Cure Autism Now | Political Action News: Children’s Health Act of 2000 | July 17, 2000 #AutisticHistory #StopBigAutism

[Note: Shared for #AutisticHistory archive purposes. This is NOT An Autistic Ally.]

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POLITICAL ACTION NEWS 
Senate Children’s Health Bill – Senate Bill S2868 
Monday, July 17, 2000 

The Senate has introduced the bipartisan Children’s Health Act of 2000, which includes all the autism provisions found in the Advancement in Pediatric Autism Research Act, S.512. A companion bill has already passed in the house. Senator Frist, and Senator Jeffords, who chairs the full Senate HELP committee, pledged to pursue passage in the Senate by the end of July, and have it on the President’s desk by the end of September. We need to help make this goal become a reality. 

Senator Frist intends to attempt to obtain a Unanimous Consent, “UC”. UC requires 100 Percent of the senate to agree to pass the bill. We are going for a UC, because in order for the bill to go for a majority vote, it would have to be marked up in the sub and full committee. That would likely result in all sorts of controversial amendments offered. 

UC avoids the opportunity for amendment, and that avoids our legislation becoming a magnet for just about everything. If we are unable to get UC, there are other procedures available, but this is the quickest and easiest path to passage. 

We need each and every senator to cosponsor S2868. This is not as daunting as it seems, as we have all of the leadership with us from both sides already on board as cosponsors. We need to accomplish this in the next two weeks, before they break for summer recess on July 27. 

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Here’s what you can do to ensure S2868 receives unanimous support: 

Contact the senators from your state that are NOT cosponsors to S2868. 

Ask to speak to the health legislative assistant. Tell them, or leave them a message, that you are asking Senator XXX to cosponsor the Children’s Health Act of 2000, S2868. 

If your senator is a Republican, let them know that the following senators are already cosponsoring, and you are asking that Senator XXX join them: 

Sen Abraham, Spencer (R-MI) – cosponsor of S2868
Sen Bond, Christopher S. (R-MO) – cosponsor of S2868
Sen DeWine, Michael (R-OH) – cosponsor of S2868
Sen Frist, Bill (R-TN) – cosponsor of S2868
Sen Gorton, Slade (R-WA) – cosponsor of S2868
Sen Hatch, Orrin G. (R-UT) – cosponsor of S2868
Sen Jeffords, James M. (R-VT) – cosponsor of S2868

If your senator is a Democrat, let them know that the following senators are already cosponsoring, and you are asking that Senator XXX join them: 

Sen Dodd, Christopher J. (D-CT) – cosponsor of S2868 
Sen Durbin, Richard J. (D-IL) – cosponsor of S2868 
Sen Kennedy, Edward M. (D-MA) – cosponsor of S2868
Sen Murray, Patty (D-WA) – cosponsor of S2868 
Sen Reed, Jack (D-RI) – cosponsor of S2868

Let them know why your senators support is important to you. Tell them about the child with autism in your life, and ask them to help him or her. Call back continually until you get a firm commitment. 

Make sure you emphasize that you are a constituent, and how important this issue is to you in the coming elections. Our greatest strength during this legislative campaign has been our ability to make phones ring and shut down switchboards. We need to make our voices heard loud and >clear once again. This is truly the final lap. Remember our deadline for Unanimous Consent (UC) is July 27!! 

Please register your participation in this action alert, including any information you receive by clicking here to go to our political action registration form

THANK YOU for adding your voice! 

Elizabeth Emken, CAN

https://web.archive.org/web/20000817050954/http://www.cureautismnow.org/action/action.cfm

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Note/Warning:

Autistic people have fought the inclusion of ABA in therapy for us since before Autism Speaks, and other non-Autistic-led autism organizations, started lobbying legislation to get it covered by insurances and Medicaid. 

ABA is a myth originally sold to parents that it would keep their Autistic child out of an institution. Today, parents are told that with early intervention therapy their child will either be less Autistic or no longer Autistic by elementary school, and can be mainstreamed in typical education classes. ABA is very expensive to pay out of pocket. Essentially, Autism Speaks has justified the big price tag up front will offset the overall burden on resources for an Autistic’s lifetime. The recommendation for this therapy is 40 hours a week for children and toddlers.

The original study that showed the success rate of ABA to be at 50% has never been replicated. In fact, the study of ABA by United States Department of Defense was denounced as a failure. Not just once, but multiple times. Simply stated: ABA doesn’t work. In study after repeated study: ABA (conversion therapy) doesn’t work. 

What more recent studies do show: Autistics who experienced ABA therapy are at high risk to develop PTSD and other lifelong trauma-related conditions. Historically, the autism organizations promoting ABA as a cure or solution have silenced Autistic advocates’ opposition. ABA is also known as gay conversion therapy.

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[Note: Autism is NOT a disease, but a neurodevelopmental difference and disability.]

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Fact: Vaccines Do Not Cause Autism.

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