Political Quotes

“my good friends Charles and Patience Flick have two children, Bonnie and Willis, who have autism, a developmental disorder that has robbed them of their ability to communicate and to interact with their family and with their playmates. Autism is a brain disorder that impacts an individual's ability to respond appropriately to the environment and to form relationships. It affects at least one in every 500 children in America and some suggest that those numbers are actually one in 200. Today, our Committee on Government Reform will investigate this dramatic rise in autism. We need to fully fund research that will help lead to better treatment options and, indeed, even a cure. As a member of the House Autism Caucus, I am committed to work toward an increase of $6 million for the National Institutes of Health and, in addition, $5 million to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for the cure for autism. A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step, Madam Speaker; and I ask my colleagues to join me in supporting this increase in research funding, which may lead to a cure to help thousands of America's families.”