1.This Act may be cited as the
White House Conference on Autism Act
of 2011
.
2.The Congress finds the following:
(1)Autism Spectrum
Disorders (ASD) are the fastest-growing serious developmental disability in the
U.S. occurring in all racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic groups.
(2)According to the
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Autism and Disabilities Monitoring
Network the rate of autism in the United States has exploded from an estimated
1 in 10,000 during the 1980s to the current rate of 1 in 150 demonstrating that
the United States is facing an literal epidemic of autism.
(3)The epidemic shows
no sign of slowing as a new case of autism is diagnosed almost every 20
minutes.
(4)More children will
be diagnosed with autism this year than with AIDS, diabetes, and cancer
combined.
(5)Autism costs the
Nation over $35,000,000,000 per year, a figure expected to significantly
increase in the next decade.
(6)Autism is a life
changing condition not a life threatening condition. Our Nation’s educational,
labor, housing and medical communities are ill-equipped and undertrained to
handle a generation of autism individuals.
(7)In the long-term,
this autism epidemic could potentially deprive our Nation of a huge pool of
future military, industrial, medical, and scientific talent.
(8)Although autism
spectrum disorders are an urgent societal concern and comprehensive research is
the best hope for understanding the causes of autism and other developmental
disorders, autism receives less than 5 percent of the Federal research funding
of many less prevalent childhood diseases.
(9)In December 2006,
Congress passed and President Bush signed into law the Combating Autism
Act of 2006,
which committed nearly $1,000,000,000 to autism research,
including essential research on environmental factors, treatments, and early
identification and support services.
(10)A White House
Conference on Autism presents an historic opportunity to build on the
foundation of the Combating Autism Act to advance the scientific study and
analysis of many promising cutting-edge treatments and services for
autism.
3.Authorization of
the conference
(a)Authority To
Call ConferenceNot later than December 31, 2012, the President
shall call the White House Conference on Autism (in this Act referred to as the
Conference
) to be convened not later than 18 months after the
selection of the Policy Committee established in section 4, in order to make
fundamental policy recommendations on ways to combat the autism epidemic in the
United States and to implement the purposes set forth in subsection (c).
(b)The Secretary of Health and Human Services, the
Secretary of Education, and the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (in
this Act referred to as the Cochairs
) shall plan, conduct, and
convene the Conference, in consultation with the Surgeon General.
(c)Purposes of the
ConferenceThe purposes of the Conference are to—
(1)galvanize a
national effort to find the underlying cause or causes of autism;
(2)identify viable
solutions and valuable services to help autistic individuals and families of
autistic individuals meet the challenges they face on a daily basis;
(3)bring together the
best scientific minds to chart a comprehensive research agenda, including the
exploration of potential environmental triggers or contributors;
(4)bring together
parents of autistic children and leaders in the field of education and social
services to begin a national dialogue about addressing the life-long challenges
faced by these children and their families;
(5)highlight emerging
and innovative programs from the public and private sectors, including
community-based and faith-based organizations that effectively serve the needs
of autistic children and adults and recommend such programs as can be
reasonably and cost-effectively replicated; and
(6)review the current
structure, scope, and effectiveness of existing legislation and programs at the
Federal, State, and local levels that provide autism research services; and to
develop such specific and comprehensive recommendations for legislative action
as may be appropriate for improving those bills and programs with the aim of
enhancing the health, quality of life and well-being of autistic individuals
and their families.
4.Policy committee;
related committees
(a)Not later than September 30, 2011, there is
established a Policy Committee comprising of 17 members to be selected as
follows:
(1)Nine members shall be selected by the President and
shall include—
(A)3 members who are
officers or employees of the United States, including the Surgeon General;
and
(B)6 members with
experience in addressing the needs of people with autism spectrum disorders in
the United States.
(2)
(A)Two members shall
be selected by the Speaker of the House of Representatives after consultation
with the chairperson of the Committee on Education and Labor, and the
chairperson of the Committee on Energy and Commerce, of the House of
Representatives.
(B)Two members shall
be selected by the minority leader of the House of Representatives, after
consultation with the ranking minority members of such committees.
(3)
(A)Two members shall
be selected by the majority leader of the Senate, after consultation with
members of the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, and the
Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs of the Senate.
(B)Two members shall
be selected by the minority leader of the Senate, after consultation with
members of such committees.
(b)Of the members of the Policy Committee appointed
under paragraph (a)(1)(B), (a)(2), and (a)(3), 50 percent must be drawn from
private industry, the nonprofit sector, or academia, of whom—
(1)at least 1 shall
be a parent or legal guardian of individuals with autism or other pervasive
developmental disorders;
(2)at least 1 other
shall be knowledgeable about autism intervention programs and systems,
including complementary and alternative therapies;
(3)at least 1 other
shall be knowledgeable about programs specifically designed to meet the unique
educational needs of children and adults with autism;
(4)at least 1 other
shall be knowledgeable about programs specifically designed to meet the unique
housing needs of children and adults with autism;
(5)at least 1 other
shall be knowledgeable about programs specifically designed to train and
educate law enforcement and criminal justice officials to respond to the unique
needs of children and adults with autism; and
(6)at least 1 other
shall be knowledgeable about environmental or toxic exposure of adults and
children as it relates to the development of autism.
(c)
(1)The
Policy Committee shall act by the vote of a majority of the members present. A
quorum of Committee members shall be required to conduct Committee
business.
(2)The
Surgeon General shall serve as the chairperson of the Policy Committee. The
chairperson may vote only to break a tie vote of the other members of the
Policy Committee.
(d)Duties of the
Policy CommitteeThe Policy Committee shall initially meet at the
call of the Cochairs, not later than 30 days after the last member is selected
under subsection (a). Subsequent meetings of the Policy Committee shall be held
at the call of the chairperson. Through meetings, hearings, and working
sessions, the Policy Committee shall—
(1)make
recommendations to the Cochairs to facilitate the timely convening of the
Conference;
(2)submit to the
Cochairs a proposed agenda for the Conference not later than 90 days after the
first meeting of the Policy Committee;
(3)make
recommendations for the delegates of the Conference;
(4)establish the
number of delegates to be selected under section 5; and
(5)establish an
executive committee consisting of 3 members of the Policy Committee to work
with delegates of the Conference.
5.To carry out the
purposes of the Conference, the Cochairs shall bring together delegates
representative of the spectrum of thought in the field of autism and
neurodevelopmental disorders, without regard to political affiliation or past
partisan activity, who shall include—
(1)representatives of
Federal, State, and local governments;
(2)professional
people and laypeople who are working in the field of autism and
neurodevelopmental disorders; and
(3)representatives of
the general public who are affected by autism spectrum disorders in the United
States.
6.Conference
administration
(a)In
administering this section, the Cochairs shall—
(1)provide written
notice to all members of the Policy Committee of each meeting, hearing, or
working session of such Committee not later than 48 hours before the occurrence
of such meeting, hearing, or working session;
(2)request the
cooperation and assistance of the heads of such other Federal departments and
agencies as may be appropriate, including the detailing of personnel;
(3)make available for
public comment a proposed agenda prepared by the Policy Committee, which will
reflect to the greatest extent possible the major issues facing the field of
autism consistent with the purposes of the Conference set forth in section
3(c);
(4)prepare and make
available background materials that the Cochairs deem necessary for the use of
delegates to the Conference; and
(5)employ such
additional personnel as may be necessary to carry out the provisions of this
Act without regard to provisions of title 5, United States Code, governing
appointments in the competitive service, and without regard to chapter 51 and
subchapter III of chapter 53 of such title relating to classification and
General Schedule pay rates.
(b)In
carrying out the Cochairs’s responsibilities and functions under this section,
the Cochairs shall ensure that—
(1)the proposed
agenda prepared under subsection (a)(3) is published in the Federal Register
not later than 30 days after such agenda is approved by the Policy
Committee;
(2)the personnel
employed under subsection (a)(5) are fairly balanced in terms of points of
views represented and are appointed without regard to political affiliation or
previous partisan activities;
(3)the
recommendations of the Conference are not inappropriately influenced by any
public official or by any special interest, but instead are the result of the
independent and collective judgment of the delegates of the Conference;
and
(4)before the
Conference is convened—
(A)current and
adequate statistical data (including decennial census data) and other
information on autism spectrum disorders in the United States; and
(B)such information
as may be necessary to evaluate Federal programs and policies relating to
autism spectrum disorders;
which the
Cochairs may obtain by making grants to or entering into an agreement with,
public agencies or nonprofit organizations, are readily available in advance of
the Conference to the delegates.(c)The
Cochairs may accept, on behalf of the United States, gifts (in cash or in kind,
including voluntary and uncompensated services), which shall be available to
carry out this Act. Gifts of cash shall be available in addition to amounts
appropriated to carry out this title. Gifts may be earmarked by the donor or
the executive committee for a specific purpose.
(d)The
Cochairs shall maintain records regarding—
(1)the sources,
amounts, and uses of gifts accepted under subsection (c); and
(2)the identity of
each person receiving assistance to carry out this Act, and the amount of such
assistance received by each such person.
7.
(a)Not later than 100 days after the Conference adjourns, the
Policy Committee shall prepare a preliminary report on the Conference which
shall be published in the Federal Register and submitted to the chief executive
officers of the States. The Policy Committee shall request that the chief
executive officers of the States submit to the Policy Committee, not later than
45 days after receiving such report, their views and findings on such
report.
(b)Not later than 6 months after the date on which the
Conference adjourns, the Policy Committee shall—
(1)prepare a final
report of the Conference which shall include a compilation of the views and
findings of the chief executive officers of the States received under
subsection (a); and
(2)publish in the
Federal Register, and transmit to the President and to Congress, the
recommendations for the administrative action and the legislation necessary to
implement the recommendations contained in such report.
8.
(a)Not later than 2 years after the date on which the
Conference adjourns, the Surgeon General shall—
(1)prepare a status
report documenting the implementation of the recommendations contained in the
final report described in section 7(b)(1); and
(2)publish in the
Federal Register, and transmit to the President and to Congress, such status
report.
(b)Subsequent
Status ReportsNot later than 5 years after the date on which the
Conference adjourns, and every 5 years thereafter until all recommendations in
the final report described in section 7(b)(1) are achieved, the Comptroller
General shall—
(1)prepare a status
report documenting the implementation of the recommendations contained in such
final report; and
(2)publish in the
Federal Register, and transmit to the President and to Congress, such status
report.
9.For the purposes of this
Act, the term State means any of the several States, the District
of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, the Virgin
Islands of the United States, or the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana
Islands.
10.Authorization of
appropriations
(a)
(1)There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this
Act—
(A)such sums as may
be necessary for the first fiscal year in which the Policy Committee plans the
Conference and for the following fiscal year; and
(B)such sums as may
be necessary for the fiscal year in which the Conference is held.
(2)Any
new spending authority or new authority to enter into contracts under this Act,
and under which the United States is obligated to make outlays, shall be
effective only to the extent, and in such amounts, as are provided in advance
in appropriations Acts.
(b)
(1)Except as provided in paragraph (3), funds appropriated
to carry out this Act and funds received as gifts under section 6(c) shall
remain available for obligation or expenditure until the expiration of the
1-year period beginning on the date the Conference adjourns.
(2)Except as provided in paragraph (3), any such funds neither
expended nor obligated before the expiration of the 1-year period beginning on
the date the Conference adjourns shall be returned to the United States
Treasury.
(3)If the Conference is not convened before December 31,
2012, a trust fund shall be established and such funds shall only be available
for a future Conference on Autism.