Rep. Chris Smith’s (NJ-04) bipartisan autism legislation—the Combating Autism Reauthorization Act (CARA)—cleared its first hurdle today and passed the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health. The bill, HR 4631, will reauthorize Smith’s current law that helps families touched by autism.
CARA has 69 bipartisan cosponsors and support from Autism Speaks, the Autism Society, the Association of University Centers on Disabilities, and the American Academy of Pediatrics.
“It is imperative that Congress continue to make autism research and policy a priority and I thank my good friend Chairman Pitts for his work on this bill,” said Smith, author of the bill who with Doyle founded and co-chairs the bipartisan Coalition on Autism Research and Education (C.A.R.E.).
“The NIH, CDC and HRSA programs authorized by this legislation are essential to all federal efforts designed to enhance the quality of life of families and individuals with autism. My bill also begins the conversation on how we as a society can best address the aging out crisis—that every year 50,000 youths with autism enter into adulthood and communities unprepared to support them—which will be augmented by a GAO report on the efficacy of the services landscape.”
“I look forward to continuing to work with my colleagues in the House and Senate to send my legislation to the President for his signature prior to the expiration of these programs.”
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) most recent data shows a continued increase in autism prevalence rates: 1 in every 68 American children (1 in 42 boys and 1 in 189 girls). In New Jersey, 1 in every 45 children has Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), the highest rate in the CDC study.
Smith’s bill:
- reauthorizes autism research for five years, including $22 million for the Developmental Disabilities Surveillance and Research Program at CDC; $48 million for Autism Education, Early Detection, and Intervention, and; $190 million for hundreds of Research Grants at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and the Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee (IACC), annually;
- adds key reforms to IACC to ensure coordination is maximized and the taxpayers’ dollars are spent efficiently; and
- increase accountability by requiring HHS to designate an individual charged with implementing IACC’s annual strategic plan and report to Congress how they are doing so.
“My legislation continues our investments while beefing up the government’s commitment to helping families, transitioning adolescences, and adults in need,” said Smith.
