And more politics...

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(http://www.kintera.org/TR.asp?ID=M718621214169935532404965)

Cure Autism Now Celebrates Senate Approval of the Combating Autism Act of

2006

Late last night, after narrowly averting failure due to a single Senator’s

objection, the Senate passed the Combating Autism Act of 2006 by Unanimous

Consent. This is a tremendous victory for the autism community. Cure Autism Now

celebrates the success of everyone who contributed to this monumental effort

and the support this legislation can provide for families affected by autism.

Through passage of the Act, the Senate has authorized more than $900 million

for autism research, screening, intervention and education. But stay close

to your phone and computer—the Act now moves to the U.S. House of

Representatives for approval before it can be signed into law.

Bill sponsors Senators Rick Santorum (R-PA) and Dodd (D-CT), as

well as the other members of the U.S. Senate, are to be congratulated for

passing the Combating Autism Act of 2006 (S.843). The legislation would not

have

passed the Senate without the stewardship of Senators Santorum and Dodd and

the efforts of Senators Enzi (R-WY), Bill Frist (R-TN) and

Kennedy (D-MA). Passage of the Act, in effect, means that the U.S. Government

has acknowledged the public health crisis of autism. Once signed, the Act will

join a short list of “single-disease†legislation—the most notable being

the

1990 White CARE Act for HIV/AIDS.

The Combating Autism Act represents years of dedicated effort by parents and

families, bringing legislative action to confront the crisis of autism. The

history of this important piece of legislation began with Cure Autism Now’s

grassroots leadership of the Advancement in Pediatric Autism Research Act,

which later became Title 1 of the Children’s Health Act of 2000. The

Combating

Autism Act that just passed the Senate, which began as a reauthorization of

the autism section in the Children’s Health Act, was originally drafted by a

Cure Autism Now volunteer and parent of a child with autism.

Cure Autism Now initiated this community-wide advocacy effort and was joined

by several leading autism organizations. Together, we formed a coalition to

advance the Act by collaborating with legislators and mobilizing families

across the country to focus the nation’s attention on autism. Each and every

family that signed a petition, called their representative or emailed friends

and relatives to support this legislation should feel proud of this

accomplishment. Once again, we’ve witnessed the power of hope.

Please continue to watch _www.combatautism.org_

(http://www.combatautism.org/) as we prepare to move the Act through the House

of Representatives.

Momentum is on our side now, but we can’t afford to stop pushing.

Combating Autism Act of 2006 Highlights:

* Allocates approximately $900 million in spending on autism over the

next five years. This is approximately double what would have been spent with

straight-line continuation of existing programs.

* Authorizes a 50% increase in spending for biomedical research in

autism from the $100 million which the NIH currently claims to be spending.

* Creates a legal requirement for Centers of Excellence in

Environmental Health and Autism, to research “a broad array of environmental

factors

that may have a possible role in autism spectrum disorders.†These Centers

are

authorized with funding of $45 million over the five-year life of the bill.

* Requires the director of NIH to develop and implement a strategic

plan for autism research and a budget to fund this plan, taking into account

recommendations of a public/private committee (the Interagency Autism

Coordinating Committee) which it requires to include at least one-third public

members, including a person with autism and a person who is the parent of a

child

with autism. This new authority and accountability makes the director, in

effect, the “autism czar.â€

* Provides grant programs for states to develop autism screening,

early diagnosis and intervention programs for children – perhaps the most

important thing that could happen, short of a cure.