Political Quotes

“Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise to speak in support of the Senate amendment to H.R. 7213, the Autism CARES Act. This bipartisan legislation, sponsored by Representatives Smith and Cuellar, will reauthorize funding for a variety of programs that support autism education, research, and resources. Mr. Speaker, in the United States, about 1 in 36 children have been diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. The prevalence of autism in children has been increasing every 2 years. With these worrisome statistics in mind, it is important that we reauthorize the critical research and funding for the Autism CARES Act in order to continue this collaborative nationwide program. In 2006, the original Autism CARES Act, which was then known as the Combating Autism Act, was signed into law. This law built a public health infrastructure that addresses autism on the Federal level directed by the Department of Health and Human Services. From that point forward, over $5 billion has been invested in addressing autism through various programs related to autism research, autism support services, early detection training for medical providers, and autism education. With this legislation, we renew and expand support for Federal autism programs, underscoring our commitment to addressing the growing needs of individuals with autism and their families.…”