WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Representative Chris Smith (R-NJ) was honored with an award today by the Autism Society of America for his legislative work to increase efforts that will help lead to a cure for autism, which includes authoring laws to increase research so that effective treatment and prevention strategies can be implemented.

             “I am truly grateful for this award.  The Autism Association of America is among the leading grassroots organizations that help children and families with autism.  Many of our efforts to expand federal autism surveillance and research programs would not have come to fruition without their hard work,” said Smith.

            Lee Grossman, President of the Autism Society of America, presented the award to Smith. 

“The Autism Society of America honors Congressman Chris Smith for pioneering legislation and nationwide leadership in commitment and service to the autism community.  However, that is an understatement.  He has been the champion for us on the Hill,” Grossman said during the award presentation.

            Autism is a complex developmental disability that affects the normal functioning of the brain, which results in developmental problems that hold back an afflicted individual’s ability to interact socially and limits the individual’s communication skills.  There has been a steep increase in autism rates in the US.  Just 10 years ago the rate was 1 in 500.  The most recent prevalent data indicates that 1 in 166 children have an autism spectrum disorder with an estimated total of 1.77 million families nationwide affected by autism. 

            Rep. Chris Smith’s Legislative Work on Autism Includes:

·        As a leading proponent of autism research in Congress, Smith has pushed for significant increases in funding to expand federal autism research and awareness programs by nearly 10 times the amount it was in the mid-1990’s.  In 1995, NIH invested about $10.5 million into autism research.  The estimated budget for autism research in FY06 is nearly 10 times that amount - $102 million.  At the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), autism funding has increased from $287,000 in 1995 to an estimated $15.1 million in 2006. 

·        Smith authored a provision in Title I of the Children’s Health Act (PL 106-310) which creates the Centers of Excellence in Autism and Pervasive Developmental Disabilities Epidemiology.  This provision of the law established not less than three regional centers of excellence to collect and analyze information on incidences and causes of autism and related developmental disabilities.

·        Smith authored a provision included in the Fiscal Year 2007 Department of Defense (DoD) Appropriations Bill (H.R. 5631) that allocates $7.5 million into an Army research account for the sole purpose of improving treatment and intervention of children with autism.  Research directed by the Army program will not only help the approximately 12,000 military children currently affected by autism, but will also benefit the general autism population as new findings and techniques will be shared with the medical, educational, healthcare and service professionals who serve the needs of the autism community both within the DoD and beyond.

·        Smith included two autism provisions in his Foreign Relations Authorization Act, Fiscal Years 2006 and 2007 (H.R. 2601).  One provision directs the Secretary of State to conduct a study of the prevalence of autism among foreign service dependents, as well as the services available to those children. The second provision asks the Secretary to work with UNICEF to provide for a study of the incidence of autism worldwide.  There have been no comprehensive studies of the worldwide incidence of autism.

·        Smith authored the Teacher Education for Autistic Children Act of 2005 (H.R. 4059), which amends the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) to require assisted local educational agencies to report on autism early intervention activities and personnel training.  This bill requires the Secretary of Education to award grants or contracts to develop an outreach plan for underserved populations to provide early screening and diagnosis for neurodevelopmental delays and directs the Secretary to expand the loan forgiveness program for teachers of autistic children, among other provisions. 

·        Smith is Co-Founder and Co-Chairman of the Coalition for Autism Research and Education (CARE). This caucus currently includes 181 Members of the House and Senate who push for legislation to help families with autistic children and to promote legislation to increase autism research and awareness funding.

·        Smith led the fight to get the CDC and NIH to document incidents of autism in New Jersey.