On Sept. 19, the Senate passed the House version of the Autism Collaboration, Accountability, Research, Education, and Support (CARES) Act of 2019 (H.R.1058) by unanimous consent.

The CARES Act reauthorizes and expands the Combating Autism Act of 2006. Funding critical autism research, surveillance, and education programs at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), respectively, the passing of this legislation is a major accomplishment for the disability community.

The legislation includes a greater focus on the needs of people with autism and other developmental disabilities across the entire lifespan. Additionally, it increases the minimum number of self-advocates on the Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee (IACC).