In The Politics of Autism, I discuss the congressional role in the issue.
We are happy to share that on July 31, 2025, the Senate Appropriations Committee passed a bill and accompanying report – with bipartisan support – that provides funding for these critical federal autism programs at levels called for by the Autism CARES Act. We are grateful to the Committee’s leadership and members for working to deliver on the promise of the Autism CARES Act through this appropriations bill. We are also grateful to Senator Amy Klobuchar who led a letter to the committee requesting funding for these key priorities. This is an important milestone in the annual funding process and as Congress continues to work through fiscal year 2026 appropriation bills, it will be critical for the autism community to continue to let their lawmakers know how important these investments are.
What did the Senate bill include?
The bill and accompanying report detail the specific funding amounts for different federal agencies as well as directions on how those funds should be used during the next fiscal year. It includes:
It also calls on the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to not only fund autism research at least at the level authorized by the Autism CARES Act of 2024, but also to implement many of the law’s new provisions. Specifically, the committee called on the NIH to:
- $56.344 million for autism research and training programs at the Health Resources & Services Administration. This includes healthcare training through Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and Other Related Disabilities (LEND) program sites in every state and Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrics (DBP) Training programs that help address a nationwide DBP shortage.
- $28.1 million for autism programs at the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention, which includes autism prevalence studies through the ADDM Network and outreach efforts that improve early diagnosis and intervention.
- Provide an annual budget estimate for autism research based on the Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee’s Strategic Plan, creating a transparent plan that outlines a strategic direction and resource needs for autism research;
- Ensure that autistic individuals across the spectrum, including those with profound autism, are included in research studies;
- Ensure that all research activities for autism follow widely-accepted scientific practices in order to ensure research integrity;
- Ensure that research addresses the underlying biology of autism, co-occurring medical conditions, and treatment and services needs of people with autism;
- Create new pathways for the public to obtain information and comment on autism research activities; and
- Promptly reestablish the Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee (IACC).
