Congressman Barton is working to improve research and increase funding at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the primary research arm of the federal government. The work done at the NIH helps combat a multitude of disorders and diseases, including autism, cancer, diabetes, paralysis, heart disease, and stroke.
The NIH bill passed the House by a vote of 414-2 on September 26. In August, the Senate passed a separate bill titled “The Combating Autism Act.” While the Senate-passed bill focuses solely on autism, the House bill would strengthen lifesaving research into several disorders and diseases affecting American families.
Congressman Barton wants to find the most optimum legislative solution for combating autism. He supports a majority of the provisions in the Senate-passed autism bill, including those to increase and intensify autism-related activities at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), funding for education into the warning signs of autism, and promotion of early screening. At the same time, Congressman Barton wants to ensure that any changes are made in concert with efforts to improve research into a myriad of diseases. In September, he proposed an autism-specific bill that would compliment the work being done to improve the NIH. To see a side-by-side comparison of the Senate bill with the Barton Compromise, click here.
Autism advocacy groups have lent their support to the House-passed NIH bill. To see their letter of support, click here. Congressman Barton is continuing to work with the Senate to see that legislation to best improve research into autism becomes law.
For more information on the House-passed NIH reauthorization legislation, click here.To see the bill in its entirety and read about it further, click here.
Read a recent letter to the editor on this issue by clicking here.
Learn what the biomedical research community says about the NIH legislation by clicking here.
