Political Quotes

“I rise to speak on behalf of the approximately 20,000 military families with loved ones on the autism spectrum. Sadly, thousands of these Americans suffering from autism are not receiving the treatments that are the best practices that have been determined they need. These military families are receiving fewer services than their civilian government counterparts across the country, many of whom have been rightly aided by laws passed in over 60 percent of our States representing over 75 percent of the country's population. Autism places tremendous strains on our Nation's military families and nonmilitary families--including tremendous health, financial, and emotional tolls. I wish to share briefly just a couple stories from our brave military families. One veteran was severely wounded in Iraq while heroically serving our country. His injuries forced him to medically retire. Because he is retired, his autistic son Shane was no longer eligible to receive the ABA services he had previously received. The wait list for Medicaid waiver services is over 9 years. Shane's family had to sell their home to pay the roughly $5,000 per month of out-of-pocket expenses that the ABA treatments require that he so desperately needs. The money is running out for their family, and their family's effort is only to do what is best for their son. Without any relief, we risk allowing brave military families just like this one to fall through the cracks.…”