I 
112TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 2006 
To establish a National Autism Spectrum Disorders Initiative, and for other 
purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MAY 26, 2011 
Mr. SMITH of New Jersey (for himself and Mr. DOYLE) introduced the 
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce 
A BILL 
To establish a National Autism Spectrum Disorders 
Initiative, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘National Autism Spec-
trum Disorders Initiative Act of 2011’’. 
SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT OF THE NATIONAL AUTISM SPEC-
TRUM DISORDERS INITIATIVE. 
Part R of title III of the Public Health Service Act 
(42 U.S.C. 280i et seq.) is amended— 
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(1) by redesignating section 399E (42 U.S.C. 
280i–4) as section 399FF; and 
(2) by inserting after section 399DD the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘SEC. 399EE. ESTABLISHMENT OF THE NATIONAL AUTISM 
SPECTRUM DISORDERS INITIATIVE. 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—There is established in the Office 
of the Secretary of Health and Human Services the Na-
tional Autism Spectrum Disorders Initiative (referred to 
in this Act as the ‘Initiative’). The principal goal of the 
Initiative is to improve the lives of persons with autism 
spectrum disorders through research focused on preven-
tion, treatment, services, and cures. 
‘‘(b) DUTIES OF THE SECRETARY UNDER THE INI-
TIATIVE.—The Secretary (or the Secretary’s designee) 
shall— 
‘‘(1) act as the primary Federal official with re-
sponsibility for overseeing all research on autism 
spectrum disorders conducted or supported by the 
National Institutes of Health; 
‘‘(2) approve the strategic plan described in sec-
tion 399CC(b)(5) and be responsible for its imple-
mentation; 
‘‘(3) receive directly from the President and the 
Director of the Office of Management and Budget 
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all funds available for autism spectrum disorder ac-
tivities of the National Institutes of Health; 
‘‘(4) from the amounts received under para-
graph (3) for the fiscal year, allocate, in consultation 
with the Director of the National Institutes of 
Health, to the agencies of the National Institutes of 
Health in accordance with the strategic plan all 
amounts available for such year for carrying out au-
tism spectrum disorder activities; 
‘‘(5) to the extent practicable, allocate amounts 
under paragraph (4) not later than 30 days after 
the date on which the Secretary receives the 
amounts described under paragraph (3); 
‘‘(6) have authority to reallocate up to 3 per-
cent of the total amount allocated under paragraph 
(4) as needs change and opportunities arise; 
‘‘(7) plan and evaluate research and other ac-
tivities related to autism spectrum disorders con-
ducted or supported by the agencies of the National 
Institutes of Health, evaluating the activities of each 
of such agencies and providing for the periodic re-
evaluation of such activities; 
‘‘(8) maintain communications with all relevant 
departments and agencies of the Federal Govern-
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ment to ensure the timely transmission of informa-
tion concerning autism spectrum disorders; and 
‘‘(9) carry out this subsection in consultation 
with the heads of the agencies of the National Insti-
tutes of Health, with the advisory councils of such 
agencies, and with the Interagency Autism Coordi-
nating Committee. 
‘‘(c) SUNSET PROVISION.—This section shall not 
apply after the date that is 7 years after the date of the 
enactment of this section.’’. 
SEC. 3. ACTIVITIES OF THE NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF 
HEALTH WITH RESPECT TO AUTISM SPEC-
TRUM DISORDERS. 
Section 409C of the Public Health Service Act (42 
U.S.C. 284g) is amended— 
(1) in subsection (a)(1), by striking ‘‘basic and 
clinical research’’ and inserting ‘‘basic, clinical, and 
translational research’’; 
(2) in subsection (b)— 
(A) in paragraph (2)— 
(i) by striking ‘‘basic and clinical re-
search’’ and inserting ‘‘basic, clinical, and 
translational research’’; and 
(ii) by inserting ‘‘, building upon the 
recommendations set forth in the most re-
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cent strategic plan for autism spectrum 
disorders of the Interagency Autism Co-
ordinating Committee established under 
section 399CC’’ before the period at the 
end of the second sentence; and 
(B) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(6) DEFINITION.—In this section, the term 
‘translational’, with respect to research, means em-
phasizing the development and delivery of effective 
new therapies to patients.’’; and 
(3) in subsection (c), by inserting ‘‘, biosamples 
relevant to environmental exposures,’’ after ‘‘tis-
sues’’. 
SEC. 4. CLARIFYING AMENDMENTS WITH RESPECT TO AU-
TISM INTERVENTION. 
Section 399BB(f) of the Public Health Service Act 
(42 U.S.C. 280i–1(f)) is amended— 
(a) by inserting ‘‘to research networks’’ after ‘‘con-
tracts’’; and 
(b) by striking ‘‘interventions for individuals’’ and in-
serting ‘‘interventions to improve the physical and behav-
ioral health and well-being of individuals’’. 
Æ 
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