Reps. Switalski, Lisa Brown, Constan, Polidori, Liss, Angerer, Miller, Johnson, Hammel, Valentine, Bledsoe, Gregory, Ebli, Bauer, Segal, Roy Schmidt, Spade, Nerat, Lindberg, Leland, Young, Dean, Melton, Haase, Lipton, Coulouris, Agema, Barnett, Byrum, Daley, Espinoza, Geiss, Rick Jones, Lemmons, Marleau, Mayes, Neumann, Wayne Schmidt, Stanley, Tlaib, Warren, Gonzales, Cushingberry, Durhal, Haugh, Slavens, Ball, Booher, Hansen, Huckleberry, Roberts, Scripps, Robert Jones, Bennett, Terry Brown, Byrnes, Calley, Caul, Clemente, Corriveau, Crawford, Denby, DeShazor, Dillon, Donigan, Griffin, Haines, Horn, Jackson, Kandrevas, Kennedy, Kowall, Lahti, LeBlanc, Lori, McDowell, Opsommer, Rogers, Simpson, Slezak and Womack offered the following resolution:

House Resolution No. 71.

            A resolution to memorialize the United States Congress to increase funding for research into the causes and treatment of autism and to improve training and support for individuals with autism and those who care for individuals with autism.

            Whereas, Autism is a developmental disorder that is typically diagnosed during the first 3 years of life, diminishing individuals’ ability to communicate and interact with others. It affects an estimated 1 in every 150 children in the United States and is 4 times more likely to occur in boys than in girls. Autism can affect anyone, regardless of race, ethnicity, or other factors; and

            Whereas, It costs approximately $80,000 per year to treat an individual with autism in a medical center specializing in developmental disabilities. In addition to its impact on individuals and families, autism also has a major impact in the schools; and

            Whereas, Parents and others seeking to help children with autism are aware of the shortage of appropriately trained teachers who have the skills and support necessary to teach, assist, and respond to special needs students, including those with autism, in our school systems; and

            Whereas, While we recognize and support the federal government's more than 30-year-old commitment to provide states with 40 percent of the costs needed to educate children with disabilities under part B of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, there remains a great deal of need related to autism; and

            Whereas, Despite the fact that autism is one of the most common developmental disorders, many professionals in the medical and educational fields are still unaware of the best methods to diagnose and treat the disorder; now, therefore, be it

            Resolved by the House of Representatives, That we memorialize the United States Congress to increase federal funding for aggressive research to learn the root causes of autism, identify the best methods of early intervention and treatment, expand programs for individuals with autism across their life spans, and promote understanding of the special needs of people with autism; and be it further

            Resolved, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, and the members of Michigan's congressional delegation.