[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 57 (Tuesday, May 1, 2001)]
[House]
[Pages H1672-H1680]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
RECOGNIZING IMPORTANCE OF INCREASING AUTISM AWARENESS
Mr. GREENWOOD. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to
[[Page H1673]]
the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 91) recognizing the importance
of increasing awareness of the autism spectrum disorder, and supporting
programs for greater research and improved treatment of autism and
improved training and support for individuals with autism and those who
care for them.
The Clerk read as follows:
H. Con. Res. 91
Whereas the Autism Society of America, Cure Autism Now, the
National Alliance for Autism Research, Unlocking Autism, and
numerous other organizations commemorate April 27 as Autism
Awareness Day and April as Autism Awareness Month;
Whereas autism is a developmental disorder that is
typically diagnosed during the first three years of life;
Whereas autism has robbed at least 400,000 Americans of
their ability to communicate and interact with others;
Whereas autism affects at least 1 in every 500 children in
America;
Whereas autism is 4 times more likely in boys than in
girls, and can affect anyone regardless of race, ethnicity,
or other factors;
Whereas the cost of specialized treatment in a
developmental center for autistic persons is approximately
$80,000 per individual per year;
Whereas the cost of special education programs for school-
aged children with autism is often more than $30,000 per
individual per year;
Whereas the cost nationally of caring for persons affected
by autism is estimated at more than $13 billion per year; and
Whereas, despite the fact that autism is one of the most
common developmental disorders, many professionals in the
medical and educational fields are still unaware of the best
methods to diagnose and treat the disorder: Now, therefore,
be it
Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate
concurring), That the Congress--
(1) supports the goals and ideas of Autism Awareness Day
and Month;
(2) recognizes and commends the parents and relatives of
autistic children for their sacrifice and dedication in
providing for the special needs of their autistic children
and absorbing significant financial costs for specialized
education and support services;
(3) supports the goal of increasing Federal funding for
aggressive research to learn the root causes of autism,
identify the best methods of early intervention and
treatment, and promote understanding of the special needs of
autistic persons;
(4) urges the Department of Health and Human Services to
continue to press for the swift and full implementation of
the Children's Health Act of 2000, particularly the
establishment of not less than three ``Centers of
Excellence'' at the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention and not less than five ``Centers of Excellence''
at the National Institutes of Health, in order to monitor the
prevalence of autism at a national level, leading to a better
understanding of autism and related disorders;
(5) stresses the need to begin early intervention services
soon after a child has been diagnosed with autism, noting
that early intervention strategies, including Applied
Behavioral Analysis, are the primary therapeutic options for
young autistic persons;
(6) supports the goal of federally funding 40 percent of
the costs of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act
to States and local school districts, recognizing that the
inadequacy of this funding has adversely affected the ability
of school districts to appropriately respond to the rising
number of autism cases in our schools;
(7) urges Federal, State, and local governments to allocate
sufficient resources to teacher training initiatives to
alleviate the shortage of appropriately trained teachers that
have the skills and support necessary to teach, assist, and
respond to the special needs of autistic students in our
school systems; and
(8) recognizes the importance of worker training programs
that are tailored to the needs of developmentally disabled
persons, including those with autism, and notes that autistic
persons can be, and are, productive members of the workforce
if they are given appropriate support, training, and early
intervention services.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Pennsylvania (Mr. Greenwood) and the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr.
Doyle) each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Greenwood).
{time} 1415
General Leave
Mr. GREENWOOD. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members
may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their
remarks on H. Con. Res. 91, and include extraneous materials.
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Hastings of Washington). Is there
objection to the request of the gentleman from Pennsylvania?
There was no objection.
Mr. GREENWOOD. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from
Georgia (Mr. Norwood).
Mr. NORWOOD. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to support this legislation
for two very important reasons: One is a grandchild of Lurla and
Richard Mane of Augusta, Georgia, who is an autistic child. The Manes
are dear friends, and I have watched as they and their family have
struggled with autism over the years.
Mr. Speaker, it is my humble opinion that there are far too many
American families suffering the effects of autism on a family member,
with far too little being done to search out the cause of autism, or
for effective treatments. It seems that no one really cares about
autism until their child or a friend's child has autism.
This disease affects nearly half a million Americans, yet there are
no FDA-approved treatments. There are no clear diagnostic tests to even
accurately determine when the disease exists. Properly directed Federal
research aid holds the promise of correcting these deficiencies. We
have failed to provide that direction in the past. Let us not fail
again in this regard.
Mr. Speaker, the second reason I support this bill is that it
recognizes and calls for action on one of the most glaring injustices
of this body; namely, our failure to live up to our word for disabled
children.
When we passed the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, known
around here as IDEA, we ordered our local schools to provide disabled
students, including those students suffering from autism, whatever they
needed. In return, this body agreed to pay 40 percent of the cost of
this Federal mandate, and it may come as little surprise to many of us,
the Federal Government has not paid its share of the tab, but we have
been sure to fully enforce our local school's obligation to pay theirs.
This bill recognizes that fact and moves this Congress closer to
honoring its word. It is time we provided every dollar of support for
our autistic students in public schools to which we are obligated.
Mr. DOYLE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, as the cochairman of the Congressional Coalition for
Autism Research and Education, it is my honor to speak in support of
House Concurrent Resolution 91 which recognizes and commends parents
and families of autistic children for their sacrifices and loving
dedication to the demanding needs of caring for an autistic loved one.
Mr. Speaker, I want to recognize and thank the gentleman from New
York (Mr. Engel), my colleague on the Committee on Energy and Commerce,
for allowing me to manage the time; and I want to thank the gentleman
from New Jersey (Mr. Smith), cochairman of the Coalition for Autism
Research and Education, for introducing this resolution and for his
support of autism awareness legislation such as last year's ASSURE Act,
which had the support of nearly 200 Members of Congress and is now
public law.
Autism is a family of closely related disorders commonly known as
autism-spectrum disorders. No matter what particular disorder, autism
is a devastating, lifelong impairment of childhood development that
significantly impacts the lives of those affected, as well as the lives
of parents and relatives. Autism deprives children of their ability to
interact with others in ordinary ways. It robs them of the means to
understand and communicate, and destroys normal reasoning skills.
Autism forever changes the lives of individuals affected, and resonates
deeply throughout the social, economic and spiritual lives of all
family members.
Mr. Speaker, this disorder affects nearly 1.7 million Americans, with
recent evidence pointing to a prevalence rate that one out of every 150
to 170 children born has an autism-spectrum disorder. Autism does not
discriminate. It affects all races and economic status with equal
veracity. The disorder is more common than Down's syndrome, muscular
dystrophy, cystic fibrosis and many forms of childhood cancer.
The symptoms usually become apparent by the first 2 years of life,
with nearly 75 percent of cases occurring in the second year as normal
reasoning skills fail to develop. The other 25 percent of cases usually
occur in the 12-to-24-month time period in which they regress and
typical autism behavior
[[Page H1674]]
emerges. It is the latter ``regressive autism'' cases that have been
linked to the measles, mumps and rubella vaccination.
Most disturbing is the fact that we simply don't know what causes
autism and autism-spectrum disorders, nor do we know any cure for the
disorder. But the number of those afflicted continues to grow. For
those of us who have not experienced autism directly in our families,
it may be difficult to truly comprehend just how demanding and
stressful raising a child with autism can be on a family.
Just last Friday, during the first coalition information briefing, I
heard a description of autism that, as a father of four children,
really hit home for me. Mr. Speaker, imagine that tonight while here in
Washington, someone secretly entered my colleague's home and replaced
my colleague's son or daughter with another child that looked exactly
like their son or daughter, but did not speak or acknowledge when his
or her name was called; who found parental affections painful and
repulsive. Imagine, Mr. Speaker, if that child changed overnight and
remained that way forever. This is autism, my friends.
I have had a long-standing working relationship with autism advocacy
leaders both here in Washington and in Pittsburgh. The impact of autism
on families and individuals was first brought to my attention by Mr.
Dan Torisky. Dan and I met in my early days in politics when I worked
for a State senator, and from the first day I met Dan, I was impressed
with his tireless and tenacious attitude towards finding a cure for
autism. Dan was a past two-term national president of the Autism
Society of America, and remains one of the most amazing advocates for
autism that I have ever met.
Dan knows autism on a very personal level. Dan's son, Eddie, is
autistic; and like all families across America struggling with autism,
from day one, Dan and his late wife, Connie, simply wanted their son to
have as normal a life as possible. The Toriskys gave me my first
comprehensive educational lesson on what it meant for a family to live
with autism. I realized that the voices of local researchers, advocacy
leaders, and parents needed to be heard by Congress so that they, too,
could be educated about the needs for more advanced and dedicated
research.
Most importantly, I understand how frustrated parents of autistic
individuals are when it comes to their legacy. Who will care for their
autistic child when they are no longer here?
Mr. Speaker, the cost associated with caring for and providing
critical services to individuals with autism can be phenomenal. In my
home State of Pennsylvania, the Autism Society of America estimates
that we have 73,686 individuals with autism-spectrum disorders, which
translates into about 0.6 percent of the total population. If you take
into account early intervention, special education, transportation to
special programs, respite care, housing and special programs for adults
with autism, over the course of a year, it is estimated that autism
costs Pennsylvania $50,000 per person.
In my view, Mr. Speaker, Congress must confront the rising problem of
autism on three fronts: cause, cure, and quality of life.
We must continue Federal funding of advanced research into the
suspected causes of the disorder, including efforts aimed at
investigating the connection between late-onset autism and measles
vaccinations, and identifying the genetic and biologic basis of
susceptibility to autism.
We must continue to fund research into the cures for the disorder
that for the time being have helped us better identify and treat
autism. Ongoing research has shown that the effects of autism can be
mitigated if proper steps are taken to identify the disorder at the
earliest age possible, and corresponding intervention programs are
applied.
We must also improve the quality of life for individuals with autism,
while not turning our back on quality research into the causes and
treatment. Autism lasts a lifetime, and often children with the
disorder outlive parents. This creates a burden on the health care and
social service systems nationwide, one that they are ill-prepared to
carry. We need to care for and educate autistic children and adults,
and provide properly trained staff and educators to meet the highly
complex and specialized needs of these individuals. It is important
that we take appropriate steps to reduce the disability associated with
autism so that more individuals can work and live semi-independently.
Mr. Speaker, it makes good sense to invest in research now, and
passage of House Concurrent Resolution 91 is an important step because
it presses for full implementation of the Children's Health Act of
2000, now Public Law 106-310. Particularly important is the
establishment of up to three additional Centers of Excellence in Autism
at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and up to five more
Centers of Excellence to complement the ongoing biomedical research of
the existing 10 NIH Collaborative Programs in Excellence in Autism.
It is vital that we in Congress fund research programs without taking
away much-needed funding to pay for new programs. I believe that any
expansion of research programs must come with a corresponding expansion
of funding dollars.
Mr. Speaker, we have a responsibility to help families dealing with
autism. We must do our share because autism is not terminal, and 1.7
million families are a growing and strong testament that life not only
goes on, but it can flourish, given strong support and an advocacy
network.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. GREENWOOD. Mr. Speaker, I yield 4\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman
from New Jersey (Mr. Smith), the cofounder of the Autism Coalition and
a leader in helping to solve the problems of children with this malady.
Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the gentleman
for yielding me this time, and thank him on behalf of his good work for
autistic children.
Mr. Speaker, I also thank the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr.
Doyle), the cochairman of the Coalition for Autism Research and
Education (C.A.R.E.). It is a privilege to work with him, and I thank
the gentleman for his work and the work his staff has been doing.
Mr. Speaker, we have 119 members on the Coalition for Autism Research
and Education, CARE, and I hope my colleagues who might be watching in
their offices and their staffs would look into joining this coalition.
We are trying to mobilize Congress in a bipartisan way on behalf of
autistic children and adults and their families, who are in great need
of our support.
Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Tauzin) and
the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Boehner) and the majority leader for
releasing this resolution to the floor. It was referred to their
respective committees, the Committee on Energy and Commerce and the
Committee on Education and the Workforce. The majority leader and the
committee chairman worked together to get the resolution to the floor.
Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Greenwood)
for his work on behalf of this, and the gentleman from Indiana (Mr.
Burton), who held a very important hearing on the issue of autism,
trying to get to the core reasons as to what is causing it.
Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Bilirakis), who
was the prime sponsor of the Children's Health Act which contained
title I which sets up the Centers of Excellence. Many of us worked on
that language, and we were very pleased when the gentleman made that
title I of his very important health care initiative.
{time} 1430
Mr. Speaker, H. Con. Res. 91 calls attention to one of the major
public health issues of our time, the developmental disorder called
autism. Last Friday (April 27), as Members probably know, parents and
families of autistic children from all over the country came down to
Washington to mark the second annual Autism Awareness Day and to raise
awareness of the challenges and sacrifices families make on behalf of
their loved ones. H. Con. Res. 91 calls attention to autism and tries
to dedicate this Congress, this body, this House, to supporting efforts
to treat and to eventually cure autism. In the meantime, we need to at
least mitigate its occurrence.
[[Page H1675]]
Mr. Speaker, it is not an exaggeration to say that autism spectrum
disorders may be the silent epidemic of our time. It is silent because
this developmental disorder has robbed at least 400,000 children of
their ability to communicate and interact with their families and their
loved ones. It is silent because there are currently no operational
autism registries in the Nation to tell us how many people are actually
afflicted with this disorder. Conventional wisdom and passive reporting
suggests that autism affects at least one in every 500 children in
America. Much of the recent anecdotal evidence, however, suggests that
autism rates are significantly higher, some say closer to one in every
250 children. We have got to get to the bottom of the numbers but more
importantly the why of it. Why is this exploding on our scene in
America today? What is the cause? What is the pathway? Is it
environmental? Is it an immunization shot? Nobody really knows. There
are a lot of theories, but not much when it comes to getting to the
bottom of the why of it.
Mr. Speaker, let me just say to my colleagues, I was brought into
this 21 years ago by a Dr. Holmes who runs the Eaton Institute in
Princeton, a very, very important, dedicated person who has done so
much, has literally written books and books on the issue of autism. But
more recently it was a family, Bobbi and Billy Gallagher in Brick Town,
New Jersey who came to me and said, ``We think we have an elevated
number of autistic cases in Brick Township, New Jersey.'' They brought
evidence. They had done their own survey, finding that there may be as
many as 4 per 1,000 rather than the estimates of 2 per 1,000 in that
municipality. We then invited the CDC and ATSDR in and they did an
empirical, very scientific study.
The bottom line is that they brought forth information that suggested
an elevated incidence of prevalence that exceeded what was supposedly
the norm. CDC and ATSDR found, about 4 per 1,000 children had autism,
and in the spectrum, 6.7 per 1,000 children this was much higher than
what we anticipated. This study may indicate that there is a cluster of
children with autism in Brick Township, but this study may portend a
much higher incidence occurring throughout the country.
We need to spend more money on this. This resolution at least puts us
on record as saying it is important to us, we want to get to the bottom
of it, and we want to see implementation of title I of the Children's
Health Act.
Mr. DOYLE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the distinguished
gentleman from Utah (Mr. Matheson).
Mr. MATHESON. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to speak today as a member of
the Congressional Autism Caucus and to voice my support of House
Concurrent Resolution 91. The challenges of autism have been brought to
my attention by parents and families whose lives have been affected by
autism. Often these parents suffer as the young children do not speak,
do not make eye contact and withdraw from them socially. This
legislation provides a call for increased awareness of autism. It
commends the courage of parents, recommends early intervention, and
encourages training and support for parents, teachers, and
professionals who work with autistic children. While once children with
autism may have been institutionalized, now early interventions can
unlock the worlds of these children.
In my home State of Utah, one of the greatest challenges in expanding
services to children with autism is a lack of adequate resources. Many
children are denied services due to a lack of space. These are the
services which have helped other children learn to interact with family
and to combat the debilitating effects of autism. Currently in Utah,
there is a call to establish an Autism Center for Excellence, a new
school with the space, the trained personnel, the teachers, the social
workers, and the researchers all engaged in helping these children and
families escape their isolation and integrate into society.
The Carmen B. Pingree School will be the first systemic program in
the Nation to help children with autism develop from preschool through
the elementary grades. It will provide these early services, and it
will engage in progressive research. It is my hope that this
legislation will provide some of the needed impetus for the recognition
of autism. Hopefully it will be the beginning of many efforts across
the Nation to create centers of excellence like the Carmen B. Pingree
School to bring crucial services into the lives of children with
autism.
Mr. GREENWOOD. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from
Indiana (Mr. Burton), the chairman of the Committee on Government
Reform.
Mr. DOYLE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from
Indiana (Mr. Burton).
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Hastings of Washington). The gentleman
from Indiana is recognized for 4 minutes.
Mr. BURTON of Indiana. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from
Pennsylvania (Mr. Greenwood) for yielding me this time. I would like to
congratulate the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Smith) and the
gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Doyle) for cochairing the Autism
Caucus.
I did not know much about autism, except it was a disease of some
kind that afflicted a lot of kids and some adults until it happened to
my grandson. One day he was normal, starting to talk, walking, great
kid. He got nine shots in one day. Nine shots in one day. Many of the
shots he received had mercury in them. Most people do not know that
when their kids are vaccinated, many of the shots they get have
thimerosal in them. It is mercury and mercury is a toxic substance that
hurts people, especially children, and it builds up in your system as
you get more and more of it.
Anyhow, within just a couple of days after getting nine shots in one
day, the MMR shot which has been referred to by the gentleman from
Pennsylvania (Mr. Doyle) and many shots including mercury, he started
flapping his arms, running around banging his head against the wall, he
had obstructions in his bowel, he had chronic diarrhea, he walked
around on his toes, and he has not been normal since.
The interesting thing about this is that I found out after seeing
this in my grandson, that not too long ago one in 10,000 children in
this country were autistic. One in 10,000. Now it is between 1 in 250
and 1 in 500. The gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Smith) just said we
have an epidemic on our hands. We really do have an epidemic. In the
life span of a child who is autistic, the cost is going to hit this
economy to the tune of about $5 million each. Each. And if 1 in every
250 to 500 children are autistic, we better darn well pretty soon find
out the cause. Our health agencies really are not doing much. They are
appropriating very, very little money in research into autism.
We have a growing body of scientists and doctors who have testified
before my committee and the Congress that are saying that mercury is a
contributing factor to autism and Alzheimer's. We have a growing number
of people who have Alzheimer's in this country. They are getting shots
with mercury in them. I got a vaccination here by the doctor at the
Capitol and I found out, he did not know it, he is a great doctor, a
fine fellow, but he did not know there was mercury in the vaccine. How
many of my colleagues got vaccines this year to protect themselves
against the flu, flu vaccine? If you got one, you got mercury in your
vaccination. That is a contributing factor according to a lot of
scientists and doctors to Alzheimer's and to autism in kids. We need to
find out why they are putting mercury in vaccines. It does not have to
be in there. We have a supply of vaccines that will take care of our
children across this country that does not contain mercury. Yet if you
have three shots in one vial, they put mercury in as a preservative.
The mercury is very toxic and may be, and we believe it is, a
contributing factor to autism.
All I can say is that the FDA and HHS and all of our health agencies
need to get on the stick and get things like mercury and aluminum and
formaldehyde out of the shots we are giving our children and out of the
shots we are giving adults. I just want to tell Members that every
parent, every grandparent in this country ought to be concerned about
what is going into their children's bodies. Not too long ago the FDA
took any topical dressing you put on your skin, they took mercury out
of them because it would leach into the skin and could cause a
[[Page H1676]]
problem. Yet they still give shots to our children that contain mercury
today. As we speak, children are getting mercury injected into their
bodies with vaccines.
That is wrong. It should not happen. It should not happen. That is
why we in the Congress ought to know everything we can about what is
going into our children. Our children get 26 shots by the time they go
to school. Many contain these toxic substances. It should not happen. I
personally believe that is what caused my grandson's autism, and I
believe parents across the country feel the same way. I do not know how
many hundreds of parents I have talked to, thousands of parents I have
talked to who had the same experience that we had in our family; and it
is something that should not happen.
I want to thank the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Doyle) and the
gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Smith) for what they are doing. I want
to thank the 113 members that have joined the caucus, and I hope all
435 Members join the caucus and put every bit of pressure we can as
well as resources into the health agencies to solve this problem.
Mr. GREENWOOD. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from
my home State of Pennsylvania (Ms. Hart).
Ms. HART. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr.
Greenwood) for yielding time. I also rise in support of House
Concurrent Resolution 91. I think there are some bright spots in
dealing with the issue of autism. Some of them are due to the fact that
this Autism Caucus was created 7 years ago.
There has been a great increase in public education and information
on the disorder. Parents have become much more active and involved in
helping us to get the word out. The caucus has been designed to show
that autism is a major children's health issue. People are beginning to
understand how important it is.
Based on the dedicated work of the caucus, there have been 10
research programs funded throughout the country in addition to five
comprehensive autism centers providing clinical and educational
outreach as well as extensive research. One of the best programs is the
University of Pittsburgh-Carnegie Mellon Collaborative Program of
Excellence in Autism, or CPEA. It works in conjunction with the
University of Pittsburgh Center for Autism Research. These researchers
are going to be part of the key to solving the problems of autism.
But aside from the research, it is awareness and community awareness.
I want to give special recognition to Renee Georgi, a constituent in my
old Senate district who has a son with autism. They discovered very
early that her son had autism and because of some of the research and
some of the developments in educating young people with autism, her son
will be able to be mainstreamed into his elementary school next year.
But that is not the complete solution. We do need to find out the
causes of autism. We do need to find a cure. It is with dedicated
Members of Congress like those here today that we will be able to work
together with researchers and parents to make sure that we find that
cure and eliminate autism.
Mr. GREENWOOD. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2\1/2\ minutes to the gentlewoman
from Maryland (Mrs. Morella).
Mrs. MORELLA. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me this
time. I want to thank the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Smith) for
introducing this resolution. I want to thank him and I want to thank
the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Doyle) for cochairing the
Congressional Autism Caucus. I am proud to be a member, also.
Also, I want to point out that the gentleman from Indiana (Mr.
Burton) who chairs the Committee on Government Reform on which I serve
has really been exploring through committee hearings the dramatic rise
in autism rates and what we can do about it. What was once considered a
rare disease affecting one in 10,000 children now, as we have heard
now, is estimated to affect one in 500 children, some say one in 250,
in the United States.
Over 500,000 people in the United States today have some form of
autism. The estimated prevalence rate of autism now places it as the
third most common developmental disability, more commonly occurring
than Down's syndrome. Unfortunately we found through these hearings
that there is almost no existing data on causes or links to causes of
autism in children.
We found that there is a real need to fully understand the actual
incidence of autism and autism spectrum disorders. For example, we need
to better understand what if any is the link between vaccines and
acquired or late onset autism. I have no doubt of the need for more
autism research that will lead to better treatment options and cures
and the need for more practice-based research to evaluate current
treatment options.
Autism or autism spectrum disorder is not only simply a learning
disability or developmental delay, it is a medical condition, a
neurobiological disorder. The Autism Society of America defines autism
as a complex developmental disability that typically appears during the
first 3 years of life. Children and adults with autism typically have
difficulties in verbal and nonverbal communication, social interactions
and leisure or play activities. The disorder makes it hard for them to
communicate with others and relate to the outside world.
Mr. Speaker, I want to know why autism is four times more prevalent
in boys than girls, when in fact autism knows no racial, ethnic or
social boundaries, and it appears that family income, life-style and
educational levels do not affect the occurrence of autism.
{time} 1445
Mr. Speaker, in this county we look forward to the future. We plan
for the future. We look at our children as the future. With the
children's future in mind, I urge my colleagues to support this
legislation and make sure that that ribbon which has the puzzle pieces
in it has those puzzle pieces come together with research.
Mr. GREENWOOD. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
(Mr. GREENWOOD asked and was given permission to revise and extend
his remarks, and include extraneous material.)
Mr. GREENWOOD. Mr. Speaker, the other speakers, my colleagues, the
gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Doyle), the gentleman from New Jersey
(Mr. Smith), the cofounders of the coalition, have outlined the agonies
that parents go through when they find that their children suffer from
autism. It is just that those precious moments in the upbringing of a
child, as the child begins to communicate, there is a glimmer of
recognition of the child, of his siblings, of the world around him or
her, and the joy of beginning to sing with their children and to teach
them their ABCs and to read to them and to laugh with them. It is just
at that time in the development of a child that this terrifying
phenomenon occurs, and that is closing down where suddenly the child
begins to just turn away and fall away from the grasps of the parents,
not beyond their love but certainly beyond their ability to
communicate. It is a heartbreaking event.
The parents in my district and in my colleagues' districts around the
country, many of them decided to turn their anguish into action. They
decided that the thing to do was to see if this process that we are
engaged in here in Washington actually works. They came to Washington
and they said, we need legislation to try to cure this disease, to find
out what causes it, to find out how to treat it, to find out how to
diagnosis it, to teach doctors how to recognize this disease. They came
and we introduced legislation in the last session and the session
before that. It took a lot of perseverance on the part of these parents
and these families coming to Washington over and over again, through
all of our press conferences, coming to their Members from around the
country to persuade them to join forces with us; but they succeeded.
For a while it was a little bit frightening because the autism bill
became a children's health act as one disease after another was added
to the legislation. There was some fear that maybe this thing was
growing so big that it would be too expensive and too hard to pass; but
as it turned out, it created momentum to parents of children with all
kinds of conditions who helped to
[[Page H1677]]
pass this legislation; and we passed it and it was a wonderful,
magnificent example of how our political process can actually work in
this country.
The problem was, or the problem became, that now we had to go to the
next stage, and that is the implementation. This bill calls for the
creation of five Centers of Excellence geographically distributed
throughout the country where parents can take their children, when they
suspect there might be a problem of this kind, for diagnosis; where
they can get them involved in the latest clinical trials; where there
are the best researchers, the best doctors, the best experts in the
country all located to get to the bottom of this disease, and to
provide real hope for the parents that their children can progress and
hopefully some day be cured of this.
It turned out it was going to take years, literally years, to get
these Centers of Excellence up and running, and that is not what
Congress intended, and that was unacceptable.
Just last week during the rally, some parents and I, upset about all
of this, called into my office from the Department of Health and Human
Services the National Institutes of Health Acting Director Ruth
Kirschstein, and we said that it was unacceptable that these Centers of
Excellence would be postponed a couple of years. I am pleased to report
today that we made magnificent progress in that meeting, and I take my
hat off to Dr. Kirschstein for the commitment that she made that day.
The commitment that she made is that just 6 weeks from now, by mid-
June, June 15 to be precise, the National Institutes of Health will put
out the request for applications for the Centers of Excellence. By the
end of the year, all of those applications will be in and by next year
we will be prepared to the tune of $12 million, which is their
commitment to fund these Centers of Excellence.
So finally this process that these parents have been so engaged in
and so many of my colleagues have been so committed to will actually
come to fruition, and around the country hopefully we will be able to
stand with these parents and their children and cut the ribbons to
these centers and have the children walk in and meet their new doctors
and their new therapists so that in future years we will be able to
report to our colleagues in the House and to the rest of the country
that this has worked; that not only did we get a bill passed, but we
got it implemented and we got the money spent and we got the experts
working side by side with the parents on behalf of these children and,
in fact, we can hopefully see the day where these children will begin
to come out of these mental prisons in which they have been held
captive so cruelly for so many years.
Will that day not be a day for great celebration?
Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health
Service, National Institutes of Health,
Bethesda, MD, May 1, 2001.
Hon. James Greenwood,
House of Representatives,
Washington, DC.
Dear Mr. Greenwood: Thank you for the opportunity to
discuss implementation of the autism title of the Children's
Health Act of 2000 with you, members of your staff, and
representatives of Cure Autism Now in your office last
Friday. I commend you for your legislative leadership and
your personal commitment to focusing federal resources on
research that will lead to a better understanding of this
terrible illness and eventually better treatment for those
who bear its burden. I also want you to know that all of us
at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) share your
commitment.
I particularly appreciated your patience and objectivity in
listening to NIH's plans for meeting the goals of the Act. As
my colleagues and I explained, investigators performing
autism research represent a relatively small field of
science. We believe the field needs to be broadly developed
and also invigorated by new researchers with expertise that
may expedite and enhance scientific discoveries. At the same
time, NIH wants to facilitate the work of outstanding
researchers currently in the field by providing additional
resources to them, including the establishment of the Centers
of Excellence described in the Act.
Toward carrying out the Act's provisions, NIH is in the
process of implementing a multi-stage approach to autism
research. An important part of our approach is the
solicitation, through a recent Request for Applications
(RFA), for investigators interested in receiving NIH support
to develop research excellence in autism. Separately, NIH
will also accept applications from current investigators who
believe they have sufficient expertise to coordinate and
manage Centers of Excellence, as authorized by the Act. NIH
will clarify in a public notice issued within the next ten
days that applications will be accepted for this latter
endeavor; we intend to issue a separate RFA for Centers of
Excellence by June 15, 2001. Of course, applications for both
development grants and Centers of Excellence grants must
undergo and pass NIH's peer review process.
In addition, I assure you that NIH will strive to fully
fund the Centers of Excellence within the parameters of the
Act.
I will keep you informed as we proceed. My colleagues and I
will answer any additional questions you might have in the
future regarding implementation of the Act, as well as any
other queries regarding the state of autism research in
general. Again, thank you for inviting us to discuss this
matter. Please let me know if I can be of additional
assistance.
Sincerely,
Ruth L. Kirschstein, M.D.,
Acting Director.
Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. DOYLE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, in closing I just want to thank my friend and colleague,
the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Greenwood), who has really been
one of the leaders in this Congress for the cause of autism, and my
good friend, the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Smith). I think we all
feel the same way. We do not want to take five steps forward and go 10
steps backward. We want to make sure that we fund and continue to fund
the 10 existing centers as we put the five new ones online.
This comes down to a matter of funding. We are blessed this year to
be looking at surpluses in this budget. Surely, we want to make sure we
are not robbing from Peter to pay Paul and that as we put these new
centers online that we find the funding to do that, without taking any
funding away from the research that needs to take place at the existing
centers.
Mr. Speaker, I hope we have a strong showing of votes in favor of
this resolution for the 1.7 million individuals living with this
disorder, of which 400,000 are children.
In closing, I urge passage of House Concurrent Resolution 91,
encourage my colleagues who have not yet joined the Coalition for
Autism Research and Education Caucus to please do so.
Mr. WAXMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H. Con. Res. 91. Over
the past few years there has been increasing interest in autism. How
prevalent is it? What causes it? How do you treat it? Can we prevent
it? During Congressional hearings, we have heard heart-wrenching
stories from parents about the shock of hearing the diagnosis of
autism, about the battles to find appropriate schooling, and about the
desperate search for treatments and cures. One father told us that he
has to drive 12 hours every month to take his son to treatment. The
testimony of these parents have provided us with crucial information
necessary for a better understanding of the impacts of this disease and
what our research priorities should be.
We have also heard the testimony of some clinicians who are reporting
increasing diagnoses of autistic children in their clinics. CDC
researchers have told us that they do not have good data on the number
of cases of autism, whether the number is going up and, if it is, by
how much. It is important to determine how pervasive this disease is
and whether the rates are, in fact, increasing. Many researchers have
suggested that environmental factors may contribute to autism.
Understanding if there is an increase in incidence and when that
increase began may give us some clues to what environmental factors
could be to blame.
Researchers have also testified at our hearings that much about the
causes of autism remains unknown and that treatment options are
limited. And we know that there is no known cure for this disease.
We have heard some positive things as well. Recently, several genes
associated with autism have been identified. Last week, researchers
from NIH, the March of Dimes, and the MIND Institute at the University
of California, Davis, announced that they may have found a biological
marker for autism that would allow for the identification of autism
earlier in life, before the onset of symptoms. This could lead to
better diagnoses of autism, earlier interventions, which are critical
for a more successful outcome, and perhaps the discovery of therapies
for the disorders.
Despite these recent advances, answers are not coming quickly enough
for the parents of autistic children who live with these conditions
every day, many of whom have tried every available treatment and
intervention and who
[[Page H1678]]
are running out of options. It is our obligation to these parents and
to their children that we do everything we can to ensure that the best
possible research is conducted quickly and thoroughly by appropriating
the money authorized under the Children's Health Act and through other
authorities of the NIH. In the meantime, while we wait for answers, we
need to help parents of these children get the free and appropriate
education to which their children are entitled by fully funding the
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.
Many questions about autism remain unanswered. What we do know,
however, is that we are not yet doing enough to help these children. I
hope that the current attention being given to this devastating disease
reflects a renewed commitment on the part of Congress and can bring new
hope to families living with autism.
Mr. REYES. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H. Con.
Res. 91, a resolution recognizing the importance of increasing
awareness of autism spectrum disorders, and supporting programs for
greater research and improved treatment of autism and improved training
and support for individuals with autism and those who care for them. I
commend my colleague from New Jersey, Mr. Smith, for introducing this
resolution.
We owe a debt of gratitude to national organizations such as the
Autism Society of America, Cure Autism Now, Unlocking Autism, and
others that have done a tremendous job with limited resources in their
efforts to help parents and relatives of individuals with autism
disorders. These groups have long been involved in research as well as
in the development of improved treatments for autism. Their local
affiliates, like the Southwest Chapter of the Autism Society in El
Paso, are a beacon of hope for many families that have few places to
turn to for help. I personally want to thank the Southwest Chapter in
my district for providing help and networking for local families that
are often overwhelmed by dealing with autism disorders.
It is time for Congress to step up to the plate and provide more
tools for these families, and to provide the necessary resources for
education and increased research. H. Con. Res. 91 is about helping
families. For those of you who have a member of the family with autism,
and for those of you assisting these families, this resolution is a
signal that we in Congress understand the need to tackle autism
disorders head on and work together to find better ways to treat
autism, to expand federal research, to improve access to a community-
based education and support services, and ultimately, to find a cure.
Mr. Speaker, I once again want to thank Congressman Smith for
introducing this resolution, and I urge all of my colleagues to vote in
support of this important effort.
Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of House
Concurrent Resolution 91, which recognizes the importance of increasing
awareness of the autism spectrum disorder, and in support of programs
for greater research and improved treatment and training.
Autism is a development disorder that is typically diagnosed within
the first three years of life. It does not discriminate based on family
income, lifestyle or educational level. Its cause is essentially
unknown. Its prevalence rate makes autism one of the most common
developmental disabilities.
As a result of autism, an estimated 400,000 Americans have lost the
ability to communicate and interact with others, although many states
do not track the numbers. The cost of caring for people afflicted with
autism is estimated to be more than $13 billion per year.
I firmly support the goals and ideas of Autism Awareness Day and
Month. A generation ago, most people with autism were housed in
institutions. With the appropriate support most families are able to
take care of their autistic child at home. Others move into group
homes, assisted living or residential facilities.
I recognize and commend the parents of autistic children for the
sacrifices and dedication they show in providing for the special needs
of their autistic children and absorbing the significant financial
costs for specialized education and support services. Special education
costs for a child with ASD are over $8,000 per year, with some
specially structured programs costing about $30,000 per year, and care
in a residential school costs $80,000-100,000 per year.
I support increased federal funding for research to learn the causes
of autism, identify the best methods of early intervention and
treatment, and promote understanding of the special needs of autistic
persons. I also support the goal of federally funding 40 percent of the
costs of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) to
states and local school districts, because the funding inadequacy has
adversely affected the ability of school districts to serve the rising
number of autism cases. Nationally, in 1989-99, the last year for which
data is available, IDEA served only about 35,000 students, 4300 in
Texas. This is only a portion of those who need such services.
I urge swift implementation of the Children's Health Act of 2000,
particularly the establishment of at least three ``centers of
excellence'' at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and at
least five centers at the National Institutes of Health, in order to
monitor the prevalence of autism at the national level. Furthermore,
although there is no medical cure for autism, it is crucial that we
provide early intervention services soon after a child has been
diagnosed with autism. Such services result in dramatically positive
outcomes for young children with autism, helping many to eventually
live and work independently in the community and become productive
citizens.
Mr. Speaker, together we can make a difference.
Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Con. Res. 91,
which recognizes the importance of increasing our nation's awareness of
the autism spectrum disorder, and supporting programs for greater
research and improved treatment of autism and improved training and
support for individuals with autism and those who care for them.
Autism impacts our society in a myriad of ways. By supporting funding
for research and increasing education and awareness, we can begin to
effectively fight this devastating disease. It is important to
understand how autism is defined, why the autism rate is increasing at
an alarming rate, and how we can support effective research that will
benefit those who are affected by autism.
Autism is a disease that affects an individual's ability to
communicate and interact with people and their environment. While
autism may not have been a common disease during my childhood, the
Center for Disease Control and Prevention estimated that autism rates
have increased from affecting 1 in 10,000 children to its current rate
of 1 in 500 children. If autism is not affected by race, ethnicity,
socio-economic, and educational factors, then what does affect the
increasing rate of autism? Only continued research can begin to fully
answer this question.
Autism is a disease that paralyzes communication, and we cannot
afford to paralyze our own communication between the medical community,
the government sector, and those affected by autism. Accordingly, the
Committee on Government Reform has recently held a number of hearings
that have determined that there is a lack of support for biomedical
research into the causes, prevention, and effective treatments of
autism. This research is essential to our ability to help those who are
affected by this disease. These hearings have also discovered that
there may be a significant link between certain childhood vaccines and
autism. It is still much too early to draw any concrete conclusions
about this relationship, but I am confident that by working with the
FDA, NIH and the CDC, we can begin to learn more about autism.
It is gratifying that our colleagues, the gentleman from New Jersey,
Mr. Smith and the gentleman from Pennsylvania, Mr. Doyle are co-
chairing the Congressional Caucus on Autism. This caucus will have to
build support for essential autism research. Accordingly, I urge my
colleagues to support this important resolution.
Mr. FERGUSON. Mr. Speaker, I am honored to be here in support of H.
Con. Res. 91, following the 2nd Annual Autism Awareness Day. This
resolution calls attention to one of the major public health issues of
our time--the developmental disorder called autism.
Autism has affected the lives of an estimated 400,000 children--one
in five hundred--and altered their ability to interact and communicate
with family and loved ones. Despite the tremendous impact on families,
we still lack adequate information on this condition. In fact, we have
no scientific records to indicate exactly how many children have
autism, or the degree to which they are affected. Information on the
cause and treatment of autism is also severely limited. Despite the
fact that autism is one of the most common developmental disorders,
many professionals in the medical and education fields are still
unaware of the disorder.
Awareness is the key to this important issue. Specialists do know
that early intervention services can dramatically improve a child's
long-term prospects, if autism is detected at an early age. In many
cases, early intervention can determine if a child is able to speak.
While the cost of educating a child with autism is expensive, no price
tag can be placed on a child's future.
H. Con. Res. 91 is a step in the right direction because it supports
greater research and improved treatment of autism. In addition, this
legislation appropriately asks for improved training and support for
individuals with autism and those who care for them.
As a member of the Autism Caucus, I applaud Chairman Chris Smith's
leadership on this important issue. My fellow New Jersey colleague has
displayed hard work and dedication as the Chair of the Autism Caucus
and
[[Page H1679]]
he is the reason that this legislation is before us today. I urge you
to join our efforts in support of legislation that will significantly
improve the lives of thousands of children.
Mr. COSTELLO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H. Con.
Res. 91. Autism, a brain disorder that affects 1 to 2 in every 1,000
Americans, too often results in a lifetime of impaired thinking,
feeling, and social functioning. This disability has no racial, ethnic,
or social boundary and usually appears in the first three years of a
child's life.
In Fairview Heights, Illinois, the Illinois Center for Autism was
established in 1977 to provide a Special Day School program. At the
time, it was serving eight children with autism. Today, the Illinois
Center for Autism has helped prevent the institutionalization of
hundreds of people with autism and has assisted them to become
productive members of society. I commend the center for its continuing
commitment to autism and dedication to service.
Mr. Speaker, it is important to support the goals and ideas of Autism
Awareness Day and Month and support the goal of increasing federal
funding for aggressive research on autism. I recognize the parents and
relatives of autistic children and hope this legislation gives them
optimism for their children. The Illinois Center for Autism in my
district is one example of true achievement, and I commend the center
for its continuing commitment to autism and dedication to service. For
these reasons, I support this legislation.
Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, as an original cosponsor, I would like
to express my strong support for H. Con. Res. 91, and I commend my
colleague and author of this legislation, Christopher Smith, for
addressing the importance in promoting an increased awareness of autism
spectrum disease disorders.
Autism is a brain disorder that impacts an individual's ability to
respond appropriately to an environment and to form relationships. It
affects at least 1 in every 500 children in America, and some studies
suggest even 1 in 200. The number of children who are diagnosed with
autism has escalated dramatically and, in Florida, approximately 50
percent of children suffering from autism reside in my community of
South Florida.
My good friends, Charles and Patience Flick, have two children,
Bonnie and Willis, who have autism. This development disorder has
robbed Bonnie and Willis of their ability to communicate and interact
with their family members and playmates. Fortunately, Bonnie and Willis
are able to afford the little treatment and intervention that exists,
but many families living with this disorder are not as fortunate.
As a Member of the House Autism Caucus, and as a strong supporter of
H. Con. Res. 91, I am committed to raise awareness on autism, to work
toward an increase of $6 million for the National Institutes of Health,
and an additional increase of $5 million for the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention.
I support the goals and ideas of Autism Awareness Day and Month,
which are: to begin early intervention services for children with
autism, federally fund 40 percent of the costs of the Individuals with
Disabilities Education Act to States and local school districts, and
recognize the importance of worker training programs that are tailored
to the needs of developmentally disabled persons, including those with
autism.
Mr. Speaker, I commend the House leadership for helping to raise
awareness on autism by bringing H. Con. Res. 91 to the floor, and I
strongly encourage my colleagues to pass this resolution and join the
efforts in finding a cure.
Mr. UNDERWOOD. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of House
Concurrent Resolution 91, which recognizes the importance of increasing
awareness, support, and research for the autism spectrum disorder. I
would like to thank my colleagues, Congressman Smith of New Jersey and
Congressman Doyle of Pennsylvania for their leadership in introducing
this important legislation.
In my district of Guam, 28 children with autism are enrolled in
Guam's public school system and 20 families are members of the Autism
Society of Guam. Today I would like to take this opportunity to share
one mother's challenge of raising a child with autism.
At two years of age, Jay, who is the fourth child of the Flores
family in Guam, was able to speak in full sentences with clear
articulation. One day he stopped talking. He began to have severe
regression, which was noticed at age three. He was not able to make any
bowel movements without suppositories. He messed up his bed and played
with his feces. He gradually lost the many skills he learned in school.
He displayed many difficult behaviors, and was unmanageable in school
and at home, alternating between violent and withdrawn behavior. His
sleep pattern was erratic and he averaged only about three to four
hours of sleep each night. He also required a lot of prompting to do
self-help skills.
As Jay became older, he also became worse. He began running into the
street and getting inside neighbors' homes. He also was very self-
abusive, banging his head and hitting himself so his arms and legs were
bleeding. He cried constantly. Around the clock, family life revolved
around Jay. His mother sought solutions to his problems. Unfortunately,
our system in Guam did not understand Jay's situation. As his mother
worked with Jay's teachers to provide the most appropriate program for
him, his education seemed to become just a series of fragmented
services. At that time, Guam's teachers did not have the training nor
were they knowledgeable about autism. Jay's mother was able to locate a
school that specialized in teaching children with autism. She was able
to work assertively with Guam's special education school officials to
send Jay to school in Boston as no schools in Guam were able to provide
specialized education for children with autism.
At the Boston school, Jay was able to receive the appropriate service
needed to teach children with autism. His overall behavior is now in
sharp contrast to the behavior shown before he was given a chance to
receive this education. His aggressive behavior has reduced. His
artistic talent was nurtured and he is able to play some musical
instruments and has mastered some academic skills.
Jay's mother, a teacher by profession, became a strong advocate of
the effectiveness of this Higashi program, which was developed by Dr.
Kiyo Kitahara of Japan. She learned as much as she could from methods
from his teachers and wrote a proposal to Guam's Department of
Education about developing a program for autistic students. Guam's
education officials realized what a contribution her proposal would
bring to improve the special education services and gave her approval
to move forward her proposal.
She was granted a sabbatical from her teaching position, which she
spent studying at Lesley University in Cambridge, Massachusetts. She
received her masters in special education focusing on autism in just
over a year's time and returned to Guam in 1991, to work with the
superintendent of special education establishing a program for school
children with autism. In 1995, she was recognized as Guam's Teacher of
the Year for her efforts. But, shortly thereafter, the Guam
superintendent special education retired and so did the program.
Since then, she has worked with other parents of children with autism
to fight for the program she initiated in 1991. Guam's parents and
education professionals continue to advocate for appropriate programs
for adults and children with autism. Their efforts have resulted in the
introduction of Bill 60 in the Guam Legislature to appropriate funding
for autistic adults. In addition, one school in Guam recently began
offering a preschool program for children with autism. However, the
original autism program has not been fully integrated in the school
system and many are still not receiving appropriate services.
Jay's mother and other mothers and fathers of children with autism,
established the Autism Society of Guam, which was chartered in 1989.
The Society's mission is to promote lifelong access and opportunity for
all individuals with autism spectrum disorders and their families
through education, advocacy, the promotion of research and increased
awareness, the establishment of residential facility, supported
employment, and early intervention programs, so that individuals with
autism may become fully participating members of their communities.
Due to the efforts of parents and professionals over the years,
autism is locally recognized as one of the most challenging
disabilities encountered by educators. As you may know, Guam's school
system is struggling to meet the basic needs of all students with
limited resources. But awareness of autism is growing and Guam's
schools are realizing the need for support services for children with
autism, including: one-to-one aide assistance, speech and language
therapy, occupational therapy, counseling, transportation, home
component services and leisure education. And though many educators on
Guam are increasing in the experience of educating children with
autism, few receive proper training to gain a comprehensive understand
of the problems associated with autism or are properly trained to
provide effective therapy to children with autism.
Autism is a developmental disorder that is not fully understood.
Although the cost of treatment and special education of individuals
with autism is high, the results of individuals living without
appropriate treatment and education are even higher. Approximately,
400,000 Americans have been robbed of their ability to communicate and
interact with others. As autism continues to affect at least 1 in 500
children in our country, it continues to deserve our greatest support.
Mr. Speaker, it is for this reason I stand in strong support today
and urge my fellow colleagues to join in the efforts to increase
awareness, support and research of the autism spectrum disorder. I
would also like to
[[Page H1680]]
take this opportunity to recognize the efforts of Jay's mother, Jelly
Flores, President of the Autism Society of Guam and the officers and
Board of Directors of the Society: Rosalina Wirkunnen, First Vice
President; Lou Bascon, Second Vice President; Flor Paule, Secretary;
Maritess Maulit, Treasurer; assistants Remedios Camilsola and Lirio
Mondina; and board members, Beverly Bacera, Dolly Montano, Panchito
Maulit, Carol Somerflec, Rupert White, Leonardo Paule, Dr. Nerissa
Bretania-Shafer, Gericka Tate and Jesus Bacera, for their heroism and
heartfelt commitment to fighting for the rights of individuals with
autism. I also would like to acknowledge the efforts of Julian and Beka
Martinez in their unceasing work to bring attention to this condition
here in Washington, D.C.
Mrs. ROUKEMA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H. Con.
Res. 91, Recognizing the importance of increasing awareness of the
autism spectrum disorder, and supporting programs for greater research
and improved treatment of autism.
Autism is a developmental disability that generally appears between
15 and 20 months. Autism affects boys five times more than it affects
girls, although girls are generally more severely affected. In the
United States, over one half million individuals live with autism,
making it more prevalent than Down Syndrome, childhood diabetes, and
childhood cancer combined.
Last year the Children's Health Act was signed into law. This
important bill authorized among other worthy goals:
Additional NIH ``Centers of Excellence'' to study autism and the
``Centers of Excellence in Autism Epidemiology.''
Provides for training and education grants to professionals who
provide care for patients with autism.
Provides grants to states that want to establish their own autism
programs.
This year we must fund the programs to their full amount.
Another area that is greatly impacted by autism is special education.
For many years Congress has been struggling to increase funding for
IDEA. I am happy to say that in the last six years we have done better
but there is much more to do. We are still well short of the federal
funding of level of 40 percent. The federal government must fulfill its
commitment so every special child has access to a quality education.
April was Autism month. Families with autistic children visited many
congressional offices last week. Anyone who met with these loving
families know the courageous struggles that they endure everyday. We
must do everything we can to help these brave children and their
families. H. Con. Res. 91 reaffirms Congress' commitment to finding a
cure for autism and I urge its passage.
Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I am delighted that the House is
considering H. Con. Res. 91 today. Among its provisions, this
resolution expresses our strong support for the goal of increasing
federal funding for autism research and treatment programs. It also
emphasizes the need to begin early intervention services for children
with autism.
I want to commend my colleagues, Congressmen Chris Smith and Jim
Greenwood, for their dedicated efforts to improve awareness and
understanding of autism while working to expand research and treatment
initiatives. I was pleased to work with both of them to enact
children's health legislation I sponsored in the last Congress, which
included provisions they authored to significantly increase federal
resources in the fight against autism.
Autism is a brain disorder that most commonly begins in early
childhood and persists throughout adulthood. Autism impacts the normal
development of the brain in the areas of social interaction and
communication skills. Children and adults with autism typically have
difficulties in verbal and non-verbal communication, social
interactions, and leisure or play activities. The disorder makes it
hard for them to communicate with others and to relate to the outside
world.
Mr. Speaker, autism is a national crisis affecting over 400,000
families and costing the nation over 13 billion dollars each year.
According to recent studies, as many as 1 in every 500 children
affected by this disorder.
Any parent can tell you that nothing is more heart-wrenching than
watching your own child suffer with an illness. As a father and
grandfather myself, I know how terrible that can be. Today, however, we
have a rare opportunity to do something that will give hope to families
affected by autism.
I urge all of my colleagues to join me in supporting passage of H.
Con. Res. 91.
Mr. DOYLE. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Hastings of Washington). The question is
on the motion offered by the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr.
Greenwood) that the House suspend the rules and agree to the concurrent
resolution, H. Con. Res. 91.
The question was taken.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds of
those present have voted in the affirmative.
Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and
nays.
The yeas and nays were ordered.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be
postponed.
____________________