Congress approved a short-term extension of the Autism CARES Act ensuring that programs operating under the law will continue through December. (think stock)
Lawmakers approved a short-term extension of the nation’s primary autism law, but the path to renewing the measure, which includes nearly $2 billion for developmental disabilities, could be more difficult than expected.
Disability advocates have been lobbying Congress for months to renew the law known as the Autism Collaboration, Accountability, Research, Education and Support Act, or Autism CARES Act, before it expired at the end of September. The U.S. House of Representatives voted to renew the measure, but the Senate did not act.
However, rather than let the law expire, Congress included an extension of the Autism CARES Act in a sweeping short-term spending bill enacted last week to avoid a government shutdown. The measure will maintain funding for federal programs, including those authorized by the Autism CARES Act, through December 20.
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Now, further consideration of the autism law is expected to wait until Congress reconvenes after the November elections, and it’s unclear how things will play out then.
Disability advocates say Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., and possibly another senator have put the autism bill on hold. A hold gives lawmakers the opportunity to prevent a vote while they discuss their problems with a particular law.
It is not known what concerns prompted the Senate suspension, and Paul’s representatives did not respond to questions about the matter.
“We are concerned about the suspensions and hope they can be overcome when the Senate returns in November,” said Kim Musheno, vice president of public policy at the Autism Society of America. “Of course we wish it had passed before the Senate recess; However, the law has such strong and overwhelming bipartisan support that I believe it will ultimately prevail.”
The version of the Autism CARES Act that passed the House last month would allocate more than $1.95 billion over the next five years for autism-related research, prevalence tracking, screening, professional training and other government activities.
In addition to expanding many provisions of the existing Autism CARES Act, the new bill would direct the National Institutes of Health to ensure that research reflects the full range of cognitive, communicative, behavioral, and adaptive functioning needs of those in the spectrum. The legislation calls for an increase in the number of NIH Centers of Excellence, would require the NIH to produce an annual budget plan for autism research, and includes efforts to promote the adoption of assisted communication.
What’s more, the bill would require a government report on ways to increase the number of developmental behavioral pediatricians and another looking at the aging of out-of-school youth.
Looking ahead, advocates say they are working to ensure that the law, which enjoys broad bipartisan support, does not hit further hurdles later this year.
“While the Senate’s early adjournment includes a temporary extension of programs under the Autism CARES Act that protects the autistic community from the disruption of essential initiatives, if 1 in 36 autistic children and 1 in 45 adults in the U.S. The U.S. will continue to receive care and support for a diverse range of evolving needs depends on what happens when the Senate reconvenes in November,” said Stuart Spielman, senior vice president of advocacy at Autism Speaks. on autism around developmental disabilities surveillance and research; autism training, early detection and intervention; and the Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee has not expired, but now is the time for advocates to make their voices heard by encouraging their senators to secure the Autism CARES Act before its new expiration date in December.”
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