— Rep. Chris Smith, the founding co-chair of the Congressional Autism Caucus and author of four comprehensive laws to advance autism research and treatment, made the following statement today, World Autism Day:

On World Autism Day, we rededicate ourselves to helping individuals with Autism, actively supporting their families and caregivers, and working nonstop to help raise awareness of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and possible new techniques for diagnosis and treatment.

In the last several years, the United States has made great investments in researching the underlying causes of Autism and identifying critical support systems needed to allow those with Autism to achieve their highest quality of life.  We have made great strides, but there is far more to be done.

My new recently enacted law, the  Autism CARES Act of 2024, authorizes $1.95 billion over the next five years to continue the federal government’s critical leadership in early detection and intervention services, ongoing developmental disability surveillance, and research funding to produce better understanding of ASD and outcomes for individuals with Autism.

ASD is truly a global condition, impacting individuals and their families in every country, while at the same time remaining under recognized, underappreciated in its impact, and under resourced to better identify, diagnose, and support individuals with Autism. World Autism Day, and the opportunity it provides advocates—including self-advocates—is critical in our efforts to bring new and focused attention to the much need research, supports, and understanding still required to improve the quality of life of children, adults, and families impacted by Autism.

We are deeply grateful to the family members who are the frontline, compassionate caregivers for people with autism but who also work day in and day out as the most informed and effective advocates prodding medical, education and government leaders to do more and to do it right.”

PHOTO: Congressman Smith meets with Autism Speaks CEO Keith Wargo and his wife Anne, who have a child with autism, In Washington, DC in February 2024.

Smith started the Congressional Autism Caucus soon after a Brick Township, N.J. couple, Bobbie and Billy Gallagher, who had two children with autism approached him in 1998 about a possible autism cluster in their community. Smith requested the federal government to investigate the concern.  The investigation, one of the first federal studies on autism, not only showed higher rates of autism in Brick but also demonstrated that rate was not an isolated case, but a window to a nationwide phenomenon. 

• Smith has authored five major laws to improve the federal response to the increases in the autism population:  (1) the landmark 2000 Autism Statistics, Surveillance, Research and Epidemiology Act (Title I of the Children’s Health Act, PL 106-310) (2) the 2011 Combating Autism Reauthorization Act, (Public Law 112-32) (3) the 2014 Autism CARES Act (PL 113-157); (4) the 2019 Autism CARES Act (Public Law 116-177); and (5) the new Autism CARES Act of 2024

• The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) most recent estimates for the incidence rate of (ASD) in the United States is approximately 1 in 36 children and 1 in 45 adults nationwide—in New Jersey the incidence rate is higher with 1 in 35 children impacted by Autism.

The latest version of this release may be viewed at:

https://chrissmith.house.gov/news

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