Chris Smith Champion of children with autism

...here is the truth.. Smith to Be Honored as ‘Congressional Autism Hero’ by Top Autism Group Smith's enacted laws help advance fight against widepread disability that impacts 1-in-88 American kids f t # e Washington, Apr 25, 2013 | Jeff Sagnip ((202) 225-3765) One of the leading autism groups in the world will honor Congressman Chris Smith (NJ-04)—the author of key enacted laws to combat autism and co-Chairman of the Congressional Coalition on Autism Research and Education (C.A.R.E.)—at a event tonight sponsored by Autism Speaks in the nation’s capital. “The toll of autism in terms of its impact on the life of a child and a family is tremendous,” said Smith, author of the Combating Autism Reauthorization Act, Public Law 112-32, signed into law in September 2011. “We must seek ways for early diagnosis, effective treatment and even hope for a cure someday. There is so much more work to do, but I am especially honored to receive this recognition during National Autism Month.” Smith’s landmark legislation enacted in 2000—the Autism Statistics, Surveillance, Research and Epidemiology Act (Title I, P.L. 106-310) created the first comprehensive federal program to combat autism. In 2011, another piece of legislation he authored, The Combating Autism Reauthorization Act (CARA),” now Public Law 112-32, was enacted and will provide $693 million to continue federal programs through 2014.