[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 56 (Thursday, April 2, 2009)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E889]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       WORLD AUTISM AWARENESS DAY

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. DAVID G. REICHERT

                             of washington

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, April 2, 2009

  Mr. REICHERT. Madam Speaker, I rise today in honor of the second 
annual World Autism Awareness Day. As the Founder and Co-Chair of the 
Congressional Children's Health Care Caucus, I recognize the 
debilitating force that is autism and I am proud to recognize Worldwide 
Autism Awareness Day in order to bring attention to this life-altering 
and, too often, unrecognized disorder.
  I am proud to consistently support medical research on autism and its 
causes. I have worked with many members of this body and many other 
individuals and groups to increase funding to the National Institutes 
of Health (NIH) in order to more fully understand the root causes and 
best prevention practices to minimize its debilitating effects.
  But we must continue to work. Evidence shows that one in every 150 
American children is affected by an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). 
Last year at this time, there was no medical detection or cure for 
autism. This year, there has been progress to uncover more about the 
root causes of ASD related disorders and why they may occur more often 
than expected among people who have certain other medical conditions.
  Families need hope, and we must make a commitment to help them find 
the missing pieces to the puzzle. I urge all of my colleagues to 
continue supporting NIH funding so that--as groups like Autism Speaks 
and Families for Early Autism Treatment know--we can continue to fight 
against the fastest-growing developmental disability in the world.