Dan Burton: “It used to be that one child in 10,000 was autistic. Now it is one in 200. We have had a 50-fold increase in the number…”

“It used to be that one child in 10,000 was autistic. Now it is one in 200. We have had a 50-fold increase in the number of children that are autistic in this country. It is an absolute epidemic. One of the causes, according to leading scientists around the world, is the mercury that was in children's vaccines. Mercury, can we believe that, being in a child's vaccine? It is toxic to the brain, it causes neurological disorders, and yet we have been using it as a preservative for years and years and years. One of the things that I am very concerned about is that many of the parents who have autistic children missed the 3-year statute of limitations to file for money to help with their child's damaged brain because they did not even know their child was damaged by mercury, and the thimerosal in these vaccines until the 3-year statute of limitations had expired. Now, there has been legislation proposed at various times, especially last year in the homeland security bill, which would have eliminated any possibility of those people going to court to get satisfaction for their child's damaged brain. Their child is ruined for life, and they cannot get into the Vaccine Injury Compensation Fund, so there is no recourse. Mr. Speaker, there is legislation that I have sponsored this year and legislation that Senator Frist has sponsored in the other body that will deal with this problem.”