[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 154 (2008), Part 12] [Senate] [Page 16694] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]AUTISM Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, as a Senator, I often meet with constituents about their concerns. I hear a lot of stories about their lives. No story is more compelling than that of a parent looking for help for their sick child. My office receives hundreds of letters and phone calls each year from Illinoisans asking Congress to do something to help with the burden that autism brings, and we are hearing from more families every year. Two years ago, I heard from one woman whose story reflects the experience of so many families. Ellen wrote to let me know that her son's autism was a constant source of worry for her. She loves her son. At the same time, she worries that her son's siblings carry a genetic tendency for autism and that their own hopes for marriage and children are tainted with concerns about this genetic tendency. She worries that one day, her other son will have to bear the strain of raising a child who is affected by autism. Ellen writes, ``As much as we love our son, we would give anything to have him be `typical.' He will always require supervision and assistance. He is the great passion of my life and also a very great burden.'' Autism has become the fastest-growing developmental disability in America. In the past decade, the State of Illinois has seen a 353 percent increase in the number of children diagnosed with autism. Today, one out of every 150 children born will eventually be diagnosed with some form of autism. When a family has to hear that their child, sibling, or loved one is diagnosed with autism, there are a number of questions that immediately arise. Is there a cure? What caused this? Where do we seek help? How will this affect our family financially? Parents are searching for answers, and through medical and public health research, we can further our understanding of the challenges families are facing. During the 109th Congress, I was a cosponsor of the Combating Autism Act, which the President signed into law in December 2006. The new law calls on the Federal Government to increase research into the causes and treatment of autism, and to improve training and support for individuals with autism and their caretakers. The law will help millions of Americans whose lives are affected by autism and will begin to give us answers to outstanding questions related to an individual's diagnosis. But more importantly, the new law demonstrates the commitment of Congress to delve deeper into this critically important issue for millions of families. Recently, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention launched the Study to Explore Early Development--a study primarily focused on the causes of autism spectrum disorders related to genetic and environmental factors. This study is the first to comprehensively look for causes of autism with over 2,700 families involved. In addition to looking into the causes of autism, we are working to improve the quality of life for those living with autism today. I am proud to cosponsor the Expanding the Promise for Individuals with Autism Act. This bill would expand access to treatment, interventions, and support services for people with autism. All families living with autism do not have the ability to access services like those offered at the Hope School in Illinois. Through committed staff and a community- based treatment approach, the Hope School makes every day a little better for kids living with autism. This bill would help replicate resources like the Hope School in other States to better serve the autism community. And Illinois has gone further to help families in need of financial assistance. Because the cost of autism-related services is so overwhelming, both the Illinois General Assembly and the Illinois State Senate have passed legislation requiring health plans to provide coverage for the diagnosis and treatment of autism. Like many other States throughout the country, Illinois is responding to the voices of 26,000 children saying their families need help. Last week, the Director of the NIH, Dr. Elias Zerhouni, testified before the Labor-HHS Appropriations Subcommittee. During the hearing, I asked him to tell us what the NIH is doing with regard to research on autism. He discussed recent findings related to potential genetic links, which may help target the search for the causes of autism. For the sake of the millions of people living with autism and the families and friends who love them, we in Congress have to do our part by funding the NIH so that the research community can proceed quickly to unlock the mysteries surrounding this terrible disorder. ____________________