Tell Congress "No" to Three More Years of the Same

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Greetings!

Today, Senators Menendez and Enzi will be introducing legislation extending the Combating Autism Act for three more years. The Combating Autism Act was passed in 2005 without the involvement or consultation of a single Autistic person, let alone the broader self-advocate community. Without legislative action by Congress, the Act would expire on September 30th of this year. While we respect the Senators' good intentions, the Menendez-Enzi legislation would freeze in place the current flawed CAA programs, which fail to make any provision for services, do not incorporate anything about adults on the autism spectrum and exclude self-advocates. As a result, ASAN opposes any long term re-authorization of CAA without badly needed investments in services and vital program reforms to ensure self-advocates are involved at every level. We're urging you to call your Senators and tell them to OPPOSE the Menendez-Enzi re-authorization legislation as too long an extension without any of the needed reforms. You can reach them through the Capital Switchboard at (202) 224-3121 by giving your state and asking to be put through to your Senator. Making the call and urging their opposition is important even if you don't feel comfortable having a longer conversation, but if you want to provide additional reasons to oppose this extension we have provided several below:


· A three year extension of the existing Combating Autism Act means a three year delay before Congress takes any meaningful action on services for Autistic people across the lifespan. It means three years before any new supports for adults on the autism spectrum are introduced and three years before any of the problems with the status quo are fixed. We can't afford to wait that long.


· CAA's existing programs enable a severe bias in the autism research agenda against services and adult issues. According to the recently released IACC Research Portfolio, less than one percent of autism research dollars spent in 2009 went to research relating to adults while only three percent went to research about improving services, supports and education! This inequity calls out for change.


· CAA's existing structure excludes the very people who should be at the center of the autism conversation: Autistic people ourselves. By locking in place for another three years a bill that was passed without the involvement of self-advocates, Congress would be sending a message that the needs and perspectives of Autistic adults don't matter.


Any long term extension of CAA must involve additional investments in services, greater inclusion of self-advocates in every program and more respectful language shifting from "combating autism" to supporting Autistic people. Call Congress today at (202) 224-3121! Remember to call twice in order to reach both of your Senators. If for accessibility reasons, you need to e-mail your Senators instead you can find their e-mails on the Senate website at this link.

We need your help to remind Congress they can't ignore the voices of the Autistic community. As always, Nothing About Us, Without Us!

Regards,

The Autistic Self Advocacy Network



The Autistic Self-Advocacy Network (ASAN) is a non-profit organization run by and for Autistic people, fighting for disability rights in the world of autism. Working in fields such as public policy, media representation, research and systems change, ASAN hopes to empower Autistic people across the world to take control of their own lives and the future of our common community.

hey dont blame me i voted republican.naive fools in the disability movement think that big goverment will solve your problems,but there you go it just makes it worse

ASAN needs an elected president and other figures along with member voting. All it seems to me is special interest no matter party trying yet again to find ways to dictate priority as if all individuals with autism should agree. One of the tactics is just call those that disagree one of the curebees. where I live self-advocacy is especially incited by programs receiving government dollars. Also whose to say that just because I have a form of autism that I am in the best interest of individuals with more severe manifestations? People should not just hand over power because someone is diagnosed with something they should be qualified. In individual circumstances of self-representation an individual should be the one representing themselves. While more balance can be found I am cautious of ASAN because I just don't fall for the idea that I am oppressed because I am not representing my beliefs that others should share with me in all possible methods of dictation.

ASAN converts to democracy and allows for an open forum of confirmed individuals with ASD which then also allows for open contribution with open membership then I will respect it. Until then II'm watching them. Just waiting for the opportunity to put my two cents in publicly for individualized participant freedoms in model.

Something you might want to invest some time into, that I've seen others do, is create a stock letter, outlining the grievance, putting it on a web page with a form to e-mail it directly to the relevant Senators and House Rep with your typed in Name, e-mail, ect.

i suspect that just about all human service programs are run by people who dont understand or repesent the people there saposed to be helping.thats the danger of socialism.if goverment solves your problems they own you

Your statements reminded me of this video.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HDRA3XFfDr4[/youtube]

I was sort of surprised to see that the ASAN hadn't done that, as they have used change (dot) org to do so in the past. So, I made a petition for it myself. I don't think I can post an actual link to it with my low post count, but it's called "Tell Congress NO to More of the Same on Autism Policy" if anyone wants to find it on change (dot) org.

I doubt that any politician will go along with this. As soon as the would oppose this law, any rival politician will immediately state that they hate autisitic people and wish to do them harm by removing a bill that is in autistics "best interest". it would be political suicide.

I think ASAN just needs to reform a bit. Few take them seriously because they use abortion in context to autism to get respect based on fear guilt. They don't even allow voting on issues amongst those with autism who join it or allow others with autism to really get a real chance at leadership in their central platform to express their individual unique views. To me it's just more so a dictatorship then real self-advocacy empowerment to empower a real network of minds in comprised diversity of idea.