Political Quotes

“Madam President, I rise today on behalf of the 30,000 military families who have loved ones with disabilities, including those on the autism spectrum. Sadly, thousands of these Americans suffering from autism and other developmental disabilities are not receiving the treatment that best practices has determined they need. For example, military families with children on the autistic spectrum are receiving fewer services than their civilian governmental counterparts across the country, many of whom have been rightfully aided by laws passed in over 60 percent of our States, representing over 75 percent of the American population. Autism places such tremendous strain on our families--health strains, financial, and emotional. They take such tolls. I want to share briefly just a couple of the stories I have heard from struggling military families. They have done everything we have asked of them as a nation, but now they can't even provide for their children. One veteran was severely wounded in Iraq while heroically serving his country. His injuries were such that he was forced to retire. Because he is retired, his autistic son Shane was no longer able to receive the applied behavioral therapies that were recommended. The wait list for the Medicaid waiver services where he lives was 9 years. So Shane's family had to sell their home to pay the roughly $5,000 per month out of pocket for the ABA treatment he so desperately needs.…”