Current Issues and Legislation

The Global Autism Assistance Act
In February 2008, a bi-partisan group of legislators joined Congressmen Doyle and Smith in introducing the Global Autism Assistance Act, H.R. 5446. This bill, which is supported by the Autism Society of America, the nation’s leading grassroots autism organization, and Autism Speaks, the world's largest autism advocacy organization, is designed to fund programs to combat autism in the developing world.

As introduced, the bill authorizes $10 million over three years for service providers and advocacy groups for autistic children specifically in countries with weak healthcare infrastructure. H.R. 5446 will fund small grants to raise autism awareness and create new ways to share American expertise and advancements in the diagnoses and treatment of autism with families and medical professionals in countries that have yet to focus on the worldwide increase in the prevalence of autism.

To implement the new program, H.R. 5446 mandates that the US Agency for International Development (USAID) partner with autism advocacy groups to select a non-governmental organization (NGO) that will oversee and implement programs in two pilot regions in the developing world. Local service providers or advocacy groups involved with autism will be able to apply for grants in the following categories: a) education and outreach; b) support to families; c) support to educational institutions; and d) support to clinics and medical centers.

The grant awards and additional performance assessments will also be overseen by a project advisory board made up of at least seven members including a teacher, a medical professional, two parents of children with autism, and someone who has autism him or herself.

H.R. 5446 also establishes a “teach the teachers” program in which qualified US specialists would train education and health professionals working with children with autism in the developing world. The program would host multiple workshops to enable American education, medical, and psychological specialists to share their expertise with parents and health and education professionals in the program’s pilot regions. This is designed to help create a new corps of professionals in the pilot regions who can then fan out and help others further their autism assistance programs on their own.

Expanding the Promise for Individuals with Autism Act
On April 17, 2007, Congressmen Mike Doyle, Chris Smith, Eliot Engel, and Chip Pickering introduced H.R. 1881, the Expanding the Promise for Individuals with Autism Act.  This legislation would authorize $350 million over five years to improve and increase services provided to individuals with autism, including adults with autism.  Similar legislation (S. 937) has been introduced in the Senate by Senators Hillary Rodham Clinton and Wayne Allard.  Enactment of this legislation is the top priority of the Coalitions on Autism Research and Education in the current Congress.

Combating Autism Act
In December of 2006, both the Senate and the House of Representatives passed S. 843, the Combating Autism Act and the President signed it into law on December 19, 2006.  This legislation authorizes $860 million through 2011 in federal funding for autism-related research.

Specifically, the Combating Autism Act provides funding for research and diagnostics related to autism spectrum disorder, early identification of autism, and promotes early intervention.  It also establishes a state-level clearing house for information on autism.  This bill will provide some much-needed assistance to the 1.5 millions Americans living with autism today, although much work needs to be done.

Defense Appropriations
On September 29, 2006, the President signed the FY07 Defense Appropriations bill into law.  For the first time, the Defense Appropriations bill included funds specified for autism related research. 

The $7.5 million, allotted under the Army’s Research, Development, Education, and Training Center, will support research on autism spectrum disorders in the military, but the findings will also apply to the broader autism community as well.