Political Quotes

“I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to see that the House of Representatives is considering legislation to reauthorize the Combating Autism Act, and it's not a moment too soon with the Combating Autism Act set to expire at the end of this month. I want to take this opportunity to emphasize the importance of this act, and I also want to thank my counterpart, my colleague and my good friend, Chris Smith, on the other side of the aisle, for his leadership on this issue. Five years ago, the House of Representatives passed bipartisan legislation by a voice vote that provided the support and direction for the country's first autism-specific research. That bill, the Combating Autism Act, included life-changing provisions relating to the diagnosis and treatment of persons with autism spectrum disorders, and expanded biomedical research on autism, including an essential focus on possible environmental causes. With this funding, the Centers for Disease Control have been able to put together detailed surveillance of autism so that we have better data to use. Autism screening at well-baby checkups have become mainstream, and parents are better educated about the warning signs, along with the treatment options. Additionally, standards of care for those with an autism spectrum disorder have been developed for both physical and behavioral health where there had been none. Early diagnoses and intervention for children with autism is utterly life changing.…”