Smith’s Autism Bill Passes House Energy and Commerce Committee
Congressman Chris Smith
Bi-partisan legislation authored by Congressman Chris Smith (R-NJ4) that provides $260 million per year over five years to fund research into autism and that urges federal agencies to examine and anticipate needs for autistic children who are “aging out” of current programs and need different assistance as adults, the “Autism CARES (Combating Autism Authorization) Act”, HR 4631, passed the House Energy and Commerce Committee yesterday on a voice vote and is headed to the full House.
“My bill 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 Government Accountability Office (GAO) report on the efficacy of the services landscape,” said Smith who, along with the bill’s Democrat cosponsor Rep. Mike Doyle, founded and co-chairs the bipartisan Coalition on Autism Research and Education (C.A.R.E.). “The research authorized in this bill through the National Institutes of Health (NIH), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) is helping families better understand and assist children and adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).”
The CDC’s 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 ASD, the highest rate in the CDC study.
“My legislation includes a report from the HHS secretary on best practices for transitioning adolescents, which will be enhanced by another report by the GAO that provides critical input from state and local governments, the private sector and non-profits working with kids with ASD. These reports will beef up the government’s commitment to help individuals with ASD making the transition from a school-based support system to adulthood by studying the demographics and needs and encouraging independent living, equal opportunity, full participation, and economic self-sufficiency,” said Smith. One recent study stated:
“Employment is a ‘key component of passage into adulthood,’ but if young adults with autism miss out on this rite of passage, they risk transition into a world of social exclusion, financial hardship, and significantly decreased quality of life. On the positive side, there is evidence that specialize, supported employment programs can be very helpful in assisting young people into work and in improving quality of life and even cognitive performance. In the long term, such schemes can become cost neutral as young people cease to be dependent on benefits and begin to pay taxes”
“We need to do a better job of preparing children with ASD for adulthood and provide the help and services they need to reach their full potential,” said Smith.
Smith’s bill has 74 bipartisan cosponsors and support from Autism Speaks, the Autism Society, the Association of University Centers on Disabilities, and the American Academy of Pediatrics.
Smith’s landmark legislation in 2000—the Autism Statistics, Surveillance, Research and Epidemiology Act (Title I, P.L. 106-310)— created the first comprehensive federal program to combat autism. He is also the author of the 2011 law, The Combating Autism Reauthorization Act (CARA)— (now Public Law 112-32 enacted on September 30, 2011. CARA authorized autism-related programs for fiscal years 2012, 2013 and 2014 and included: $22 million for the Developmental Disabilities Surveillance and Research Program; $48 million for Autism Education, Early Detection, and Intervention, and; $161 million for hundreds of Research Grants at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and for the Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee. This new bill reauthorizes these programs for several years.
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This is where government needs to “help those that can not help themselves,” not providing welfare for illegals and those that choose not to work.
Stop a lot of the later and we have more money for things like this, and maybe find a cure.
OMG what a phony Smith feels woman do not deserved full and equal rights.
Every women has a right to an abortion.
Roe v. Wade is settled. It’s just that most taxpayers don’t want to pay for it out of our pockets.
By the way, you do know there have been 40 million abortions since Roe v. Wade, don’t you?
Enough with the trolling and hateful flame throwing. If you want to have an intelligent conversation, I’ll be glad to do so. But stop with the moronic comments.
Jim Granelli.
By the way Jim do you know Smith voted to Reduce person for Veterans.Voted to END Madicare and reduce Medicaid. And does he live in New Jersey? NO.
When you can write and spell correctly, I will answer you. But, I will give you a hint which way it will go.
Obama gutted 500 BILLION from Medicare, OK?
Jim G.
More lies coming from a bitter old man.The people in your own party in Neptune want nothing to do with you and the DEM think you are a joke.
You want to make a personal attack?
Have the guts to put your name to it, otherwise you are nothing but a coward.
As to the people in Neptune, YOU brought it up but I wasn’t going to say anything about Neptune till this fall.
I haven’t had much to do with them for a few years; but they sure keep on losing.
0 & 8 now, losing elections worse than ever. So, maybe I consider it a blessing right now that they don’t want anything to do with them.
As to the Dems, you talk with Randy Bishop & Eric Houghteling and I think they will tell you otherwise. Go ahead, I dare you, moron.
You see, I don’t do BS from the likes of you because you are nothing but a two bit, lowly and cowardly POS. And, when presented with cowardly crap like you posted, I am proud to stomp on people like you.
What a horses arse you are. Actually, I suspect you are bill, just changed your name.
Jim Granelli
Still crying and name calling What a ASS you are and always will be.Big talk coming from a old fat man.
Who exactly started with the name calling?
BTW, did you contact Randy & Eric yet, they are Democrats you know. Of course you wouldn’t because it would prove you wrong.
Your problem is that I called you out on an ISSUE above, with facts. And YOU couldn’t handle it. And, like most liberals today, you resorted to a personal attack, demonizing someone that you really do not know. You borrow out of Alyinski’s Rules For Radicals
http://www.bestofbeck.com/wp/activism/saul-alinskys-12-rules-for-radicals
You seem to specialize in Rules # 11 & #12
I have to ask you, “what do you do when the demons come out from under your bed at night?”
You know, hate just eats you up and kills you. Me, I’m a happy guy, really happy guy.
Now, if you got something to say to me; have the guts to come to my house and say it instead of embarrassing yourself in public.
I’ll be happy to get you the address. Really, we’ll have a beer summit. I’ll even buy the beer. Seriously, a peaceful sit down and discussion of your charges.
And, you will find out how wrong you are.
But of course, you wouldn’t dare take me up on that because you’ll find out how wrong you are. Because, “It’s impossible to have an honest debate with a liberal.”
So “who’s talking the big talk,” from behind the safety of a computer screen?
http://canadafreepress.com/index.php/article/60255#.Us7jMPtKL-t
Now, I got more important things to deal with and friends to go visit than engaging in a pissing match with someone who is a hater.
Your a very sad old man.You have so much hate you can’t see it.But your great at blaming name calling what a sad joke you are.No guts jim that what you are call in Neptune.
It is quite ironic that you begin calling somebody names unprovoked, then accuse them of being full of hate.
My favorite quote:
“You have enemies? Good. That means you’ve stood up for something, sometime in your life.”
― Winston Churchill
That said, I have no problem torquing liberals with the facts. Because liberalism is destroying this country.
And, it kind of makes their head explode like the Martians in Mars Attacks; to the point where you have to turn to hate.
Now, go open up the mail in your Facebook “Other” email folder. You see, I know more about who you are because I have a lot of friends who know you too.
Nothing was “gutted” from Medicare. The ACA (just like the Ryan Budget) controls the future costs by $700 billion over the next ten years. The savings mostly come from health-care providers, not Medicare beneficiaries who, as a result of the health-care law, ended up with new benefits for preventive care and prescription drugs.
@Bob English
That’s not true. My mother was hospitalized for a devestating illness just as Obamacare was kicking in, and I can tell you from first hand experience, that Medicare has been royally screwed up because of Obamacare. Every surgeon and doctor who treated her, right down to her primary care physician, told us that the new health care law brought such bizarre regulations and cuts to Medicare, that it has made it very difficult for elderly recipients to get the care they’re due. We’re fortunate these good men and women have worked hard for us to get her through the process, but it’s been a nightmare and it’s not over. It’s heart breaking to watch her go through this now, on top of her illness.
The damage to the Medicare program is very, very real. Talk to anyone who has an elderly loved one in the hospital or nursing care system right now. Don’t close your eyes to it.
I second your comment based on my visit to my doctor the other day.
Mediscare payments are cut and paperwork has increased. Doctors are very frustrated to the point where my doctor sold out to a large health institution in order to be able to afford to see his regular patients and make a living.
Instead of owning his own business, he now works for a company that can absorb the “losses.”
This is the trend.
Smith voted to END Medicare as we know it and substitute in its place a voucher program. Smith voted to CUT billions from Medicaid.Nursing homes will not be getting funding necessary to cover their occupants.Fortunately the Democrats control the Senate and The Ryan Budget will never become law.However Smith DID vote in 2010 2012 2014 FOR the Ryan Budget.
It’s great to see the government backing the autism community. To stay up to date on the insurance legislation in your state, I invite you to visit http://NationalAutismNetwork.com/legislation/state-initiatives/state-insurance-reform-initiatives.html where information is updated daily. National Autism Network is the largest online resource for the autism community providing the only HIPAA Secure Social Network, provider directory, expert written content, autism news updated daily and resources. Register for FREE and access thousands of resources.
It’s great to see the government backing the autism community. To stay up to date on the insurance legislation in your state, I invite you to visit http://NationalAutismNetwork.com/legislation/state-initiatives/state-insurance-reform-initiatives.html where information is updated daily. National Autism Network is the largest online resource for the autism community providing the only HIPAA Secure Social Network, provider directory, expert written content, autism news updated daily and resources. Register today for FREE and access thousands of resources.
Anytime a politician tries to responsibly reduce a gov’t program or cut spending, they are vilified. That’s why the dem’s are constantly increasing gov’t programs and handouts. The only reason obamacare was passed was so the dems have an issue to run on. “the R’s want to take away your helthcare”. If you cut welfare you’re against the poor…etc. That’s why we’re in the rat hole we’re in.
Kudo’s to Congressman Chris Smith for his tireless efforts trying to help the special needs community. He has been an advocate for many years now and though there is fault in the system he and others have tried to bridge the gap of this woefully inadequate system.
Having a special needs son who is going to be 20 my family has lived the trials of dealing with a government system so broken that the people working in it beg for help so they can do more. My son is still 10 years out on the priority list for DDD and has been in a group home and facility for over 3 years. How sad is that when those that are truly in need are left behind in a society that likes to say we are the greatest country in the world. We are but we are lacking.
I thank God for elected officials like Chris Smith who work tirelessly to do the right thing for many. What America lacks is not enough of men and woman like him in elected office!!
Amen
Jim G.