[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 63 (Thursday, April 19, 2007)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E804-E805]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   ``EXPANDING THE PROMISE FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH AUTISM ACT OF 2007''

                                 ______
                                 

                       HON. CHRISTOPHER H. SMITH

                             of new jersey

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, April 19, 2007

  Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Madam Speaker, I want to express my 
strongest support for the ``Expanding the Promise for Individuals with 
Autism Act of 2007,'' H.R. 1881, and I was very pleased to join my 
friend and colleague Rep. Mike Doyle of Pennsylvania this week in 
introducing this important legislation. H.R. 1881 addresses a very 
critical need--to provide assistance to the 1.5 million Americans with 
autism who are in desperate need of treatments and services throughout 
their lives.
  From my first session in Congress in 1981, I have been a consistent 
advocate for individuals with developmental disorders, including 
autism. But autism came into a particularly strong focus in 1998, when 
two of my constituents, Bobbie and Billie Gallagher of Brick, NJ, 
contacted me with concerns about an elevated level of autism cases in 
the township of Brick. The concerns of the Gallaghers--parents of two 
autistic children themselves--led me to request that the Federal Agency 
for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry and the Centers for Disease 
Control and Prevention, CDC, conduct an investigation into a possible 
autism cluster in Brick.
  The results of this investigation, one of the first federal studies 
on autism, were quite alarming. Higher rates of autistic disorder and 
autism spectrum disorders, ASDs, were found in Brick Township relative 
to rates from previously published studies. However, we have now come 
to learn that the high rate of autism found in Brick Township was not 
an isolated incident; it was the window to a nationwide phenomenon.
  Earlier this year--on February 8, 2007, the CDC released 
groundbreaking data documenting the high prevalence of autism around 
the country. As a result of this landmark study, it is now believed 
that 1 out of every 150 children born in the United States suffers from 
a form of autism.
  The numbers are even more shocking when you examine the results from 
New Jersey. Autism was shown to affect 1 in every 94 New Jersey 
children analyzed in the recent federally funded study. That same 
study, based on 2002 data, showed that 1 in every 60 boys in New Jersey 
is afflicted with a form of autism.
  While the numbers are profound, it is the reality of the lives behind 
the numbers which call for our compassion, dedication, and legislative 
action. The physical, emotional, and financial impacts of autism on 
individuals, families, and society are staggering. Autism can overwhelm 
families, as their lives become consumed with the considerable 
challenges of identifying appropriate biomedical and psychosocial 
treatments, schooling and other needed support systems for their 
autistic child--and eventually for an autistic adult. Most of the 
parents of an autistic child whom I have met express a high level of 
fear and apprehension about services--such as housing and employment 
assistance--that will be available when their child becomes an adult.
  That is why I joined forces with my friend Mike Doyle to launch in 
January 2001 the Congressional Coalition for Autism Research & 
Education, C.A.R.E., which currently includes over 160 Members of 
Congress. The goals of the bipartisan Coalition for Autism Research and 
Education are straightforward, to: increase general awareness of autism 
and autism spectrum disorders among Members of Congress and policy 
analysts in Federal government; educate Members of Congress on current 
and future initiatives and developments regarding autism; serve as a 
forum where autism-related policy issues can be exchanged, debated, and 
discussed; bring together public, private, and government entities to 
pursue legislative initiatives that will help improve the lives of 
individuals with autism and their families; and promote all means to 
assist with the challenges of families and loved ones affected by 
autism.
  Although it is still not sufficient, we have had significant success 
in advocating for increased funding for autism programs--funding that 
has increased by nearly 10 times the amount it was in the mid-1990s. In 
1995, NIH invested about $10.5 million into autism research. The 
estimated budget for autism research in fiscal year 06 is nearly 10 
times that amount--$108 million. At the CDC, autism funding has 
increased from $287,000 in 1995 to an estimated $15.1 million in 2006.

  By introducing the ``Expanding the Promise for Individuals with 
Autism Act,'' EPIAA, we are building on our progress over the past 
decade and particularly on some legislative accomplishments during the 
last Congress. Many members of the C.A.R.E. caucus joined in supporting 
and passing last December the ``Combating Autism Act,'' important 
legislation which focused on improving autism-related research funded 
through the National Institutes of Health, autism surveillance, and 
early screening and diagnosis. Also last year, the caucus was 
successful in securing in the Fiscal Year 2007 Department of Defense 
Appropriations bill $7.5 million in an Army research account for the 
purpose of improving treatment of individuals with autism.
  Notably, these successful efforts to date have focused primarily on 
surveillance and biomedical research. While these efforts are 
absolutely critical, the reality is that we have approximately 1.5 
million individuals in the U.S. with autism, and they and their 
families are in desperate need of services to assist them in their 
daily lives and to help individuals with autism to realize their full 
potential as members of our communities. Today, we are focusing our 
efforts on providing services to aid families facing the challenges of 
providing lifetime care for their autistic children from first 
diagnosis through adulthood.
  The ``Expanding the Promise for Individuals with Autism Act of 
2007,'' which was earlier introduced in the Senate and which we 
introduced this week in the House, is comprehensive legislation which 
authorizes approximately $350 million over 5 years to provide 
treatments and services across the lifespan. It is incumbent upon us to 
act now to pass this legislation that will facilitate the provision of 
treatments and services for autistic individuals throughout their 
lives. As provided for in this legislation, assistance needs to be 
largely community-based and needs to address early intervention, 
education, employment, transportation, housing, health, and recreation.
  Also, very importantly, the mechanisms authorized in this legislation 
are designed to provide treatments and services effectively and

[[Page E805]]

efficiently. Those mechanisms include a broad-based Task Force to 
evaluate evidence-based treatments and services, demonstration grants 
to enable states to provide evidence-based treatments and services, 
one-time planning grants and follow-on demonstration grants for states 
to provide services to adults, and supplemental grants to University 
Centers of Excellence in Developmental Disabilities 
Research, Education, and Services to allow the centers to train 
professionals who treat or serve individuals with autism, as well as 
the creation of four new University Centers of Excellence. To 
complement and further enhance the grant programs established under 
this Act, this legislation also provides assistance to a national 
nonprofit organization for establishment of a national technical 
assistance center and provides assistance for protection and advocacy 
systems.

  Additionally, to fill an information gap important to almost all 
affected families, service providers, and government organizations, the 
legislation calls for the Government Accountability Office to conduct a 
study and release a report on the ways in which autism treatments and 
services are currently financed, including policies for public and 
private health insurance.
  This is truly bipartisan, bicameral legislation, and I am gratified 
that Representatives Eliot Engel of New York and Chip Pickering of 
Mississippi joined Representative Doyle and myself in introducing this 
legislation. We are all most appreciative that critically acclaimed 
actor and star of the ``West Wing'' Bradley Whitford, co-founder of 
Cure Autism Now and board member of Autism Speaks Jonathan Shestack, 
and President of the Autism Society of America Lee Grossman joined us 
this week in announcing the introduction of the EPIAA. Their support, 
along with that of other advocates for individuals with autism, will be 
critical as this legislation advances in the House and Senate.

                          ____________________