[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 135 (Friday, December 8, 2006)]
[Senate]
[Pages S11723-S11725]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      COMBATING AUTISM ACT, S. 843

  Mr. ENZI. Mr. President, yesterday, Congress confirmed its obligation 
to the thousands of individuals living with and families affected by 
autism by passing the Combating Autism Act of 2006, S. 843. I am 
extremely pleased that the Senate passed this bill and sent it to the 
White House for the President's signature.
  This anticipated law has a long history. Senators Santorum and Dodd 
worked diligently with me, Senator Kennedy, and our staffs for the past 
2 years to develop this crucial piece of legislation to assist 
individuals living with autism and other developmental disabilities and 
their families. This legislation focuses on expanding autism research 
and coordination of that research at the National Institutes of Health, 
NIH, and increasing awareness of autism and its manifestation through 
the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention, CDC. In addition, the 
bill integrates the country's various

[[Page S11724]]

health, education, and disability programs serving children and 
families affected by autism. Finally, the bill provides a greater voice 
to the community of people affected by this disorder.
  No one knows the cause of autism or exactly how many children are 
affected by autism and autism spectrum disorders; however, some studies 
suggest the numbers could be as high as 1 out of every 166 American 
children. But there are many things we do know about autism.
  We know that early intervention is critical to helping children with 
autism reach their full potential. The earlier the intervention, the 
greater the chance a child has to grow and learn how to live with the 
disorder. Given the importance of early intervention, this bill will 
expand the necessary research to study the possible causes of autism 
especially at the critical early childhood development stages.
  Also, we need greater understanding about the various forms of autism 
so that we can improve our ability to provide the right kinds of 
intervention and support. Finally, we need to provide better 
integration of the health, education, and disability programs already 
available to meet the anticipated and increasing demand for these 
interventions, supports, and services in the future.
  The Combating Autism Act is an important step to address these needs 
and to find solutions that will improve the lives of children and 
families whose daily lives have been disrupted by autism.
  I would like to close by adding my congratulations to the people who 
have had a key role in drafting and passing this key piece of health 
care legislation. First, I would like to thank my colleagues and their 
staff both in the Senate and in the House for their hard work in 
passing this critical legislation. I want to thank all the members of 
the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, 
especially my friend and ranking member, Senator Kennedy, for his hard 
work and determination to seeing this bill become law. In addition, I 
would like thank and our colleagues in the House, Chairman Barton and 
Representatives Bono and DeGette.
  This bill is the result of a tremendous amount of work across party 
lines. I want to thank the original bill cosponsors, Senators Santorum 
and Dodd, for introducing this legislation and for working with me to 
fine-tune it. They are to be commended for taking the lead on this 
issue and for the tremendous effort they put into making sure that some 
day we have a solution to autism.
  Of course, in providing thanks to the Members, I would be remiss if I 
did not mention the staff. I would like to specifically acknowledge 
Randy Pate and Ryan Long, with Chairman Barton's office; Caya Lewis 
with Senator Kennedy's office; Jen Vesey with Senator Santorum; Jim 
Fenton, Ben Berwick, Tamar Magarik, and Elizabeth Hoffman with Senator 
Dodd; and Elizabeth Hall with Majority Leader Frist.
  Finally, I would like to give thanks to my staff, both past and 
present--Shana Christrup, Steve Northrup, Aaron Bishop, Brittany Moore, 
Tec Chapman, and Martina Bebin, all on my health and disability 
outreach teams, for their diligence and determination as we worked 
together to craft this important and essential bill. I also would like 
to thank Katherine McGuire, who as my staff director has provided the 
leadership and guidance to ensure that this bill made it into law.
  This process involved many dedicated staffers and many late nights. 
Staff were crucial in helping us reach the final compromise.
  I also want to thank the various groups and individuals who work on 
behalf of children and families affected by autism and other 
developmental disabilities. There are so many people, primarily parents 
of children who have autism or an autism spectrum disorder, who have 
worked for years to see this day come to fruition that I cannot thank 
each one of them individually, but they should know that I greatly 
appreciate their tireless efforts, determination, unlimited patience, 
and commitment to seeing this bill was passed on behalf of their 
children and all people living with autism, autism spectrum disorder, 
or other developmental disabilities.
  This is a comprehensive piece of legislation that will take the next 
steps toward providing greater research so that we can provide children 
with autism early intervention to enable them to grow and reach their 
full potential. I am proud that we are taking this step to pass the 
Combating Autism Act.
  (At the request of Mr. Reid, the following statement was ordered to 
be printed in the Record.)
 Mr. DODD. Mr. President, I am extremely grateful that my 
Senate colleagues considered and passed the Combating Autism Act 
yesterday, following the House's passage yesterday afternoon. The 
Combating Autism Act promotes early detection, early evidence-based 
interventions, research, and services for individuals with autism. It 
also reauthorizes the epidemiologic surveillance programs at the 
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This legislation is 
absolutely vital for the hundreds of thousands of families across 
America who struggle each and every day with autism, and I commend my 
Senate colleagues for passing it today so that the President can sign 
it into law before the end of the year.
  Autism has a profound effect on children and their families. It 
affects a child's ability to communicate and to form relationships with 
others. Some children with autism are relatively high functioning, 
while others suffer from serious language delays, motor problems, and 
rigid behaviors. Because autism is a spectrum disorder, symptoms range 
from mild to extremely severe. Many children with autism will require 
lifelong care.
  Mr. President, health care for individuals with autism over their 
lifetimes costs approximately $35 billion per year. By 2015, the annual 
cost of care could reach an estimated $300 billion, but this figure can 
be cut in half with early diagnosis, services, and intervention. I 
believe strongly that to reduce the economic burden for individuals 
with autism and to ensure that children have a chance to achieve their 
highest potential and live productive and independent lives as adults, 
we must support aggressive efforts to understand what causes autism and 
to improve early screening, diagnosis, and services for individuals and 
their families who live with autism every day.
  As my colleagues are well aware, the prevalence of autism in the 
United States is 10 times greater now than a decade ago. It is 
estimated that about 1 in 166 children born today will be diagnosed 
with autism by the time they reach school age, up from one in 10,000 in 
1987. In my own State of Connecticut, autism diagnoses have increased 
eleven-fold since 1993. We simply must provide answers to all those 
affected by this devastating condition, and the Combating Autism Act is 
a critical first step.
  There are many theories as to why autism diagnoses have increased. 
Some have suggested that it is simply a reflection of better diagnostic 
tools and measures. Other theories focus on genetic or environmental 
factors. But the fact is that when it comes to autism, we do not know 
what causes it, we do not know exactly how to diagnose it, and we still 
do not know how best to intervene.
  What we do know is that growing numbers of children and their 
families suffer from and cope with this disorder, and we simply must do 
more to bring hope to all who are in its grip. This is why the 
Combating Autism Act is so important. By expanding the Federal response 
to autism and other developmental disabilities through the Combating 
Autism Act, we will see improved research on autism, including its 
causes, and families across America will get the services they so 
urgently need.
  Mr. President, I commend my colleagues in the Senate and the House 
for acting on this important legislation. Although the Combating Autism 
Act has undergone some modification since the Senate first passed it in 
August of this year, and it is by no means a perfect bill, it provides 
an essential starting point in what I hope will be an ongoing 
legislative effort to provide hope and answers to the families across 
America who live and cope with autism every day. I am hopeful that the 
President will sign it into law before the end of the year. In my view, 
we must not lose the momentum that has brought us here today. Those 
children and their

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families living with autism deserve our support now, and they deserve 
answers.
  I'd like to conclude by thanking my colleagues, Senator Santorum, 
Chairman Enzi, ranking member Senator Kennedy, and their staffs, as 
well as Chairman Barton and ranking member Representative Dingell and 
their staffs, for their extraordinary hard work on this bill. I also 
wish to offer my sincere thanks and appreciation to all of the 
individuals who are personally affected by autism and the many advocacy 
groups who represent them for their continued dedication and passionate 
commitment to this legislation.

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