Members return to DC this week to begin a busy month of work around gun reform legislation, budget and appropriations, and reauthorization deadlines.
Action Steps:
Send your members a thank you for being accessible and active in your districts.
Reach out to your members to remind them of the important work your centers do in their state keeping disability issues a priority.
Autism CARES
The Autism CARES Act - which has expanded research and coordination, increased public awareness and surveillance, and expanded interdisciplinary health professional training, including LENDs, to identify and support children and youth with Autism and their families - will sunset (expire) on September 30, 2019, without a successful reauthorization. HR. 1058, which reauthorizes CARES for five years, passed the House on Wednesday July 24, 2019. S. 427 did not pass the Senate before adjourning for the August Recess.
Action Steps:
Sample Tweet: #AutismCARES provides critically needed research, #LEND training, and system improvement for families with #autism and related #disabilities. (Insert Twitter Handle of your Senator), support the passage of this important legislation before it expires Sept 30! @AUCDNews
Movement and negotiations continue in the Senate HELP Committee. Reach out to our Senators to offer the impact of CARES in their state.
Budget and Appropriations
Federal fiscal year 2020 starts on October 1st. This leaves Congress a few weeks to pass funding bills or pass a short-term continuing resolution to extend current spending levels. The House has passed 10 of its 12 annual funding bills, but the Senate hasn't passed any as they waited for congressional leaders to strike a two-year budget deal. The Senate Appropriations Committee is expected to start voting on legislation this week, and will hopefully fund a large part of the government by combining spending bills for the Pentagon, Labor, Education and Health and Human Services, and potentially energy and water development funding. After the Senate passes their versions of appropriation bills, they still need to work out a broader agreement with the House.
Share with your members the importance of UCEDD, LEND, and PNS appropriations.
Mental Health & Gun Violence
Senate Judiciary, HELP, and Homeland Security Committees are all considering legislation that could harm disability civil rights and stigmatize people with disabilities. Creating registries with mental health as an indicator or reopening institutions have both been proposed policies to address gun violence. The disability community has been actively engaged and expect movement in September on this.
Action Steps:
Learn more about this from our friends from the Bazelon Center: Statement & Review
This Thursday, Sept. 12, Houston will host the next round of the Democratic presidential debate. The following includes candidates who qualified and statements made about disability priority issues shared in last week's InBrief.
Tuesdays With Liz: Chris Smith Explains the 'Sunset Provision' and Talks Advocacy
Congressman Chris Smith provides an overview of what a 'sunset provision' is and how it relates to the Autism CARES Act. He also shares with Liz why the advocacy she and other disability advocates do is so important in helping ensure disability issues and policy receive attention in the halls of Congress.
Share your voice in support of Autism CARES 2019. Call the Capitol Switchboard (202) 224 3121 to ask your Representative to support re-authorization via HR 1058 and both of your Senators to support re-authorization via S 427.
A network of interdisciplinary centers advancing policy and practice for and with individuals with developmental and other disabilities, their families, and communities.
