The Autism CARES (H.R. 7213) will be considered in the House Energy and Commerce Committee tomorrow morning. This committee has a very full agenda and will consider many pieces of legislation this month. Autism CARES won't be up for reauthorization for another five years. Please don't let them forget how important it is for autistic people who require lifetime, 24/7 care to be clearly provided for in the language of this bill this year.
If you live in the 5th and the 8th congressional districts, YOUR member of Congress sits on the House Energy and Commerce Committee. As a constituent, your voice is very important to them. Please take a moment to take action. You can then share your thoughts about why you care about people with profound autism in the space provided. Please share this with friends and neighbors who live in your area, as they are constituents, too.
The 5th congressional district encompasses the Eastern Washington counties of Ferry, Stevens, Pend Oreille, Lincoln, Spokane, Whitman, Walla Walla, Columbia, Garfield, and Asotin, along with parts of Adams and Franklin. It is centered on Spokane, the state's second largest city. It is currently represented in the U.S. House of Representatives by Cathy McMorris Rogers.
(Rep. McMorris Rogers can be emailed using this link)
The 8th congressional district is located in western Washington State. It includes the eastern portions of King, Pierce, and Snohomish counties, and crosses the Cascade mountains to include Chelan and Kittitas counties. The district's western part includes the exurban communities of Sammamish, Issaquah, and Maple Valley but does not include Seattle and Tacoma's more immediate suburbs. On its east side, the 8th's population centers include the rural communities Wenatchee, Leavenworth, and Ellensburg. It is currently represented in the U.S. House of Representatives by Dr. Kim Schrier.
(Dr. Kim Schrier can be emailed using this link. Pleaee also send the same letter to Dr. Andrew S karasick, MD, MBA, MPH, FACPM - Andrew.Karasick@Mail.House.gov at her DC office.)
If you're looking for suggestions for what to say, see below.
Subject line: Please strengthen the Autism CARES (H.R. 7213)
In 2023, the Centers for Disease Control reported that 26.7% of people with autism fall in the "profound autism" category. Unfortunately, this population is rarely included in clinical research. Only 6% of clinical studies include them. Additionally, the CDC reported that a significant number of black children and females have profound autism. These marginalized populations are further marginalized because of the type of autism that they have.
The reauthorization of Autism CARES is an opportunity to correct this. Please ensure that the language in the reauthorization clearly provides a path to research, support, and services for autistic people who require lifetime, 24/7 care.
This population cannot wait another five years. Your leadership on this issue is critical to me as a constituent.
Thank you for your consideration.
(Your name and address, this is how they know you are their constituent)