[Page H2075]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         AUTISM AWARENESS MONTH

  (Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN asked and was given permission to address the House 
for 1 minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, April is Autism Awareness Month. 
According to the CDC, 1 in 68 children in the United States have been 
diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder, and about 3.5 million 
Americans are living with some form of autism.
  As a member of the Congressional Coalition for Autism Research and 
Education, I am working with my colleagues to ensure that children with 
autism have the same opportunities as anyone else to lead productive 
and meaningful lives in adulthood. It is simply unacceptable that 35 
percent of young adults with autism are unable to get a job or study in 
college after high school.
  We must continue, Mr. Speaker, to make progress toward an effective 
treatment and cure so that all individuals are able to achieve their 
full potential and leave their own beautiful mark on the world.

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