The Autism Collaboration, Accountability, Research, Education and Support (CARES) Act of 2019 reauthorizes and expands the provisions first introduced in the Combating Autism Act of 2006. The Autism CARES Act ensures support for research, services, prevalence tracking, and other government activities. The new legislation increases the annual authorized federal spending on autism efforts to $369.7 million through 2024. New provisions expand the focus of government activities to include the entire lifespan of people on the autism spectrum and require a report to Congress on health and well-being. This legislation also reauthorizes and expands the Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee (IACC), including requirements for additional community stakeholders to serve on the committee.
| Topic | Topic Description |
|---|---|
| Sept. 30, 2019 | Signed into Law |
The House Committee on Energy and Commerce’s Subcommittee on Health held a legislative hearing entitled “Reauthorizing Vital Health Programs for American Families” on June 25, 2019 to discuss the Autism CARES Act and three other bills under reauthorization. The subcommittee heard from a panel of witnesses who testified on the importance of these bills.
The Autism CARES Act (H.R. 1058, S. 427) was introduced into the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate on February 7, 2019. The House referred H.R. 1058 to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce’s Subcommittee on Health.
