Nathan Deal

Mr. DEAL of Georgia

Mr. DEAL of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise to join Chairman Barton in support of S. 843, as amended, the Combating Autism Act of 2006. Although many of us would like to have done more sooner, the bill represents a positive step forward in addressing the serious problem of autism in the United States. The legislation focuses on expanding and coordinating autism research at the National Institutes of Health, monitoring the disorder and educating the public through programs at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, as well as ensuring that citizens have a voice in the Federal Government's response to autism. Leo Kanner first described autism in 1943 as a developmental disorder characterized by ``extreme autistic loneliness'' and ``an obsessional desire for the maintenance of sameness.'' Since the 1940s, we have learned much more about autism, including its diagnosis, traits, and possible treatments. Data from several recent studies show that between two and six out of every 1,000 children fall within the definition of what is called autism spectrum disorder. That means that of the roughly 4 million children born in the United States each year, about 24,000 of these children will eventually be diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. Autism affects many aspects of a person's mental development, including social skills; speech, language and communication; repetitive behaviors and routines; and the other ways that children interact with the world. These children also often exhibit emotional problems, challenging behaviors, hyperactivity and other difficulties. As a child with autism grows into adolescence, some of these behaviors are intensified. The teen suffering from autism may also suffer from depression related to their inability to interact normally with their peers. All of these problems exert tremendous pressures on parents and siblings, who often must devote round-the-clock attention to a family member with autism. Although there is no cure for autism, early detection and early intervention have shown promise in lessening the impact of the disorder and increasing a child's ability to have normal social interaction and functioning. Early intervention is a child's best hope for reaching his or her full potential. Furthermore, research has shown that development disabilities like autism can be diagnosed as early as 18 months; however, an estimated 50 percent of children with these disorders remain unidentified until they are 5 years old, missing critical opportunities to improve their functioning early on. Therefore, it is imperative that both parents and doctors caring for children learn the warning signs of autism and are familiar with the developmental milestones that each child should reach. The legislation before us takes several steps to improve upon and expand educational and outreach activities that will alert the public on the warning signs for autism and the need for early screening and intervention. It will also strengthen biomedical research activities conducted at the National Institutes of Health looking into the causes, pathways and possible cures for autism spectrum disorder. Finally, the legislation provides for public participation in decisions relating to the Federal response to the autism problem, allowing for greater transparency and accountability. I am also pleased that many of the major groups and organizations representing autistic people and their families have chosen to support this important piece of legislation. The Autism Society of America, Cure Autism Now, Autism Speaks and the Dan Marino Foundation are just a few of the many organizations that support the reforms in this bill. Finally, I would like to thank the lead House sponsor of the Combating Autism Act, Mrs. Bono of California, for her efforts on behalf of autistic people and their families. I urge my colleagues to support this legislation. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. DEAL of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I insert in the Record at this time two letters, one from the chairman of the Education and Workforce Committee and the response from the chairman of the Energy and Commerce Committee related to jurisdiction on this bill. House of Representatives, Committee on Education and the Workforce, Washington, DC, December 6, 2006. Hon. Joe Barton, Chairman, Committee on Energy and Commerce, House of Representatives, Washington, DC. Dear Mr. Chairman: I am writing to confirm our mutual understanding with respect to the consideration of S. 843, the Combating Autism Act of 2006. As you are aware, `Sec. 399BB. Autism Education, Early Detection, And Intervention' requires the Secretary of Education to collaborate with the Secretaries of Agriculture and Health and Human Service in the provision of autism related services through the Head Start Act, the Early Start Act, the Child Care Development Act, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, the Child Nutrition Act, and the Rehabilitation Act. This provision and these acts fall within the jurisdiction of the Committee on Education and the Workforce. Given the importance of moving this bill forward promptly, I do not intend to object to its consideration in the House. However, I do so only with the understanding that this procedure should not be construed to prejudice my Committee's jurisdictional interest and prerogative in S. 843 or any other similar legislation and will not be considered as precedent for consideration of matters of jurisdictional interest to my Committee in the future. Finally, I ask that you include a copy of our exchange of letters in the Congressional Record during the consideration of this bill. If you have questions regarding this matter, please do not hesitate to call me. I thank you for your consideration. Sincerely, Howard P. ``Buck'' McKeon, Chairman.

Mr. DEAL of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, can I inquire of the remaining time on our side?

Mr. DEAL of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Smith). (Mr. SMITH of New Jersey asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. DEAL of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Mississippi (Mr. Pickering).

Mr. DEAL of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, as we close, I would simply reiterate what some others have said, thanking all of those within the Congress itself who have brought this bill to this point and hopefully to a finalization and sent to the President. Autism is an affliction on our children, and there are many answers that people want and this will help us try to find those answers. But this is not the end of the journey. Those who are committed to this cause will continue their efforts here in the halls of Congress, hopefully in the research halls throughout our country. This is a worthwhile step in the very proper direction, and I would urge my colleagues to adopt this resolution.

Mr. DEAL of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. DEAL of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the Senate bill (S. 843) to amend the Public Health Service Act to combat autism through research, screening, intervention and education, as amended.

Mr. DEAL of Georgia

Mr. DEAL of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 3248) to amend the Public Health Service Act to establish a program to assist family caregivers in accessing affordable and high-quality respite care, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. DEAL of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I would ask that all Members have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and insert extraneous material on the bill.

Mr. DEAL of Georgia. I yield myself as much time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 3248, the Lifespan Respite Care Act of 2006. This legislation is an important first step in offering help to the estimated 25 million Americans currently caring for a sick, aged or disabled loved one at home. Whether it is an aged father or mother, a spouse who has suffered a work-related injury, or a child with a special need, almost all of us have either taken care of or know someone who is taking care of a loved one at home. As an experienced caregiver for my mother and both of my wife's parents, I am personally aware of the benefits of at-home care. But I am also acutely aware that there are financial, emotional and physical burdens for the family caregiver that can sometimes be overwhelming. Respite is a caregiver focused service that allows family members to take a much-needed break from the daily emotional and physical stresses associated with caring for a loved one at home. It also allows family caregivers to attend to financial and practical matters that occur outside their roles as caregivers, such as taking time to pay bills, go grocery shopping or go to a doctor's appointment for themselves. There are many forms of respite care, including at-home visits by a trained professional, adult day care services or even volunteer respite services provided by local religious or civic organizations. While the demand for respite care services continues to grow at an almost exponential rate, many Americans today are confused by or unaware of the daunting array of public and private respite care options, but may also have difficulty understanding and navigating the complicated regulations and eligibility requirements for various public programs offering access to respite care. The Lifespan Respite Care Act is an important first step that will set up clearinghouses of information to educate consumers about respite care options available in their areas. It will also allow States to offer consumer information on the broad array of programs offering long-and short-term care support services. The legislation also provides funding to build the needed infrastructure and coordinating capacity at the State and local levels so that more people will have access to respite care, especially those in rural and underserved parts of the country. For example, this is especially important for people living in many areas of my congressional district in northern Georgia, where people must often drive long distances to access the nearest doctor, hospital or long-term care facility. The bill will also support family caregivers in their noble and compassionate efforts to keep their loved ones at home. Numerous studies have shown that at-home care by a loved one can delay or prevent placement in expensive long-term care facilities, such as a nursing home. Because the Federal Medicaid program is the primary purchaser of nursing home care in the United States, this informal at-home care saves the Federal taxpayers millions of dollars a year. Other studies have verified what most of us already know. People are healthier and happier when they can live at home. The availability of respite care plays an important role in enabling family caregivers to keep their loved ones at home and delays or avoids other much more expensive options. This legislation is only a first step in addressing the emerging needs of family caregivers in the United States. To solve this problem, we will need government, health insurance companies, long-term care and other health care providers and consumers all working together to find innovative solutions. At this time, I would like to acknowledge the efforts of my colleague and vice-chairman of the Subcommittee on Health, the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Ferguson). His passion on this issue is truly commendable, as are his tireless efforts to address so many health care concerns of importance to the American people. I would also like to thank Randy Pate of the Subcommittee on Health staff, and Mr. David Rosenfeld, formerly of our staff, for their hard work on this important legislation. Mr. Speaker, I would strongly urge my colleagues to support my bill. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. DEAL of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 10 minutes to the author of the legislation, the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Ferguson).

Mr. DEAL of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I likewise would urge the adoption of this resolution, and would yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. DEAL of Georgia

Mr. DEAL of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 5798) to amend the Public Health Service Act to modify the program for the sanctuary system for surplus chimpanzees by terminating the authority for the removal of chimpanzees from the system for research purposes.

Mr. DEAL of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and insert extraneous material on this bill.

Mr. DEAL of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 5798, a bill modifying the authorities of the chimpanzee sanctuary system. A few years ago, Congress enacted a law offered by former Congressman Greenwood of Pennsylvania to provide for sanctuary for chimpanzees that have been used for research purposes at the National Institutes of Health. I believe this legislation and the resulting sanctuary system have been very successful. The bill before us today would modify the existing law to eliminate a provision that could have, under very limited circumstances, allowed for the removal of the chimpanzees from the sanctuary system for further research. H.R. 5798 strikes an appropriate balance between the need for medical research and the need to provide safeguards for the subject animals because it would still allow for non-invasive behavioral studies and medical and longitudinal studies based on information that could be obtained at the same time as information gathered for veterinary care. Thus, the simple items like blood samples or imaging studies could, under certain circumstances, be provided within the sanctuary system, so long as such studies involved minimal physical and mental harm, pain, distress and disturbance to the chimpanzee and the social group in which the chimpanzee lives. In particular, we now have the ability to non-invasively look inside brains of living individuals, including chimpanzees, to find the changes associated with aging, cognitive decline and changes in immune system function. One of the key questions in the field of brain sciences is to understand what brain changes are responsible for the decline in cognitive functions as we age. The chimpanzee exhibits some of the same age-related changes as humans. Accordingly, the ability to use non- invasive brain imaging in individual chimpanzees whose genetic backgrounds and behavioral experiences have been well-documented and studied can be very important for Alzheimer's research and add to our knowledge on aging. Mr. Speaker, I believe that H.R. 5798 preserves our ability to conduct important medical research, while providing needed safeguards for the animals, and I would ask my colleagues to join me in supporting this legislation. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. DEAL of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I would likewise wish to express appreciation to Mr. Jim McCrery from Louisiana, the author of this legislation, and thank him for bringing this to our attention, and would urge my colleagues to vote in favor of this legislation.

Mr. DEAL of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. DEAL of Georgia

Mr. DEAL of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 5280) to amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act with respect to the distribution of the drug dextromethorphan, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. DEAL of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise their remarks on this legislation and to insert extraneous material on the bill.

Mr. DEAL of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased today to rise in favor of H.R. 5280, and I would like to thank Mr. Upton of Michigan and Mr. Larsen of Washington for their work on this important legislation. Dextromethorphan, or DXM as it is sometimes called, is an ingredient found in cough medicine. This ingredient relieves the coughing associated with a cold or the flu. Cough medicines containing this drug are common and can be obtained without a prescription. While this drug is safe and effective, it is also dangerous if too much is taken. Reports have shown that some segments of the population, particularly young people, will take large amounts of this medicine in an attempt to absorb large amounts of DXM in order to get high. The abuse of this drug can cause death as well as other serious adverse effects such as brain damage, seizures, loss of consciousness, and irregular heartbeat. The Food and Drug Administration has warned of the rise in the abuse of DXM, and the bill before us here today is an attempt to stem this abuse. H.R. 5280 would allow the Secretary of Health and Human Services to prohibit the distribution of DXM that is in bulk form to any person not registered with the FDA. It is hoped that these restrictions on the distribution of DXM will lower the potential for its abuse, while at the same time protecting the public health. Mr. Speaker, I would urge the Members to support this legislation, and I would reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. DEAL of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 5 minutes to the author of the legislation, Mr. Upton.

Mr. DEAL of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I urge adoption, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. DEAL of Georgia

Mr. DEAL of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 6099) to ensure that women seeking an abortion are fully informed regarding the pain experienced by their unborn child.

Mr. DEAL of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and to insert extraneous material on this bill.