Washington – Congress voted Thursday to significantly increase federal funding for research into identifying the cause of autism, now diagnosed in one in 166 children.
The Senate, acting a day after House passage, approved by voice legislation that authorizes $945 million over five years for autism research, screening and treatment. The bill, which goes to the president for his signature, would increase federal funding for autism studies by 50 percent.
The legislation provides the National Institute of Health with a list of possible research areas related to autism spectrum disorder, including an examination of whether the alarming increase in autism diagnoses is caused by environmental factors.
“With 1.5 million cases of autism in the United States alone, this epidemic is finally beginning to receive the level of federal attention and assistance it rightly deserves,” said Rep. Mary Bono, R-Calif., one of the House sponsors.
In the Senate, the bill was introduced in April 2005 by Sen.Christopher Dodd, D-Conn., and Sen. Rick Santorum, R-Pa. It will probably be the last major piece of legislation sponsored by Santorum, who was defeated in the midterm election.
“The passage of this landmark single-disease legislation signals the federal government’s declaration of war on the epidemic of autism,” said Jon Shestack, co-founder of the nonprofit Cure Autism Now.
