CARA WINS FINAL APPROVAL IN THE SENATE!NEW YORK, N.Y. (September 26, 2011) – The United States Senate this evening passed the Combating Autism Reauthorization Act of 2011 by unanimous consent, sending the bill to President Obama for his signature. Enactment of the bill, which the President has promised, will assure that federal support for autism, research, services and treatment will continue uninterrupted for another three years.
CARA would authorize a total of $693 million on continued biomedical and treatment research on autism and require further development of an overall strategic plan for the intensification, expansion and better coordination of federal efforts designed to help persons with autism and their families. The fight for CARA in the Senate has been led by Senators Robert Menendez (D-NJ) and Mike Enzi (R-WY).
CARA renews the Combating Autism Act which was signed into law on December 19, 2006 by President George Bush following a nearly unanimous Congressional vote. The CAA made a clear statement by the U.S. government on the public health emergency posed by the growing prevalence of ASDs, and the lack of adequate research, effective treatments, and services to address this urgent and growing crisis.
The bill was unanimously voted out of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee on September 7 and had been awaiting final Senate action. Recognizing the short time left for Congress to act, House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-VA) last week agreed to expedite a vote in the House where the bill cleared by two-thirds voice vote. The measure, HR.2005, sponsored by Representatives Chris Smith (R-NJ) and Mike Doyle (D-PA), attracted strong bipartisan support in both houses of Congress and was originally sponsored in the Senate by Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ) and Senator Mike Enzi (R-WY).
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