[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 162 (2016), Part 4]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 5027-5028]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                          AUTISM AFTER 21 DAY

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. CHRIS VAN HOLLEN

                              of maryland

                    in the house of representatives

                         Monday, April 25, 2016

  Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Mr. Speaker, in America today, there is a population 
that has gone unrecognized. The conversation on autism has long ignored 
Autistic adults. For this reason, I rise to recognize April 21 to be 
noted as ``Autism after 21 Day''--representing the age when services 
for children end and services for adulthood begins.
  In declaring this day, we draw attention to the fact that there are 
many adults that need to have a country aware of their gifts and 
challenges. This is a step in helping to create a brighter future for 
these adults and the people who care about them.
  I am proud to have organizations in my Congressional district that 
work hard to address these needs. In conjunction with their work and 
the needs of those that are adults on the Autism Spectrum, we are 
calling for ``Autism after 21 Day'' to acknowledge the many people who 
are navigating adulthood and wanting to reach their full potential. 
With

[[Page 5028]]

our help, that journey may not be as lonely and isolated; rather, the 
individuals can be recognized as an important part of our community. 
Twenty-six years after the passage of the Americans with Disabilities 
Act (ADA), Autistic adults deserve access to the goals set by the ADA: 
equality of opportunity, full participation, independent living, and 
economic self-sufficiency.

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