Autism Society of America's 50th Year Celebration

Floor Speech

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Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to call attention to the Autism Society of America's 50th Year Celebration and commemorate the organization on five decades of extraordinary service and effective advocacy on behalf of the autism community.

In 1964, concerned parents of children with autism--including Ruth Sullivan, Dr. Bernie Rimand and Dan Torisky--joined together to form what is now called the Autism Society of America. Continuing to implement the vision of its founders, the Society today is a grassroots organization that ensures parents have quality options and the supports necessary for their child to live and prosper in our communities.

The Autism Society of America and its 104 local and state affiliates work towards one goal: to help each individual with autism maximize his or her quality of life.

Having worked with the Society's remarkable president Scott Badesch--a tenacious and wise leader--I can attest to the dedication and commitment of the organization's leadership, and its staff and volunteers. Each person who comes to the Autism Society gains the knowledge that accompanies 50 years of experience to help ensure a life of dignity, respect and opportunity.

The organization has played a critical role in the enactment of many landmark pieces of legislation for individuals with disabilities--including the three laws I have written that provide federal resources for research, services and supports for children and adults with autism.

Today, the Society's mission and work has never been more important or more timely. We as a nation are in the midst of a huge yet largely invisible crisis that begs serious focus and durable remedies.

I am referring to the aging out crisis.

Every year, 50,000 young people on the autism spectrum matriculate into adulthood and are in the process of losing essential services. Individuals with autism in the aging out generation and their parents find themselves entering into a system unprepared to meet their needs, and one that disincentivizes the opportunity and independence the Society has worked to achieve.

With the strong support and hard work of the Society, last Congress, we enacted my Autism CARES Act which calls for an agency report that lays the foundation for better addressing the aging out crisis.

The Society provided extremely valuable input into my legislation, now P.L. 113-157, which authorizes $1.3 billion over five years to continue the critical pipeline of federal research dollars, and was the first piece of enacted legislation to address aging out. The Autism CARES Act tasked multiple Federal agencies to provide a comprehensive study on the needs of autistic young adults and transitioning youth and how they can better shape policies and programs to meet these needs.

This important law--like so many critical policy changes over the past 50 years--would not have been possible without the Autism Society of America.

I am so proud of and deeply grateful for the work of all of the volunteers and staff of the Autism Society of America and their affiliates. Thank you for your hard work and daily commitment to improving the lives of individuals with autism.

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