2) Members of the Committee appointed under subsection 
        (b)(2)(A) shall serve for a term of 3 years, and may serve for 
        an unlimited number of terms if reappointed.
            ``(3) The Committee shall meet not less than 2 times each 
        year.

``SEC. 399CC. SCREENING, DIAGNOSIS, AND TREATMENT OF AUTISM; MEDICAL 
              CARE FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH AUTISM.

    ``(a) Statewide Autism Screening, Diagnosis, and Intervention 
Programs and Systems.--
            ``(1) In general.--The Secretary, acting through the 
        Administrator of the Health Resources and Services 
        Administration, shall award grants or cooperative agreements to 
        eligible entities to develop statewide autism screening, 
        diagnosis, and intervention programs and systems for the 
        purposes described in paragraph (2).
            ``(2) Purposes.--The purposes described in this paragraph 
        are the following:
                    ``(A) To develop and monitor the efficacy of 
                statewide autism screening, diagnosis, and intervention 
                programs and systems, ensuring that all children are 
                screened for autism before their second birthday, and 
                that children at risk for autism receive appropriate 
                services as early as possible. Intervention includes 
                referral to schools and agencies, including community, 
                consumer, and parent-based agencies, and organizations 
                and other programs mandated by part C of the 
                Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, which 
                offer programs specifically designed to meet the unique 
                needs of children with autism.
                    ``(B) To collect data on statewide autism 
                screening, diagnosis, and intervention programs and 
                systems that can be used for applied research, program 
                evaluation, and policy development.
                    ``(C) To provide comprehensive medical care for 
                individuals with autism through evidence-based 
                practices, with specific attention to medical 
                conditions that may be associated with autism, and to 
                disseminate information on the medical care of 
                individuals with autism to health professionals and the 
                general public. In carrying out the program under this 
                paragraph, a grant shall be awarded to a national 
                organization that will establish and support regional 
                centers of clinical excellence to provide medical care 
                to individuals with autism and promote research aimed 
                at improving the treatment of such individuals, and 
                that will build a shared national medical database to 
                record the results of treatments and studies at the 
                regional centers.
            ``(3) Parental consent.--Screenings and other services 
        available under this section for a child may not be provided 
        without the consent of a parent or legal guardian of the child.
            ``(4) Set aside of funds.--From amounts appropriated under 
        subsection (e), the Secretary shall set-aside not less than 
        $4,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2007 through 2011 to carry 
        out activities described in paragraph (2)(C).
    ``(b) Technical Assistance, Data Management, and Applied 
Research.--The Secretary, acting through the Director of the Centers 
for Disease Control and Prevention, shall award grants or cooperative 
agreements to provide technical assistance to State agencies to conduct 
applied research related to autism screening, diagnosis, and 
intervention programs and systems. In carrying out this section the 
Secretary shall develop standardized procedures for data management and 
program effectiveness and costs, including procedures--
            ``(1) to ensure quality monitoring of autism screening, 
        diagnosis, and intervention programs and systems;
            ``(2) to provide technical assistance on data collection 
        and management;
            ``(3) to study the costs and effectiveness of autism 
        screening, diagnosis, and intervention programs and systems 
        conducted by State-based programs in order to address issues of 
        importance to State and national policymakers;
            ``(4) to identify the causes and risk factors for autism;
            ``(5) to study the effectiveness of autism screening, 
        diagnosis, and intervention programs and systems by assessing 
        the intellectual and social development, cognitive status, and 
        language skills of children with autism at school age; and
            ``(6) to promote the sharing of data regarding autism with 
        State-based birth defects and developmental disabilities 
        monitoring programs and environmental discharge monitoring 
        programs of the Environmental Protection Agency for the purpose 
        of identifying previously unknown causes of and risk factors 
        for autism.
    ``(c) Coordination and Collaboration.--
            ``(1) In general.--In carrying out programs under this 
        section, the Administrator of the Health Resources and Services 
        Administration, the Director of the Centers for Disease Control 
        and Prevention, and the Director of the National Institutes of 
        Health shall collaborate and consult with--
                    ``(A) other Federal, State and local agencies, 
                including those responsible for early intervention 
                services pursuant to title XIX of the Social Security 
                Act (particularly the Medicaid Early and Periodic 
                Screening, Diagnosis and Treatment Program), title XXI 
                of the Social Security Act (State Children's Health 
                Insurance Program), title V of the Social Security Act 
                (Maternal and Child Health Block Grant Program), and 
                part C of the Individuals with Disabilities Education 
                Act;
                    ``(B) consumer groups of, and that serve, 
                individuals with autism and their families;
                    ``(C) appropriate national medical and other health 
                and education specialty organizations;
                    ``(D) individuals with autism and their families;
                    ``(E) other qualified personnel who possess the 
                specialized knowledge, skills, and attributes needed to 
                serve autistic children and their families; and
                    ``(F) related commercial industries.
            ``(2) Policy development.--The Administrator of the Health 
        Resources and Services Administration, the Director of the 
        Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the Director of 
        the National Institutes of Health shall coordinate and 
        collaborate on recommendations for policy development at the 
        Federal and State levels and with the private sector, including 
        consumer, medical, and other health and education professional-
        based organizations, with respect to autism screening, 
        diagnosis, and intervention programs and systems.
            ``(3) State early detection, diagnosis, and intervention 
        programs and systems.--The Administrator of the Health 
        Resources and Services Administration and the Director of the 
        Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shall coordinate and 
        collaborate in assisting States to establish autism screening, 
        diagnosis, and intervention programs and systems under 
        subsection (a) and to develop a data collection system under 
        subsection (b).
    ``(d) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated--
            ``(1) to carry out subsection (a), $75,000,000 for each of 
        fiscal years 2007 through 2011; and
            ``(2) to carry out subsection (b), $25,000,000 for each of 
        fiscal years 2007 through 2011.

``SEC. 399DD. ANNUAL REPORT ON AUTISM.

    ``(a) In General.--Not later than January 1, 2006, and each January 
1 thereafter, the Secretary shall prepare and submit to the appropriate 
committees of Congress, a report concerning the implementation of this 
part.
    ``(b) Contents.--The report, utilizing uniform reporting methods 
and procedures, shall--
            ``(1) provide the dollar amount that each institute of the 
        National Institutes of Health expended on autism research in 
        the year for which the report was prepared; and
            ``(2) detail the progress and success of the National 
        Institutes of Health in implementing and funding the 
        recommendations contained in the Autism Research Roadmap and 
        Matrix of the Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee.''.
                                 <all>