ASO EMAIL LEGISLATIVE ALERT - Combating Autism Act, HR 2421

[Guest guest]

Dear Friend of ASO:

As you may know, the Senate passed its version of the Combating Autism Act in the final hours before recessing for the August District Work Period. This was a great success, and demonstrates the growing support for autism issues on Capitol Hill. That said, we still have to get the bill through the House of Representatives -- and we need your help to do it.HR. 2421 is the House's version of the Combating Autism Act. It currently has 141 bipartisan cosponsors - but only 7 of Ohio's 18 Representatives are cosponsors (a list of Ohio Representatives and their status as a cosponsor follows my signature). However, to move through the legislative process, we are trying to reach 218 cosponsors (one half of the House of Representatives).Please send an email to your member of Congress, urging him/her to cosponsor this important legislation. If he/she is already a cosponsor (see the list following my signature to see if your Representative is currently a sponsor), thank him/her for his/her support, and ask him/her to do all they can to get the Combating Autism Act to the floor for a vote. Not sure who your Federal Representative is? Visit http://www.house.gov/ and enter your zipcode+4.

The ASA has prepared an easy to use link with a recommended message urging your Representative to cosponsor H.R. 2421. If your Representative is already cosponsoring, cut and paste the message provided following the list of Representatives following my signature into the ASA message (be sure to delete the existing message). Use the link (cut and paste into your browser) below to take action NOW - you will not have to enter your Representative's name, it will automatically send the message to your correct Representative based on your address:https://secure2.convio.net/asa/site/Advocacy?JServSessionIdr006=dn6xdmjde2.app26a & cmd=display & page=UserAction & id=145

Please make your voice heard and help us to get this all important piece of legislation passed this year!

Sincerely,

Barbara C. YavorcikPresidentAutism Society of Ohio701 S. Main St.Akron, OH 44311(330) 376-0211fax: (330) 376-1226email: askASO@...home: byavorcik@...web: www.autismohio.org

Boehner, - NO

Brown, Sherrod - Yes

Chabot, Steve - NO

Gillmor, - NO

Hobson, - NO

, Tubbs - NO

Kaptur, Marcy - Yes

Kucinich, Dennis - Yes

LaTourette, - NO

Ney, - NO

Oxley, - NO

Pryce, Deborah - Yes

Regula, Ralph - NO

, Tim - NOSchmidt, - NO

Strickland, Ted - Yes

Tiberi, - Yes

, - Yes

Substitute the following verbiage for that provided by the ASA, for those Reps. that are already cosponsoring HR 2421:

Thank you for cosponsoring H.R. 2421, the Combating Autism Act. This legislation is the House version of S. 843, which passed the Senate by Unanimous Consent on August 3rd. Autism is a complex developmental disability that affects an individual in the areas of social interaction and communication. Children and adults with autism are often unable to communicate, have difficulty with social interaction, and, in some cases, may be aggressive or self-injurious.

This serious condition affects more than 1.5 million Americans, and autism is growing at a startling rate of 10-17 percent per year. At this rate, the Autism Society of America (ASA) estimates that the prevalence of autism could reach 4 million Americans in the next decade. Furthermore, recent estimates have put the economic burden of this disability on the American economy at as much as $90 billion per year.

The Combating Autism Act would go a long way in improving autism related research, early detection, and intervention. Thank you for cosponsoring the Combating Autism Act, and we urge you do everything possible to bring it to the House floor for a vote.