The bill reauthorizing the Combating Autism Act for another three years was signed into law today by President Obama. This bill will provide 693 million dollars over the next three years for funding research, surveillance, and education activities related to autism.
If you are interested, there is more information about the history of the re-authorization under both the initial Senate bill S.1094 and the final House bill H.R.2005 that was passed into law. There is also a breakdown of the costs provided by the Congressional Budget Office.
The text of what the Combating Autism Act is available here. If you aren't familiar with what the Combating Autism Act is and isn't, you might want to take the five minutes to read what it is meant to accomplish
On a slightly infantile note, I would like thank the Autistic Self Advocacy Network (ASAN) for their hard work in opposing this important legislation. Their misunderstanding and misrepresentation of this bill came to nothing and the bill was passed in spite of their objections.
So to ASAN I would just like to say.
Nana-nana boo-boo
P.S. Yes, I understand that services and supports for adults with autism are an ever increasing and urgent need. But did ASAN really have to campaign against badly needed research into the nature of autism and educational services for children? Whose needs do you think that ASAN is advocating for because it sure isn't the needs of the majority of people with autism.
ASAN's opposition to the combating autism act is not entirely relevant because Ari Ne'eman gets to sit on the IACC and help direct government policy on autism research the CAA authorizes. Also, rumor has it that John Robison will become the newest public member, so people who rarely care about doing something about this disorder it is irrelevant that this law was passed against ASAN's objections.
ReplyDeleteI share jonathan's concerns about the role of ASAN, Ne'eman and Robison. In my humble opinion these are self advocates but they are not autism self advocates. They do not help autistic people.
ReplyDeleteI am happy though to see CARA signed into law. Despite all the obstacles faced by autism research in the US, the US still leads the world in real autism research. If there is hope for autistic children and adults it is because of the US.
Harold Doherty, Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada
This money was wasted on useless research and the same thing will happen again. We had all the research we needed ten years ago. All we need is for our corrupt government to tell the truth.
ReplyDeleteI certainly hope that Robison isn't appointed to the IACC. If he is then we might end up with the CDC distributing Autism Talk TV...
ReplyDeleteYes, very good point, Robison was not above asking autism speaks for funds for his own personal use for autism talk TV, I'm sure he is not above asking for taxpayer money either, and knowing the government it would not surprise me if they not only distributed but funded autism talk TV at his request.
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