Snap-O Fact #25

The first autism law was originally enacted in 2006 under George Bush's watch.   President Obama has signed a three-year extension of the Combating Autism Reauthorization Act (CARA) on Sept 30 that “provides an additional $693 million towards combating autism, which affects more than 1.5 million people in the United States,” according to Talk About Curing Autism (TACA) website.  

The act’s purpose is to increase awareness of autism, develop old treatments, and create new cures for the disease.   If President Obama had not signed the act this law would have expired and millions of people, including autistic patients and their relatives, would have lost the support and care they have come to depend on.  

Sources:

http://www.tacanow.org/news/news-releases/september-30-2011-president-obama-signs-combating-autism-reauthorization-act-cara-into-law/ 

http://www.disabilityscoop.com/2011/09/30/obama-signs-autism-act/14150/ 

http://blog.autismspeaks.org/2011/09/30/president-obama-signs-cara/ 

http://www.autismvotes.org/site/apps/nlnet/content2.aspx?c=frKNI3PCImE&b=3930723&ct=11239461 

http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2011/09/30/father-celebrates-todays-reauthorization-combating-autism-act