Autism Speaks at Work in Nation's Capital
Federal Advocacy Activities -- Background
The legislative agenda of Autism Speaks is to influence public policy and federal funding related to autism spectrum disorders. Autism Speaks is committed to working with other national and regional autism organizations to achieve this goal.
New Legislation
Autism Speaks has joined other autism advocacy groups in lobbying Congress to enact the Combating Autism Act of 2005. This landmark legislation would authorize $176 million annually over the next five years to combat autism through research, screening, intervention, and education efforts, in effect doubling the current National Institute of Health's (NIH) autism funding. Introduced in 2005 in the Senate (S. 843) by Senators Rick Santorum (R-PA) and Chris Dodd (D-CT), the bill now has a total of 25 Senate co-sponsors from both parties. In the House of Representatives, the bill (H.R. 2421) was introduced by Representatives Mary Bono(R-CA) and Diana DeGette (D-CO), and currently has 93 House co-sponsors from both parties.
Click here for more background on the bill's introduction. Click here for a PDF of the full text of the Senate bill (S. 843). Click here for a PDF of the full text of the House bill (H.R. 2421). Click here to send your representative or senator an e-mail with your view.
Appropriations
Autism Speaks is working to secure increased funding for federal agencies that conduct or award grants for research, awareness, and other activities related to autism spectrum disorders. These agencies include the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Center for Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities (NCBDD) and the Department of Defense peer-reviewed Medical Research Program.
Funding for Epidemiological Research, Screening, and Awareness/Early Detection
Autism Speaks and other autism advocates worked to ensure that Congress appropriated adequate funding for the CDC's NCBDDD in fiscal year 2006. The NCBDDD funds grantees to conduct surveillance and epidemiological research related to autism and other developmental disabilities. In addition, the NCBDDD runs campaigns aimed at improving awareness of developmental disabilities among parents and physicians, and promotes state efforts to ensure early developmental screening. Compared to the cuts suffered by many programs in this year's appropriations bills, the NCBDDD's autism programs fared well, receiving an increase of $427,000 over last year's funding level, for a total of $15.3 million.
Funding for Biomedical Research
Autism Speaks and other autism advocates worked to ensure that the NIH received adequate funding and would appropriately address autism-related research. Congress does not specify funding amounts for NIH research into specific diseases, but indicates its priorities through language in reports accompanying its appropriations bills. The House and Senate reports both referred to the important autism research being undertaken and urged the various NIH institutes to continue this research.
Implementation of Programs
Autism Speaks is also working to ensure that federal agencies vigorously and efficiently pursue the autism-related activities with which they are charged. For example, Autism Speaks is a member of the NCBDDD "External Partners Group” and has a representative on the advisory board for the NCBDDD "Learn the Signs” awareness campaign. In addition, Autism Speaks representatives attend the bi-annual meeting of the Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee.
Addressing Insurance Coverage
Autism Speaks is pursuing public policy changes to make therapies for autism more accessible and affordable for families. For example, Autism Speaks was a cosponsor of a December 2005 Brookings Institution conference on autism treatment, Autism and Hope, and is working with the ABA Therapy Coverage Campaign to improve coverage for behavioral therapies under federal employees health benefits plans.
Federal Advocacy Activities -- Background
The legislative agenda of Autism Speaks is to influence public policy and federal funding related to autism spectrum disorders. Autism Speaks is committed to working with other national and regional autism organizations to achieve this goal.
New Legislation
Autism Speaks has joined other autism advocacy groups in lobbying Congress to enact the Combating Autism Act of 2005. This landmark legislation would authorize $176 million annually over the next five years to combat autism through research, screening, intervention, and education efforts, in effect doubling the current National Institute of Health's (NIH) autism funding. Introduced in 2005 in the Senate (S. 843) by Senators Rick Santorum (R-PA) and Chris Dodd (D-CT), the bill now has a total of 25 Senate co-sponsors from both parties. In the House of Representatives, the bill (H.R. 2421) was introduced by Representatives Mary Bono(R-CA) and Diana DeGette (D-CO), and currently has 93 House co-sponsors from both parties.
Click here for more background on the bill's introduction. Click here for a PDF of the full text of the Senate bill (S. 843). Click here for a PDF of the full text of the House bill (H.R. 2421). Click here to send your representative or senator an e-mail with your view.
Appropriations
Autism Speaks is working to secure increased funding for federal agencies that conduct or award grants for research, awareness, and other activities related to autism spectrum disorders. These agencies include the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Center for Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities (NCBDD) and the Department of Defense peer-reviewed Medical Research Program.
Funding for Epidemiological Research, Screening, and Awareness/Early Detection
Autism Speaks and other autism advocates worked to ensure that Congress appropriated adequate funding for the CDC's NCBDDD in fiscal year 2006. The NCBDDD funds grantees to conduct surveillance and epidemiological research related to autism and other developmental disabilities. In addition, the NCBDDD runs campaigns aimed at improving awareness of developmental disabilities among parents and physicians, and promotes state efforts to ensure early developmental screening. Compared to the cuts suffered by many programs in this year's appropriations bills, the NCBDDD's autism programs fared well, receiving an increase of $427,000 over last year's funding level, for a total of $15.3 million.
Funding for Biomedical Research
Autism Speaks and other autism advocates worked to ensure that the NIH received adequate funding and would appropriately address autism-related research. Congress does not specify funding amounts for NIH research into specific diseases, but indicates its priorities through language in reports accompanying its appropriations bills. The House and Senate reports both referred to the important autism research being undertaken and urged the various NIH institutes to continue this research.
Implementation of Programs
Autism Speaks is also working to ensure that federal agencies vigorously and efficiently pursue the autism-related activities with which they are charged. For example, Autism Speaks is a member of the NCBDDD "External Partners Group” and has a representative on the advisory board for the NCBDDD "Learn the Signs” awareness campaign. In addition, Autism Speaks representatives attend the bi-annual meeting of the Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee.
Addressing Insurance Coverage
Autism Speaks is pursuing public policy changes to make therapies for autism more accessible and affordable for families. For example, Autism Speaks was a cosponsor of a December 2005 Brookings Institution conference on autism treatment, Autism and Hope, and is working with the ABA Therapy Coverage Campaign to improve coverage for behavioral therapies under federal employees health benefits plans.
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