Why Are Only 39 of 158 C.A.R.E Members Attending the Maloney Smith Autism Briefing?

If you were a member of the Congressional Coalition for Autism Research and Education, wouldn't you make learning about the most recent developments in autism research, policy and treatment a priority? See briefing details HERE.

Please contact C.A.R.E. members from your state and ask them to attend personally or at least send a senior legislative staffer. White House Switchboard: 202-456-1414, Senate Directory Here, Congress Directory by State Here. Friday, July 17 at 9:30 AM 210 Cannon House Office Building, Washington, DC.

C.A.R.E. Member Attended '08 or RSVP '09 

Brady, Robert (PA) 08 
Castle, Michael (DE) 08/09 
Doggett, Lloyd (TX) 08 
Green, Gene (TX) 08 
Kline, John (MN) 08/09 

Langevin, Jim (RI) 08 
LoBiondo, Frank (NJ) 08 
Lofgren, Zoe (CA) 08 
Lowey, Nita (NY) 08 
Maloney, Carolyn (NY) 08/09 
McHugh, John (NY) 08 
Miller, Brad (NC) 08 
Moran, Jim (VA) 09 
Murtha, John P. (PA) 08 
Pallone, Frank (NJ) 08 
Platts, Todd (PA) 08 
Price, David (NC) 08 
Rahall, Nick (WV) 08 
Reyes, Silvestre (TX) 08 
Rothman, Steve (NJ) 08/09 
Sanchez, Loretta (CA) 08 
Sessions, Pete (TX) 08 
Smith, Chris (Co-Chairman) (NJ) 08/09 
Tierney, John (MA) 08 
Van Hollen, Chris (MD) 08 
Wamp, Zach (TN) 08 
Waxman, Henry (CA) 08 
Weldon, Dave (FL) Retired 
Wexler, Robert (FL) 08/09 
Wilson, Charlie (OH) 08/09 
Wilson, Joe (SC) 08 
Wu, David (OR) 08 
Senator Maria Cantwell (WA) 08/09 
Senator Charles Schumer (NY) 08 
Senator Johnny Isakson (GA) 08/09 interns 
Senator Richard Durbin (IL) 08/09 
Senator Robert Menendez (NJ) 08/09 
Senator Bernie Sanders (VT) 08 
Burton, Dan (IN) 08 
Abercrombie, Neil (HI) no 
Ackerman, Gary (NY) no 
Aderholt, Robert (AL) 09 
Allen, Tom (ME) no 
Andrews, Rob (NJ) no 
Altmire, Jason (PA) 09 
Baldwin, Tammy (WI) 09 
Bartlett, Roscoe (MD) 09 
Becerra, Xavier (CA) no 
Berkley, Shelly (NV) no 
Biggert, Judy (IL) no 
Bishop, Tim (NY) no 
Bordallo, Madeline (GU) no 
Blumenauer, Earl (OR) no 
Boozman, John (AR) no 
Boswell, Leonard (IA) no 
Boucher, Rick (VA) no 
Brown, Corrine (FL) no 
Burgess, Michael (TX) no 
Cantor, Eric (VA) no 
Capito, Shelley Moore (WV) no 
Capps, Lois (CA) no 
Capuano, Michael (MA) no 
Cardoza, Dennis (CA) no 
Carnahan, Russ (MO) no 
Carney, Christopher (PA) no 
Carson, Andre (IN) no 
Christensen, Donna (VI) no 
Costello, Jerry (IL) no 
Crowley, Joe (NY) no 
Davis, Jo-Ann (VA) no 
Davis, Lincoln (TN) no 
Davis, Susan (CA) no 
DeFazio, Peter (OR) no 
Doyle, Mike (Co-Chairman) (PA) no 
Engel, Eliot (NY) no 
Eshoo, Anna (CA) no 
Filner, Bob (CA) no 
Frank, Barney (MA) no 
Gallegly, Elton (CA) no 
Gerlach, Jim (PA) no 
Giffords, Gabrielle (AZ) no 
Gingrey, Phil (GA) no 
Gonzalez, Charles A. (TX) no 
Goodlatte, Bob (VA) no 
Granger, Kay (TX) no 
Hastings, Alcee (FL) no 
Hinchey, Maurice (NY) no 
Holden, Tim (PA) no 
Holt, Rush (NJ) no 
Israel, Steve (NY) 09 
Kaptur, Marcy (OH) no 
Kennedy, Patrick (RI) no 
Kildee, Dale (MI) no 
Kilpatrick, Carolyn Cheeks (MI) no 
Kind, Ron (WI) no 
King, Peter (NY) no 
Kirk, Mark Steven (IL) no 
Larsen, Rick (WA) no 
Larson, John (CT) no 
LaTourette, Steven (OH) no 
Levin, Sander (MI) no 
Lee, Chris (NY) no 
Lynch, Steven (MA) no 
Markey, Ed (MA) no 
Matheson, Jim (UT) no 
Matsui, Doris (CA) no 
McCarthy, Carolyn (NY) no 
McCotter, Thaddeus (MI) no 
McGovern, Jim (MA) no 
McKeon, Buck (CA) no 
McIntyre, Mike (NC) no 
Meeks, Gregory (NY) no 
Michaud, Michael (ME) no 
Miller, Jeff (FL) no 
Mollohan, Alan (WV) no 
Moore, Dennis (KS) no 
Murphy Chris (CT) no 
Musgrave, Marilyn (CO) no 
Nadler, Jerold (NY) no 
Napolitano, Grace (CA) no 
Neal, Richard (MA) no 
Olver, John (MA) no 
Ortiz, Solomon (TX) no 
Pascrell, Bill (NJ) no 
Payne, Donald (NJ) no 
Peterson, Collin (MN) no 
Pomeroy, Earl (ND) no 
Ramsted, Jim (MN) no 
Rogers, Mike (MI) no 
Ros-Lehtinen, Illena (FL) no 
Ryan, Timothy (IL) no 
Sanchez, Linda (CA) no 
Schiff, Adam (CA) no 
Sestak, Joe (PA) no 
Simmons, Rob (CT) no 
Slaughter, Louise (NY) no 
Snyder, Vic (AR) no 
Stupak, Bart (MI) no 
Tauscher, Ellen (CA) no 
Taylor, Gene (MS) no 
Terry, Lee (NE) no 
Thompson, Bennie (MS) no 
Tibieri, Pat (OH) no 
Udall, Tom (NM) no 
Upton, Fred (MI) no 
Weiner, Anthony (NY) no 
Weller, Jerry (IL) no 
Wicker, Roger (MS) no 
Wolf, Frank (VA) no 
Woolsey, Lynn (CA) 09 
  
Senator Diane Feinstein (CA) no 
Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton (NY) no 
Senator David Vitter (LA) no 
Senator Barbara Mikulski (MD) no 
Senator Sherrod Brown (OH) 09 
Senator Tom Udall (NM) no 
Senator Roger Wicker (MS) no 
  
 The Congressional Coalition for Autism Research and Education (C.A.R.E.), Founded and co-chaired by U.S. Representative Chris Smith (R-NJ) and U.S. Representative Mike Doyle (D-PA) in 2001, the Congressional Autism Caucus, also known as the Congressional Coalition for Autism Research & Education (C.A.R.E.), currently includes over 160 members of Congress.

C.A.R.E. formed on January 10, 2001 is the first organization on Capitol Hill to call national attention to autism and the first Congressional Member Organization (CMO) to focus its efforts on autism spectrum disorders.

The goals of the bipartisan Coalition for Autism Research and Education include, but are not limited to:

• Increasing general awareness of autism and autism spectrum disorders among Members of Congress and policy analysts in federal government;

• Educate Members of Congress on current and future initiatives regarding autism;

• Serve as a forum where autism-related policy issues can be exchanged, debated and discussed;

• Promote all means to ease the burdens of families and loved ones affected by autism.
Since its inception, Reps. Smith and Doyle have used the caucus as a vehicle to aggressively direct more federal attention and funding to autism research and treatment programs. For more click HERE.

*Note: Not responsible for either the accuracy of the following membership list (HERE) or the ’08 Congressional Briefing attendees list.

C.A.R.E. Member Attended '08 or RSVP '09

Comments

[Jeanne]

Response from Kim Fuller in the office of autism caucus member Congressman Gregory Meeks (D-NY):

Jeanne,

Of course someone from our office will attend. I will try to make it but may send Ayesha Lewis instead.

Kim Fuller
Senior Legislative Assistant
Congressman Gregory Meeks

[Jeanne]

Laurel Havas, Health LA, from the office of autism caucus member Congressman Patrick Kennedy will attend.

[Pamela]

I just called Murtha as well. Given the seat on CARE he really should feel obligated to at least send an intern to take notes and collect information...or give up the seat on CARE

[Jeanne]

From the office of autism caucus member Congresswoman Judy Biggert (R-IL): "We will do our very best to have someone at the autism briefing."

[Jeanne]

A staffer or intern from the office of autism caucus member Congresswoman Shelly Berkley (D-NV) will attend the autism briefing.

[Melissa D]

Congressman Murtha (D-PA) is unable to attend and his health aide is busy. They said they do not have anyone else available to attend. If you are a constituent and would like to register your dismay at that response their number is (202) 225-2065.

[Jeanne]

A legislative correspondent of Congressman Zach Wamp (R-TN) will attend (see RSVP below).

Good morning Jeanne,

Thanks for sending me the notification for the Autism briefing this Friday. I wanted to get back in touch with you to let you know that Congressman Wamp and his healthcare legislative aide, John Frierson, will unfortunately be held up in an Appropriations Committee markup that starts at 9:00am on Friday morning. The Congressman is sorry he cannot attend the second briefing, but is going to send his legislative correspondent, Whitney Riggs, in his place.

Thanks again for sending us the notification, I would not have received it otherwise.

Emily Hall

Scheduler/ Office Manager

Congressman Zach Wamp TN-03

1436 Longworth Building

202 225-3271

[Jeanne]

Here's what I'm saying:

“I just noticed Congressman Blank’s name is not on the RSVP list for the upcoming autism briefing. I am certain that is an oversight, being that he is a member of the autism caucus. Can you check the schedule and let me know if the Congressman, his health legislative assistant, or a staffer is planning on attending… I’m sure someone is, since the briefing is autism-related…”

[Comment of the week in my book]

This is THE comment of the week. I hope Jake can still win even though he is a contributing writer to AoA.

This is great Jake.

"This is the result of such propaganda. The CDC has been hugely successful in saying that only THEIR studies are right and all others are wrong: only THEY are competent, reputable and elite enough to show they didn't cause autism, so elite they can predetermine the conclusions they want with few caring. People who do care are conspiracy "theorists." Let alone the fact that their own people are scientists-for-hire, and for nothing else. When this gets pointed out, they accuse critics of using a "gambit," despite their own obvious pharma ties, let alone the fact that they are using one themselves by simply calling scientists they don't like "quacks."

If they don't like a vaccinated vs. unvaccinated study, fine by the public, let alone the ignored instances of reported adverse events from vaccination followed by autism. They just say it is coincidence that autistic regression is linked to vaccines. When questioned why ONLY vaccines are linked to these instances and not other products given to children during this time, that's when they call you "anti-vaccine" and you're not worth their time. And that's they're final argument - a conspiracy theory, to counter what they decry is a conspiracy "theory." The only way this controversy will truly end is with such people losing their high-chairs of power."

[Pamela]

Great job Jeanne! I got 7 RSVPs today as well. Pressure on the CARE coalition is working but there are still a lot that did not attend last year and still have not RSVP'd for tomorrow.

You're right we need more help

I am using wording like "I'm sure, given that Rep.X is a member of the Coalition for Autism Research and Education, he would make attendance or representation at this briefing a priority given all we have learned and all the new research that's just been approved by HHS and NVAC this year."

[Jeanne]

It's not too late to step in and help. You can still make calls tomorrow. I called many offices the day before last year's briefing (with great results).

Please stand up for your child, and for future generations of children, by making these calls.

We really can't do this effectively without your help.

[Jake Crosby]

This is the result of such propaganda. The CDC has been hugely successful in saying that only THEIR studies are right and all others are wrong: only THEY are competent, reputable and elite enough to show they didn't cause autism, so elite they can predetermine the conclusions they want with few caring. People who do care are conspiracy "theorists." Let alone the fact that their own people are scientists-for-hire, and for nothing else. When this gets pointed out, they accuse critics of using a "gambit," despite their own obvious pharma ties, let alone the fact that they are using one themselves by simply calling scientists they don't like "quacks."

If they don't like a vaccinated vs. unvaccinated study, fine by the public, let alone the ignored instances of reported adverse events from vaccination followed by autism. They just say it is coincidence that autistic regression is linked to vaccines. When questioned why ONLY vaccines are linked to these instances and not other products given to children during this time, that's when they call you "anti-vaccine" and you're not worth their time. And that's they're final argument - a conspiracy theory, to counter what they decry is a conspiracy "theory." The only way this controversy will truly end is with such people losing their high-chairs of power.

[Jeanne]

Just spoke with the office of Congressman Jason Altmire (D-PA). Was told they would send either Cara Toman (HLA) or another staffer to the briefing.

[Stagmom]

Just called Murphy in CT. Waiting to hear back.

[Jeanne]

A staffer from the office of autism caucus co-chair Congressman Mike Doyle (D-PA) will "definitely" attend the briefing.

[Jeanne]

A staffer from the office of autism caucus member Congressman Roscoe Bartlett (R-MD ) will attend the briefing.

[Jeanne]

A staffer from the office of autism caucus member Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin (D-WI ) will "DEFINITELY" attend the briefing.

[Robin Aceves]

I contacted Lynn Wollsey's(CA) office this morning and talked to one or her aides that will be attending friday. I am trying to get a hold of Dianne Feinstein(CA). I am soo disapointed of the commitee memebers from california that are not going and will be calling to speak to them about this. shamefull!

[Maurine Meleck]

2 more SC additions to the list as per conversations this am

Senator Jim DeMint-will send staffer to briefing (R-SC)

Senator Lindsey Graham(R-SC) will send staffer

Maurine Meleck

[Jeanne]

Allen, Tom (NJ) no longer in office