Combating Autism Act

[Guest guest]

Get the Combating Autism Act out of Committee

The Combating Autism Act has stalled in the House of Representatives. Despite

widespread support for this bill, Chairman Barton is keeping it from becoming

law. We need to go over his head to Speaker Hastert and Majority Leader Boehner

and ask them to bring the Combating Autism Act up for a vote.

As you know, S. 843 passed the Senate on August 3rd, and the House version of

the bill, HR 2421, has 227 bipartisan cosponsors -- more than half of the House

of Representatives. The fastest way for this bill to become law, however, is for

the House to pass the Senate version of the bill. Unfortunately, Chairman Barton

has steadfastly refused to bring S. 843 up for a vote. ASA will not give up the

fight on this issue.

We need you -- ASA’s advocates -- to call, email, and meet with your

Representatives (especially your Republican representatives) now that they are

home to campaign. Tell them about autism, what it means to you and your family,

and how important it is that we invest in additional autism related research.

Ask them to talk to Speaker Hastert and Leader Boehner, and urge them to bring

the CAA up for a vote. Tell them that you'll be watching come Election Day --

after all, the best way to make autism a priority is to elect Representatives

who care about our issues.

Following is a sample letter you can personalize and send:

Please Help Bring the Combating Autism Act to a Vote

Dear [Decision Maker],

I hope you will support autism research by urging Speaker Hastert and Majority

Leader Boehner to bring S. 843, the Combating Autism Act, to the floor for a

vote. This important legislation has broad, bipartisan support in both the House

and Senate, but unfortunately, has been stalled in Committee. The only way to

protect children with autism is to bypass committee and bring this bill straight

to the floor.

I recognize that the House is in recess until after Election Day. However, I

hope that House leaders will pledge today to bring this bill up as soon as they

return on November 13th. I urge you to work with the House leadership to ensure

that this bill is acted upon as quickly as possible. I am closely following this

issue, and will keep your support in mind on Election Day.

Sincerely,

Your Name

Address

Phone Number

Email Address

If you are unsure who your representative is or need contact information, go to:

http://www.vote-smart.org/index.htm

for information on your elected officials.

Following is information from www.combatingautism.org:

Demand Congressional Action on the Combating Autism Act!

House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Joe Barton (TX) still refuses to

release the Senate passed Combating Autism Act from his committee for

consideration by the full House this session. He is practicing politics as usual

and has stated publicly (on CNN) that he will not consider the CAA until and

unless the Senate passes his NIH Reform bill. Chairman Barton, Majority Leader

Boehner and Speaker Hastert must hear from us and also their colleagues in the

House that this is unacceptable!

Call your Republican Congressman and ask him or her to call Chairman Barton,

Majority Leader Boehner, and Speaker Hastert today! Have them ask to put S.843

on the floor as soon as they return in November. Ask them to make a promise to

our children and their parents who are going to vote on November 7. If your

Congressman is a Republican, call him or her and say you won't vote for a

Congressman that doesn't actively support families struggling with autism. By

" actively support " we mean one that will call Chairman Barton, Majority Leader

Boehner, and Speaker Hastert today and insist that the Combating Autism Act,

S.843 is brought to the floor for a vote as soon as Congress returns in

November.

Below are points that you can make to your Congressman that they can pass on to

our Congressional leaders:

• Autism is an epidemic in this country. One in 166 children born every day is

diagnosed with autism, many in our District It is a lifelong affliction - you

don't die from autism, you suffer through it during a " normal " lifespan and

require constant care.

• The Senate passed the Combating Autism Act (S. 843) by unanimous consent on

August 3rd. It authorizes over $900 million for autism research and services,

and would for the first time coordinate Federal efforts into autism research. It

is supported by all major autism organizations.

• We are asking for a very public commitment to move the Senate bill (S.843) in

November. While we appreciate the need to move the larger NIH Reform bill,

autism deserves special attention not expressed in that bill, and we need to be

able to tell the affected families in our District that we've talked and that

you want to see the legislation they so desperately want signed into law this

year.

Your Republican Congressman need not be a cosponsor to make this request. We are

no longer asking for cosponsors, just commitments from our Republican

Congressman to call the Leaders with this request. Remind them you will be

voting on November 7. For your congressman's contact information, go to

www.combatautism.org .

Keep up the pressure on Chairman Barton! We must not allow Barton to use the CAA

as a political pawn. Call Barton today and let him know that it is unacceptable

for our elected officials to put personal, political interests ahead of your

sick children! Call Chairman Barton today at 202-225-2002 or his Texas office at

817-543-1000 and tell him we will not stop calling until he agrees to release

S.843 for vote by the full House! Do not let his office tell you that you are

not a constituent of his district. You are calling him as Chairman and he is

accountable to all of us!

Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert (IL) has thus far refused to intervene on

our children's behalf. His Office of the Speaker website states: " At home we put

children first, and Republicans are doing just that in the House " . Ask him to

back that up and put S.843 on the House suspension calendar! Call Speaker

Hastert at 202-225-0600 and ask him to do what's right for children with autism.

Majority Leader Boehner (OH) has been unwilling to stand up to Chairman

Barton! Let him know you expect him to show the leadership it takes to do the

right thing for hundreds of thousands of children and put S.843 on the House

suspension calendar. Call Majority Leader Boehner at 202-225-4000 today and make

your voice heard!

Our fight is far from over! Please make these 4 calls today-one to the

Republican Congressman from your district, and all 3 Congressional Leaders and

let them know we demand help for our children and we will vote November 7th!

Thank you for your support! For complete information about the Combating Autism

Act of 2006, or to contact us, go to www.combatautism.org .

About The Combating Autism Act of 2006

The Combating Autism Act of 2006 builds on the provisions of the Children's

Health Act of 2000 and would authorize approximately $920 million in federal

funds over five years to combat autism through research, screening, intervention

and education.

The Combating Autism Act of 2006 is supported by the following autism

organizations:

Autism One

Autism Society of America

Autism Speaks

COSAC

Cure Autism Now

Dan Marino Foundation

Doug Flutie Jr. Foundation

First Signs

Generation Rescue

The Help Group

National Autism Association

Organization for Autism Research

S.A.F.E. Inc.

SafeMinds

Southwest Autism Research & Resource Center

Talk About Curing Autism

TalkAutism

The Deirdre Imus Environmental Center for Pediatric Oncology

Unlocking Autism

US Autism and Asperger Association