On Friday, President Obama signed legislation renewing the landmark Combating Autism Act, on the very day it was set to expire. This act provides funding for research, educational services and treatment for people affected by Autism. Credit for the bipartisan support of the bill can be at least partially attributed to the numerous families and advocates who petitioned their representatives in Washington to renew the Act.
The reauthorization Obama signed calls for $231 million annually through 2014 to fund everything from autism research to prevalence tracking, education, early identification and intervention programs.
It’s virtually identical to the original law first enacted in 2006.
Obama signed the bill during a closed-door gathering in the Oval Office surrounded by just eight others including representatives of disability organizations, family members of people with autism and the act’s sponsor, Rep. Chris Smith, R-N.J., according to Scott Badesch, president and COO of the Autism Society, who was at the event.
Without the president’s signature on Friday, the autism law would have expired, a move that would have jeopardized many of the research programs and other initiatives that the act provides for, supporters said.
“It’s very exciting that autism research will be able to continue without interruption,” said Peter Bell, executive vice president at Autism Speaks, which lobbied heavily for the bill. “This is a significant relief within the research community.”
Despite strong bipartisan support, the law’s fate remained uncertain as recent as early this week. A group of Republican senators had placed a hold on the measure, before abruptly agreeing to allow the bill to be voted on late Monday night just before the Senate left for a nearly week-long break.
Even among autism advocates, there were some misgivings about the reauthorization of the autism act from the start. Self-advocates with the Autistic Self Advocacy Network criticized the measure for failing to address the needs of adults and for allocating too little toward services for people currently living with the developmental disorder.
Supporters of the measure, however, argued that the legislation was realistic given the current political climate.
The law continues the federal government’s commitment to autism research, services and treatment, providing $693 million over the next three years. Since its 2006 debut, when the original law was enacted, numerous scientific advances have been made in determining possible causes of Autism, from genetic to environmental links, as well as investing money into early intervention education and therapies. By signing the Combating Autism Reauthorization Act into law, the President has established the federal government’s commitment to consistent Autism research and education.
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