To establish a National Autism Spectrum Disorders Initiative, and for other purposes.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``National Autism Spectrum Disorders 
Initiative Act of 2011''.

SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT OF THE NATIONAL AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDERS 
              INITIATIVE.

    Part R of title III of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 
280i et seq.) is amended--
            (1) by redesignating section 399E (42 U.S.C. 280i-4) as 
        section 399FF; and
            (2) by inserting after section 399DD the following:

``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 National 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 prevention, 
treatment, services, and cures.
    ``(b) Duties of the Secretary Under the Initiative.--The Secretary 
(or the Secretary's designee) shall--
            ``(1) act as the primary Federal official with 
        responsibility for overseeing all research on autism spectrum 
        disorders conducted or supported by the National Institutes of 
        Health;
            ``(2) approve the strategic plan described in section 
        399CC(b)(5) and be responsible for its implementation;
            ``(3) receive directly from the President and the Director 
        of the Office of Management and Budget all funds available for 
        autism spectrum disorder activities of the National Institutes 
        of Health;
            ``(4) from the amounts received under paragraph (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 autism 
        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 percent of the 
        total amount allocated under paragraph (4) as needs change and 
        opportunities arise;
            ``(7) plan and evaluate research and other activities 
        related to autism spectrum disorders conducted or supported by 
        the agencies of the National Institutes of Health, evaluating 
        the activities of each of such agencies and providing for the 
        periodic reevaluation of such activities;
            ``(8) maintain communications with all relevant departments 
        and agencies of the Federal Government to ensure the timely 
        transmission of information concerning autism spectrum 
        disorders; and
            ``(9) carry out this subsection in consultation with the 
        heads of the agencies of the National Institutes of Health, 
        with the advisory councils of such agencies, and with the 
        Interagency Autism Coordinating 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 SPECTRUM 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 
                        research'' and inserting ``basic, clinical, and 
                        translational research''; and
                            (ii) by inserting ``, building upon the 
                        recommendations set forth in the most recent 
                        strategic plan for autism spectrum disorders of 
                        the Interagency Autism Coordinating 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 emphasizing 
        the development and delivery of effective new therapies to 
        patients.''; and
            (3) in subsection (c), by inserting ``, biosamples relevant 
        to environmental exposures,'' after ``tissues''.

SEC. 4. CLARIFYING AMENDMENTS WITH RESPECT TO AUTISM 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 ``contracts''; and
    (b) by striking ``interventions for individuals'' and inserting 
``interventions to improve the physical and behavioral health and well-
being of individuals''.

Summary: National Autism Spectrum Disorders Initiative Act of 2011 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to establish the National Autism Spectrum Disorders Initiative in the Office of the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to improve the lives of persons with autism spectrum disorders through research focused on prevention, treatment, services, and cures. Requires the Secretary to: (1) act as the primary federal official with responsibility for overseeing all NIH research on autism spectrum disorders; (2) approve the autism spectrum disorder research strategic plan developed by the Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee and be responsible for its implementation; (3) receive directly from the President and the Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) all funds available for autism spectrum disorder activities of NIH; (4) allocate such funds in accordance with the strategic plan; (5) allocate amounts within 30 days after receipt, to the extent practicable; (6) have authority to reallocate up to 3% of the total amount allocated as needs change and opportunities arise; (7) plan and evaluate NIH research and other activities related to autism spectrum disorders; (8) maintain communications with all relevant federal departments and agencies to ensure the timely transmission of information concerning autism spectrum disorders; and (9) carry out this Act in consultations with the heads of NIH agencies and their advisory councils and the Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee. Terminates such provisions seven years after the date of enactment of this Act.

Expands authorized research for centers of excellence for autism spectrum disorders to include translational research. Requires the Director of NIH to provide for a program under which biosamples relevant to environmental exposures that are of use in research on autism spectrum disorders are donated, collected, preserved, and made available for such research.