Legislative History
The bill was introduced in the Senate by Senators Rick Santorum, R-PA and Christopher Dodd, D-CT and passed the upper chamber unanimously in August 2006.
The House version, H.R. 2421, was introduced by Congresswomen Mary Bono, R-CA and Diana DeGette, D-CO and was passed by the lower chamber on December 6, 2006. The House version differed slightly from the Senate version, directing funds for research to the Secretary of Health and Human Services, rather than directly to the National Institutes of Health.
"By passing this landmark single-disease legislation, the House has recognized the daily plight of the thousands of families struggling every day with autism, and has once and for all acknowledged autism as a national healthcare crisis," said Bob Wright, co-founder of Autism Speaks and chairman and CEO of NBC Universal.
The House passed a version that would grant more authority to scientists to determine research priorities, whereas the Senate's original measure would have included funds for expansion of research into the causes of autism. The revised bill, ultimately approved by the Senate, did not include the provisions that would have specified funding for investigating possible environmental causes.
"This bill is a federal declaration of war on the epidemic of autism", said Jon Shestack, co-founder of Cure Autism Now. "It creates a congressionally mandated roadmap for a federal assault on autism, including requirements for strategic planning, budget transparency, Congressional oversight, and a substantial role for parents of children with autism in the federal decision-making process."
Until early December 2006, House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Joe Barton (R-Texas) refused to release the Combating Autism Act from his committee for consideration by the full House of Representatives during the session.
Read more about this topic: Combating Autism Act
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