Action Alert for Autism: www.AutismBill.org

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For more information go to: www.AutismBill.org

AUTISM ACTION ALERT

Senate Bill S.843 " Combating Autism Act of 2005 "

2 May 2005

On April 19th U.S. Senators Rick Santorum (R-PA) and Dodd (D-CT)

introduced the Combating Autism Act of 2005 (S.843), a bipartisan bill that

could significantly expand the federal government's response to the autism

epidemic. S.843 commits an unprecedented $860 million in federal funds to combat

autism through research, screening, intervention and education efforts, in

effect doubling the National Institutes of Health's current autism funding

level. The Senators were joined by representatives from all major national

autism organizations including Cure Autism Now, the National Alliance for Autism

Research, Autism Speaks, and the Autism Society of America.

How can you help?

We urge you to join concerned families fighting to secure the sponsorship of the

" Combating Autism Act of 2005 " required to enact this legislation. You can help

by contacting your home state Senators in Washington D.C. and asking them to

co-sponsor the " Combating Autism Act of 2005, " known as S.843. This is the most

important and comprehensive autism-related legislation since the Children's

Health Act of 2000, which expires this year. If we join our voices through this

organized effort, we can get the Combating Autism Act enacted this year. Make

your voice heard now:

Click here to Telephone your US Senators

Click here to Fax a letter to your US Senators

Click here to E-mail a letter to your US Senators

When you contact your Senator, please invite him or her to contact Jen Vesey

with Senator Santorum at or Jim Fenton with Senator Dodd at (202)

224-2823 about co-sponsoring this bill.

About the Combating Autism Act of 2005

The proposed legislation builds on the provisions of the Children's Health Act

of 2000 and would authorize $860 million over five years to significantly

strengthen and coordinate all federal activities related to autism research,

screening, early diagnosis and treatment. Specifically, the legislation would:

Require the Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to coordinate

all autism-related research efforts, identify NIH expenditures related to autism

research, and develop a strategic plan to combat autism.

Reauthorize the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's epidemiological

surveillance program with $12 million a year for the next 5 years to enhance our

understanding of autism's prevalence, and authorize $25 million a year for the

next five years for technical assistance and data management to states related

to autism screening, diagnosis and intervention programs.

Task the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to develop a program

of information and education on autism and its risk factors for health

professionals and the general public. The legislation authorizes $10 million a

year for the next 5 years for early identification and prompt referral for

services and education for parents and requires an annual report to Congress.

Reauthorize the federal Autism Coordinating Committee, an entity first

created by the Children's Health Act of 2000 that has since created a generally

agreed upon " road map " for future autism related research and prevention

efforts.

Provide $75 million a year for the next five years for the development of

statewide screening, education and treatment programs for autism.

Require the Secretary of HHS to report annually to Congress regarding federal

efforts to research and prevent autism.

Task the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences to create

Centers of Excellence devoted to investigating possible environmental

contributors to autism.

For more information and a section-by-section summary of the bill, please click

here.

On behalf of all those affected by autism, we thank you for your support and ask

that you please forward this email to as many people as possible. With your

efforts, we can make a true difference in accelerating the pace and progress of

autism research, and directly impact the lives of all of us affected by autism.

H. Bell

Chief Executive Officer

Cure Autism Now

5455 Wilshire Boulevard, Suite 715

Los Angeles, CA 90036

1-888-8AUTISM

www.cureautismnow.org

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About Autism

Autism is a neuro-developmental disorder that now affects 1 in every 166

children in the United States. Autism is commonly diagnosed between the ages of

one to three years. Characterized by varying degrees of impairment in

communication skills, social interactions, and restricted, repetitive and

stereotyped patterns of behavior, children with autism can exhibit symptoms that

run mild to severe with widely differing symptom profiles.

About Cure Autism Now

The Cure Autism Now Foundation is a nonprofit organization dedicated to

promoting and funding autism research, and accelerating the pace of scientific

progress toward effective treatments and a cure. Cure Autism Now is one of the

largest private funders of biological research on autism, providing more than

$24 million for research grants, outreach and scientific resources since its

inception in 1995. During that time, it has established and supported the Autism

Genetic Resource Exchange (AGRE), as well as numerous outreach and awareness

initiatives aimed at families, physicians, governmental officials and the

general public. More information about Cure Autism Now can be found at

http://www.cureautismnow.org.

M. Guppy

www.TexasAutismAdvocacy.org