[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 60 (Tuesday, April 27, 2010)]
[House]
[Pages H2920-H2924]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
NATIONAL AUTISM AWARENESS MONTH
Mr. DOYLE. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to
the resolution (H. Res. 1033) expressing support for designation of
April 2010 as ``National Autism Awareness Month'' and supporting
efforts to devote new resources to research into the causes and
treatment of autism and to improve training and support for individuals
with autism and those who care for individuals with autism, as amended.
The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
The text of the resolution is as follows:
H. Res. 1033
Whereas autism is a developmental disorder that is
typically diagnosed during the first 3 years of life,
affecting individuals' ability to communicate and interact
with others;
Whereas autism affects an estimated 1 in every 110 children
in the United States;
Whereas autism is four times more likely to be diagnosed in
boys than in girls;
Whereas autism can affect anyone, regardless of race,
ethnicity, or other factors;
Whereas it costs approximately $80,000 per year to treat an
individual with autism in a medical center specializing in
developmental disabilities;
Whereas the cost of special education programs for school-
age 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 upwards of $90,000,000,000 per
year;
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; and
Whereas April 2010 would be an appropriate month to
designate as ``National Autism Awareness Month'' to increase
public awareness of the need to support individuals with
autism and the family members and medical professionals who
care for individuals with autism: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the United States House of Representatives--
(1) expresses support for designation of a ``National
Autism Awareness Month'';
(2) recognizes and commends the parents and relatives of
children with autism for their sacrifice and dedication in
providing for the special needs of children with autism and
for absorbing financial costs for specialized education and
support services;
(3) supports the goal of devoting resources to researching
the root causes of autism, identifying the best methods of
early intervention and treatment, expanding programs for
individuals with autism across their lifespans, and promoting
understanding of the special needs of people with autism;
(4) stresses the need to begin early intervention services
soon after a child has been diagnosed with autism, noting
that early intervention strategies are the primary
therapeutic options for young people with autism, and that
early intervention significantly improves the outcome for
people with autism and can reduce the level of funding and
services needed to treat people with autism later in life;
(5) recognizes the shortage of appropriately trained
teachers who have the skills and support necessary to teach,
assist, and respond to special needs students, including
those with autism, in our school systems; and
(6) recognizes the importance of worker training programs
that are tailored to the needs of people with developmental
disabilities, including those with autism, and notes that
people with autism 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. Doyle) and the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr.
Pitts) each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Doyle).
General Leave
Mr. DOYLE. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members
may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks
and include extraneous material in the Record.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Pennsylvania?
There was no objection.
Mr. DOYLE. Madam Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I may
consume.
Madam Speaker, I rise today in strong support of House Resolution
1033. This resolution expresses support for the designation of this
month, the month of April, as National Autism Awareness Month.
Autism spectrum disorders are a group of developmental disabilities
that affect an estimated one in 100 children nationwide. ASDs, or
autism, are typically diagnosed within the first 3 years of life.
Autism occurs in all racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic groups. However,
we know that autism affects each person and certain groups differently.
People with Asperger's syndrome, one form of autism, typically do not
have difficulty with language or intellectual disability. Others with
autism have more notable language delays and social challenges, among
other symptoms. This form of autism is referred to as autistic
disorder, or classic autism. Autism is at least four times more likely
to be diagnosed in boys than in girls.
We have made important progress in research on autism within the past
few years, and I and dozens of Members of
[[Page H2921]]
Congress who annually seek and obtain billions of dollars for autism
funding know that there remains much to learn about the risk factors
and causes of this group of conditions.
We must also continue to raise awareness regarding the signs and
symptoms of autism. Today's resolution gives us an opportunity to do
just that. This awareness raising is particularly important since early
intervention has shown to improve a child's development.
This resolution recognizes and commends parents and relatives for
their dedication in caring for children with autism. It supports the
investment of resources into research that will help improve our
understanding of autism and promote early intervention and treatment.
It also recognizes the importance of appropriately trained educators to
respond to students with special needs.
Those are the reasons why my friend Chris Smith and I, as founders
and cochairs of the Congressional Autism Caucus, introduced H.R. 2413,
the Autism Treatment Acceleration Act. That bill will reinforce our
country's work to identify the causes of autism by improving the
coordination of our government's efforts. And it establishes a national
network of autism research in order to strengthen linkages between
research and service initiatives at the Federal, regional, State, and
local levels, and facilitate the translation of research on autism into
services and treatments that will improve the quality of life for
individuals with autism and their families. A national data repository
will be created to share emerging data, findings, and treatment models.
This resolution on the floor today mentions the needs of adults with
autism, and our bipartisan bill, H.R. 2413, actually creates an adult
services demonstration project to provide an array of services to
adults with autism spectrum disorders, including postsecondary
education, vocational and self-advocacy skills, employment; residential
services, supports and housing; nutrition, health and wellness,
recreational and social activities; and transportation and personal
safety.
I am proud that our bill, H.R. 2413, will also create a national
training initiative on autism and a technical assistance center to
develop and expand interdisciplinary training and continuing education
on autism spectrum disorders.
We ask all the Members of the House, including this resolution's
sponsors, to join us and cosponsor H.R. 2413, the Autism Treatment
Acceleration Act, a meaningful bill that would achieve the goals of
today's resolution.
I want to commend Representative Reichert, the sponsor of this
resolution, for his work on this resolution at a time when so much
needs to be done for children and adults with autism.
Madam Speaker, I would also like to note that the Committee on
Education and Labor received a secondary referral for this resolution.
The committee agreed to waive the opportunity to exercise its
jurisdiction in the interests of advancing this resolution. I want to
say thank you to Chairman Miller for allowing this resolution to be
brought to the floor as quickly as possible. I urge my colleagues to
support this resolution.
Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. PITTS. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Madam Speaker, I rise in support of House Resolution 1033, expressing
support for National Autism Awareness Month, and I am pleased to join
the gentleman from Pennsylvania, the cochair of the Autism Caucus, on
behalf of the other cochair of the Autism Caucus, the gentleman from
New Jersey (Mr. Smith), as well as the gentleman from Washington (Mr.
Reichert), the prime sponsor, and Mr. Bachus of Alabama and Mr. Gerlach
from Pennsylvania, who are other sponsors of this resolution.
{time} 1730
The resolution, as was stated, acknowledges April as National Autism
Awareness Month, and it supports the research efforts for the causes
and treatments of autism. I would like to recognize the efforts of
those who have gone through the appropriate training and who have
provided support to individuals with autism.
I would also like to recognize the parents, the relatives, the
friends of those with autism for their sacrifices and dedication,
especially for absorbing many times the significant costs for
specialized education and support services.
Some have estimated that one in every 110 children in the United
States is affected by a disorder on the autism spectrum. Once
diagnosed, early intervention is important to improve the outcomes of
those with autism and to reduce the level of funding and services
needed to treat people with autism spectrum disorder later in life.
Continued research to identify the root causes of autism and support
for the training of caregivers and teachers who work with children with
autism will ensure that people with autism will continue to be
important and productive members of society.
I would like to thank especially the author of the resolution, Mr.
David Reichert of Washington, for his leadership in raising autism
awareness, and I would like to commend the efforts of those who care
for individuals with autism. I encourage all of my colleagues to vote
in favor of this resolution.
I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. DOYLE. Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from
Pennsylvania (Mrs. Dahlkemper).
Mrs. DAHLKEMPER. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of House Resolution
1033, expressing the House of Representatives' support for April as
National Autism Awareness Month.
There are an estimated 1.5 million Americans living with autism, a
developmental disorder that affects a person's ability to communicate
and to interact with others. A recent report shows that autism
prevalence is on the rise. It now occurs in one out of every 110 births
in the United States. We need to take action to address the causes of
autism now and provide support to individuals and families affected by
the disorder.
National Autism Awareness Month is an important advocacy tool for
those affected by autism and by those affected by Asperger's to raise
awareness about a similar but distinct condition. Asperger's disorder
is distinctive from autism in that its symptoms are less severe.
Individuals with Asperger's often possess above-average intelligence
and want social interaction with other people, but their condition is
an obstacle to communication. Americans with Asperger's and autism have
so much to offer. With the right support to help overcome the barriers
of their disorders, they can share their talents and can be productive,
engaged members of our communities.
I am proud to offer my support to National Autism Awareness Month,
and I urge my colleagues to support not only this resolution but
individuals and families affected by autism and Asperger's throughout
our country.
Mr. PITTS. Madam Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the cochair of the
Autism Caucus, the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Smith).
Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. I thank my good friend, Mr. Pitts, for
yielding.
Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of H. Res. 1033, a resolution
designating April 2010 as National Autism Awareness Month.
I thank my friends and colleagues Messrs. Reichert, Gerlach, and
Bachus. I especially want to thank my good friend and colleague, the
cochair of the House caucus, who is Mike Doyle, and Mr. Pitts for their
leadership on this very important resolution and, most importantly, on
this very important issue.
This resolution serves an important function of increasing awareness
of the 1.5 million individuals who are living with autism spectrum
disorder and of the extreme dedication and efforts of their families in
providing the best possible care and environments for their children,
grandchildren, brothers, and sisters.
I want to especially note that the parents and the grandparents of
children with autism have earned our enormous respect. I know many
families with autism. It can be a very harrowing ordeal. Yet they do it
with such class and with such love and dedication to their children.
The concerns of the parents are validated in the community, and have
since been found to be true nationwide in terms of the numbers.
I will point out to my colleagues that I've been involved in autism
since 1981,
[[Page H2922]]
since my first term. I'll never forget visiting Eden Institute in
Princeton, which does tremendous breakthrough research and work with
autism children and young adults. Frankly, for me, it wasn't until 1998
when two parents, Bobbie and Billy Gallagher from Brick Township, New
Jersey, came to me after hours and said, Congressman, we'd like you to
sit down and look over some of the evidence and data we've accumulated
because it is our belief that there is a prevalent spike in autism in
Brick.
We brought in all of the good players. We brought in the CDC; we
brought in the NIH folks, and we brought in public health experts. We
put together a study to find out what was or is the trigger that was
seemingly causing this huge spike in autistic children in one
particular town in the State of New Jersey. To our shock and dismay, as
this was going on, we discovered that there was a prevalence spike for
sure, but it was most likely throughout the rest of New Jersey and
probably, as it was highly suggestive, throughout the entire country of
the United States.
So we put together a piece of legislation to establish what we called
the Centers of Excellence to look at, especially, and to apply the best
principles and prevalence techniques to determine what was causing this
and to determine how many children were being malaffected by autism. To
our shock and dismay, again we discovered that the United States didn't
have a one in 10,000 prevalence, which is what the expectation was when
I was elected in 1981, but that it was much higher. At that point, it
was put at about one out of every 150 children.
So the Centers of Excellence were funded. The legislation was passed.
I'll never forget that Congressman Mike Bilirakis was kind enough to
accept our legislation as Title I of the Children's Health Act, which
was a very comprehensive law designed to help children. Title I not
only put more money into the CDC but also into the National Institutes
of Health, which then was very much underfunding this effort to try to
help autistic children.
Just for the record, we were spending $287,000 per year on autism at
CDC. As my colleagues know, that falls off the table at some of our
bureaucracies. That number has now gone up significantly to about $15
million, and now we have a critical mass of money working very
synergistically with local health departments and the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention as well as on these prevalence efforts
to find out what the parameters are of this developmental disability,
because you can't combat something unless you know the who, what, when,
where, and why of it, and that is what we are trying to do.
In the early 2000s, Mr. Doyle and I launched the Autism Caucus. We
have tried throughout these years to be very supportive of every
legislative effort, including the cure autism efforts of these past
several years. The key has been more money for research, more money for
early childhood interventions and trying to deal with the issue of what
happens after a child reaches adulthood. It seems to me that every
dollar we spend early-on means that we can have a higher functioning
autistic child, now young adult, who can get a job, who can become
gainfully employed, and who can become as independent as humanly
possible. So every dollar we spend on autism is a dollar well spent.
Mr. Doyle and I have already entered into a compact with friends in
Northern Ireland, in Wales, and in Scotland where they have an autism
problem. This is a global phenomenon, as my friends and colleagues
know, and we need to do more.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The time of the gentleman has expired.
Mr. PITTS. I yield the gentleman an additional 2 minutes.
Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. I have introduced a bill which would provide
small grant money to fledgling nongovernmental organizations throughout
the world.
In my travels to places like Nigeria, I met up with a small
nongovernmental organization which was like David versus Goliath. I was
trying to get the government there to realize that they have an
autistic problem that is estimated to affect about 1 million children
in Nigeria alone. Nobody knows how accurate that is, but the best and
most well-intentioned people in Nigeria have come to that number.
So we do have a serious spike. What is the trigger? Is it too many
vaccines given at one time, you know, where the megadosing that occurs
today in that little child can't metabolize and where the body can't
deal with it in a way that leads to the child's being safe from those
other diseases? Is it thimerosal? For our children and for our young
adults who have autism, we need to continue to leave no stone unturned
in finding what the trigger is or what the multiple triggers are.
Finally, again, I want to thank Bobbie and Billy Gallagher, who are
the two parents in Brick Township who came forward with a stack of
papers and who said, Please, will you take this up?
I took it up, and I've enjoyed working closely with friends and
colleagues on the other side of the aisle so that we can cure autism
now. The sooner the better.
Mr. DOYLE. I would just like to say that I deeply appreciate the
efforts of the gentleman from New Jersey on behalf of all people with
autism and on behalf of their families. He has been a true champion,
and I appreciate his friendship, too.
Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from New York (Mr.
Towns).
Mr. TOWNS. Thank you very much for yielding time to me.
Of course I want to commend the members of the Autism Caucus for
their outstanding work that they're doing. I also hope that this
resolution will bring about awareness and support for autism.
Madam Speaker, let me just say that we know that more research is
needed, and I think that any way that we can make it possible for
people to focus on it and to understand how important these additional
resources are makes a whole lot of sense.
I just want to commend my colleagues for their outstanding work that
they have done to bring us to this point. I am hoping that, as a result
of this, we will get more Members involved and, of course, more people
involved in this issue, because there are still a lot of unanswered
questions. At any time we can create a situation where people will
focus on it, then I think answers will be coming forth.
So I just want to commend my colleagues for this effort. I look
forward to working with them because this is a very serious problem. It
is one that should not be ignored, and it is one on which we really
should spend time making certain we get the word out in order to get
the kind of research that we need to have in order to bring about a
solution.
Mr. PITTS. Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to one of the cosponsors
of the resolution, the gentleman from Alabama (Mr. Bachus).
Mr. BACHUS. Madam Speaker, as a parent myself, I know that there is
nothing more important than the well-being of a child to a parent. When
there is a change in a child's behavior and when the parents or
grandparents notice that something is wrong, they are the first to
notice, and they are also the first to want answers. Often those
answers are that the child has autism or is on the autism spectrum.
I also join in commending Mike Doyle and Chris Smith for their long
labors on this issue, and I would like to associate myself with the
remarks of Mr. Towns and of others.
Autism has always been a challenging diagnosis. There is an increased
instance of autism spectrum disorder. It is quite a phenomenon. As of
yet, it hasn't really been explained, but it is something that
children, families, and siblings will have to deal with their entire
lives. There are two very important things that we now know about
autism:
The first is that awareness is critical, so I commend Mr. Reichert
and Mr. Gerlach, along with Mr. Pitts and the other speakers today.
That's what makes the designation of April as National Autism Awareness
Month so significant. The sooner an autism spectrum disorder is
identified, the sooner a child can receive specialized treatment.
The second thing we know is that early intervention programs can make
an exceptional difference in the quality of life for these precious
children. This has been proven not just by studies but by the personal
stories told by individual families. They've seen their
[[Page H2923]]
young people literally blossom in front of their eyes as a result of
early treatment.
The Birmingham area, from which I hail, has an innovative center
called Mitchell's Place. It's named for Mitchell, who is the son of the
two founders, the Meislers. It is a model for autism services, not just
for Alabama but for the entire country. Mitchell's Place combines the
latest in behavioral and developmental research on autism with a
structured and caring environment. When you walk through the doors of
the center, which is bright and nurturing, you can feel the love for
the children, and they respond.
There are many promising developments to report to families living
with autism. Recently, I and Congressman Mike Doyle, who is the
chairman of the Congressional Autism Council, hosted a briefing at
which we heard from the Director of the National Institutes of Health,
Dr. Thomas Insel. He told us about exciting research which is
progressing in a number of areas. Expert researchers are studying
causes, early intervention programs, strategies for older individuals
with autism, and even potential cures.
{time} 1745
In my State, thanks to the efforts of State Representative Cam Ward,
we now have an Autism Task Force which is coordinating our State
resources, and I know we patterned that after Pennsylvania, Congressman
Gerlach.
In conclusion, it's an honor to speak on behalf this resolution and
of the children and parents and grandparents and loved ones of those
with autism. It's a pleasure to work with many Members of Congress who
care so deeply about this issue, including the lead cosponsors,
Congressmen Reichert and Gerlach, along with Mr. Pitts from
Pennsylvania, Mr. Smith, and Mr. Doyle. Today's resolution has great
meaning to millions of families across America affected by autism
spectrum disorder.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The time of the gentleman has expired.
Mr. PITTS. I yield the gentleman an additional 15 seconds.
Mr. BACHUS. If it encourages parents to be more attentive to the
symptoms of autism and to get early treatment for their children, we
will have done a great service for their families.
Mr. DOYLE. Madam Speaker, I continue to reserve the balance of my
time.
Mr. PITTS. I yield the balance of my time to the gentleman from
Pennsylvania, my good friend Jim Gerlach.
Mr. GERLACH. I thank the gentleman for yielding.
Madam Speaker, I rise today to join my colleagues and to thank my
colleagues--Congressman Bachus, Congressman Reichert, Congressman
Pitts, Congressman Smith, Congressman Doyle, Congressman Towns. Thank
you for joining in support of this resolution to recognize April 2010
as National Autism Awareness Month.
As you may know, last December the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention released a report on the prevalence of autism. This report
concluded that autism affects an estimated one out of every 110
children in the United States, including one in 70 boys. This means
that autism is more common than childhood cancer, juvenile diabetes,
and pediatric AIDS combined. In addition to being one of the most
common disorders that affect our children, autism is believed to cost
more than $90 billion a year to treat.
Earlier this month, the Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare
released its Pennsylvania Autism Census, which conducted a county-by-
county census on the number of individuals suffering from autism. The
total number of individuals with autism in the Commonwealth is
estimated to be over 25,000, including 3,500 adults with the disorder.
Despite the prevalence of autism and its impact on individuals,
families, and our Nation's health care system, there is still much to
be learned about how best to diagnose and treat this disorder. That's
why our resolution supports devoting resources toward researching the
root causes of autism and identifying the best treatments and programs
to help individuals with the disorder.
Because autism affects the entire family, not just the child with the
disorder, our resolution also commends the parents and relatives of
children with autism for their dedication in providing for their
special needs. While there's no single cause known for autism, I
believe we should focus our attention on increased awareness and
funding for autism research. Our resolution is an important step in
achieving our goal of searching for better treatments and hopefully,
one day, a cure.
Please join me and my colleagues in supporting this resolution.
Mr. REICHERT. Madam Speaker, more children will be diagnosed this
year with autism than with diabetes, cancer, and AIDS combined. It is
the fastest-growing serious developmental disability in the world.
In fact, the United Nations General Assembly has gone so far as to
adopt a resolution declaring April 2 as annual ``World Autism Awareness
Day'' (WAAD). Autism is only the third disorder to be recognized in
this manner by the UN, showing the disorder's pervasive nature and
ever-increasing effect on millions of people throughout the world.
Autism afflicts one in every 150 American children--nearly one in
every 94 boys. This statistic is disturbing, especially when we know so
little about the root causes of the disorder.
As the Founder and co-chair of the Congressional Children's Health
Care Caucus, I recognize the destructive force of autism and am proud
to do my part to raise awareness of this life-altering and little known
disorder. Children deserve a solid foundation--and communities are
starting to understand autism like never before, but there is more we
can do.
By raising public awareness of autism, my goal is to see that
resources are dedicated to research the disorder's cause and to develop
treatments and possibly, one day, a cure. Funding for the National
Institutes of Health (NIH) is an important part of this equation, as it
offers the best hope to finding treatments and cures for diseases and
disorders like autism.
Collectively, we must commit every available resource to research and
treatment in order to enhance the quality of life for children, their
families, and the people who care for and assist them in their lives.
Currently there is no medical detection or cure for autism, but early
diagnosis and intervention holds much promise. Through enhancing
awareness of autism, together we will offer hope to people who
desperately need it. I encourage my colleagues to join in this mission
to raise awareness and recruit the resources that will bring hope to
children, their families, and their caregivers.
Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Madam Speaker, I rise today to express my
strong support for H. Res. 1033, supporting the designation of April of
2010 as ``National Autism Awareness Month'' and supporting efforts to
devote new resources to research into the causes and treatment of
autism and to improve training and support for individuals with autism
and those who care for individuals with autism. I would also like to
commend Congressman David Reichert, the sponsor of this resolution, for
his commitment to improving training and supoort for individuals with
autism and those who care for individuals with autism.
This resolution draws critical attention to the impact that autism
has on the people of the United States. Although only 1 percent of the
population of children ages 3-17 in the U.S. have an autism spectrum
disorder, the cost of autism over the lifespan is 3.2 million dollars
per person. The effects of autism are widespread. Autism is the
fastest-growing developmental disability with a 1,148 percent growth
rate. There are 1 to 1.5 million Americans who live with an autism
spectrum disorder.
I have had the pleasure of visiting the Marcus Autism Center, near my
district, where I was able to see and experience first hand just how
crucial it is that families and children affected by autism are given
the attention, support, and resources they need, The Marcus Autism
Center is a non-profit organization with a mission to provide
information, services and programs to children with autism and related
disorders, their families and those who live and work with them. The
Marcus Autism Center offers integrated advanced clinical, behavioral,
educational and family support services. Through the encouragement and
financial support of the Marcus family, Marcus Autism Center has become
a nationally recognized center for excellence for the provision of
coordinated and comprehensive services for children and adolescents
with developmental disabilities. The Marcus Autism Center has served
more than 30,000 people to date.
Please join me and support this resolution to bring awareness to
improve training and support for individuals with autism and those who
care for individuals with autism in the United States.
Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.
Res. 1033, a resolution designating April 2010 as ``Nation Autism
Awareness Month.'' I thank my friends and colleagues, Representatives
Reichert,
[[Page H2924]]
Gerlach and Bachus for introducing this resolution--and my friend and
co-chair of the House Autism Caucus, Mike Doyle.
This resolution services an important function of increasing
awareness of the 1.5 million individuals living with an autism spectrum
disorder (ASD) and the extreme dedication and efforts of their families
in providing the best possible care and environment for their children,
grandchildren and brothers and sisters. Especially the parents and
grandparents of individuals with autism deserve our enormous respect
and support. Also deserving recognition are the many ASD advocacy
groups who have been working hard for so long and the many providers of
care and services for individuals with autism.
From my first session in Congress in 1981, I have been a consistent
advocate for individuals with developmental disorders, including
autism. In 1998, I became much more deeply involved after learning and
listening to parents in a local community in my district--Brick
Township--about their concerns that the frequency of autism was much
higher than was being reported by officials at the time. The concerns
of those parents were validated for their community and have since been
found to be true nationwide. As stated in the resolution before us,
autism is now known to affect every 1 in 110 children--my own state of
NJ has among the highest rates in the nation at 1 in 94.
Autism generally is a life-long disability that 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.
Our nation is in the midst of an autism crisis that becomes more
severe each passing month, a crisis that costs our nation tens of
billions of dollars annually in medical care, behavioral therapy,
special child care, and a range of child and adult services needed to
care for these individuals. The resolution before us provides the
staggering financial costs of autism--$80,000 per year to provide
specialized treatment in a medical center, $30,000 per child per year
for special education services, and a nationwide costs of over $90
billion per year.
The resolution appropriately recognizes the critical importance of
early diagnosis and early treatment for children with autism in order
to have the greatest positive impact on their lives, and it recognizes
the extremely important need to provide worker training for young
adults and adults with autism so that they can active members of the
workforce.
Thankfully, Madam Speaker, in December 2006, this Congress passed and
then President Bush signed the Combating Autism Act, which added
significant provisions to broaden and strengthen activities related to
autism. Among its provisions, that law requires the National Institutes
of Health to expand ASD-related research--including investigating
possible environmental causes of autism, authorizes grant programs to
improve the epidemiology of autism, and also includes a very robust
section ``Autism Education, Early Detection, and Intervention,'' to
improve the early screening, diagnosis, interventions, and treatments
for ASDs.
While we all were gratified with passage of the Combating Autism Act,
we also recognized that there is a tremendous unmet need to improve
services for both children and adults with autism. That is why I am
extremely gratified to have joined my friend Mike Doyle, along with
Rep. Eliot Engel, in introducing, the Autism Treatment Acceleration Act
(H.R. 2413), to provide for enhanced support, services and treatment,
as well as research for individuals with autism spectrum disorders and
their families.
To mention only two provisions of the bill--it would establish an
Adult Services Demonstration Project to provide an array of services to
adults with autism spectrum disorders including: post secondary
education, vocational and self advocacy skills, employment; residential
services, supports and housing; nutrition, health and wellness;
recreational and social activities; and transportation and personal
safety. And it would establish a ``National Network for Autism Spectrum
Disorders Research and Services'' to strengthen linkages between
research and service initiatives at the federal, regional, state and
local levels, and facilitate the translation of research on autism into
services and treatments.
I know that all of us here share the commitment to dramatically
improve the lives for the well over a million American children and
adults who have an autism spectrum disorder and improve the outlook for
their families and other loved ones. I thank my friends Representatives
Reichert, Gerlach and Bachus for introducing this resolution. And I
thank my friend Mike Doyle for his leadership in establishing new
programs to help individuals with autism.
Mr. PITTS. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. DOYLE. Madam Speaker, I hope that the House will unanimously
approve House Resolution 1033, as amended, and I yield back the balance
of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Doyle) that the House suspend the
rules and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 1033, as amended.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the
rules were suspended and the resolution, as amended, was agreed to.
The title of the resolution was amended so as to read: ``Expressing
support for designation of April 2010 as `National Autism Awareness
Month' and supporting efforts to devote resources to research into the
causes and treatment of autism and to improve training and support for
individuals with autism and those who care for individuals with
autism.''.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
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