Different Views on Autism CARES
From Autism Speaks:
The Consortium of Citizens with Disabilities (CCD), a coalition of 110 national disabilities organizations, has announced its support for Autism CARES, the amended version of legislation before Congress that would preserve federal funding for autism activites over the next five years. The bill has been introduced in the Senate while the House version has already cleared committee and is headed to a floor vote with 79 co-sponsors.
"CCD supports this compromise bill and urges the House and Senate to move the bill forward quickly and not let this law expire," the consortium announced in a statement issued by its Autism Task Force co-chairs from The Arc, Autism Speaks, the National Disability Rights Coalition, the Association of University Centers on Disabilities, and the National Respite Coalition.
From The Age of Autism:
Autism research way to [sic] little, and misdirected
Please contact your member of the House of Representatives in Washington, DC and ask him or her to reject House Resolution HR. 4631 and Senate Bill S. 2449, the reauthorization (refunding) of the former Combating Autism Act. In a truly bizarre move the bill has been renamed the Autism CARES (Collaboration, Accountability , Research, Education and Support) Act. This was done to placate the people who think that there is nothing wrong with autism and that we should not look for the causes, treatments and possible cures for autism.
From the Autistic Self-Advocacy Network:
ASAN is pleased to note that both the Senate and House re-authorization bills have abandoned the title “Combating Autism Act”. For the first time in eight years, the federal government will no longer be in the business of “combating autism”. We applaud the bill sponsors for hearing the concerns of autistic people and our families with respect to the title of the legislation. Unfortunately, the content of the new Autism CARES Act does not include critical provisions necessary to advancing quality of life for autistic people and our families. Despite productive and ongoing dialogue with the legislative sponsors, lobbying from outside groups prevented the inclusion of provisions focused on expanding employment opportunities for autistic adults, increasing the representation of self-advocates in the research process, opening up funding streams to services and adult research and placing greater emphasis on underserved communities, such as racial and ethnic minority groups, women and girls and adults on the autism spectrum.
