Senate Proceeding on Mar 12th, 2008 :: 8:54:18 to 9:04:17
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8:46:42 to 8:54:18( Edit History Discussion )
Speech By: Saxby Chambliss

8:54:02 to 8:54:18( Edit History Discussion )

Saxby Chambliss: eligible children, and medicaid and state children's health insuranceea programs, the schip program. and funding and technical assistance to school-based health centers that serve adolescents. in other

8:54:18 to 8:54:32( Edit History Discussion )

Daniel Akaka: wds, mr. president, maternal and child health block grant funds are used to ensure that mothe rs and children in traditionally underserved populations receive absolutely necessary care, yet despite this

8:54:18 to 9:04:17( Edit History Discussion )
Speech By: Daniel Akaka

8:54:32 to 8:54:54( Edit History Discussion )

Daniel Akaka: important mission that we have supported over the years, we continue to ask state maternal and child health programs to do more with less.| according to the association for ma tern rail and child health

8:54:54 to 8:55:11( Edit History Discussion )

Daniel Akaka: programs, the purchasing power of the block grant has decreased by 24% over the last four years. consider this if y iou will: at present low-birthweight and pre-term birnls are increasing. in the

8:55:11 to 8:55:21( Edit History Discussion )

Daniel Akaka: and the outs ranks 32nd out of 33 of the world's industrial industrialize ed nations. we rank 32nd out of 3ut3 of the world's industrialize ed nations in the rate of infant deaths, with african-american infants

8:55:21 to 8:55:34( Edit History Discussion )

Daniel Akaka: more than twice as likely as white children to die before their first birthday. the childhood obesity rates for some age groups representing ant threefold increase in rates over the past two decades.

8:55:34 to 8:55:45( Edit History Discussion )

the idea that our country ranksks 32nd out of 33 -- 33 industrialize ed nations -- and that our infant death rate is higher than that of some third and fourth world countries and the continent o africa

8:55:45 to 8:55:57( Edit History Discussion )

Daniel Akaka: something that all of us ought to be deeply concerned about. we can do a lot better. this program is prove en that it works. it provides help. thus, you have the support of senator hatch and others

8:55:57 to 8:56:07( Edit History Discussion )

Daniel Akaka: railroad familiar in knowingwi how this program has made a difference in the lives of millions. nearly one half all pre-term births have no known cause, mr. president, tragically. but what we do know is

8:56:07 to 8:56:19( Edit History Discussion )

Daniel Akaka: this: that by reducing certain risk factors in mothers such as cigarette smoking and ebees tirks we can -- obesity, we can help reduce the -- i offer the newborn screening save lives act with senator hatch

8:56:19 to 8:56:31( Edit History Discussion )

Daniel Akaka: which passed unanimously last december and the preventing prematurely preventingprematurity extensiemon and education for mothers who deliver infants better known as the preemie act with senator alexander

8:56:31 to 8:56:43( Edit History Discussion )

Daniel Akaka: enacted into law as well.ll these initiatives have made important steps towards giving children a healthy start in life but now it is time for us to ensure that the money will be there to continue

8:56:43 to 8:56:59( Edit History Discussion )

Daniel Akaka: the success of these vital programs. the maternal and child health block grant is a prove en success for helping to ensure a healthy future of our nation's children. and again the states are required

8:56:59 to 8:57:19( Edit History Discussion )

Daniel Akaka: to match $3 for every $4 of federal funds, so the states have to step up financial financially as well, mr. president. these block grants have performance measures and evaluations that document the

8:57:19 to 8:57:34( Edit History Discussion )

Daniel Akaka: effective impact of this modest investment. to quote the bush administration administration, "the program is well-designed" -- it is their quotes. this block grant "serves as a safety net to help improve the health

8:57:34 to 8:57:51( Edit History Discussion )

Daniel Akaka: o f mothers and children and has a positive impact on their health." end of quote. this block grant program, the maternal and child health program is critical to the health and well-being of f millions of

8:57:51 to 8:58:08( Edit History Discussion )

Daniel Akaka: families across the country and on behalf of senators hatch, schumer, dur been and others we would hope that the budget committee and members we are would have a chance here with less than a minute

8:58:08 to 8:58:25( Edit History Discussion )

Daniel Akaka: to explain itte would be in favor of something that has en enjoyed broad-based support, well-manage ed, does provide the kind of resources that are critical. the second amendment that i'll be offering with

8:58:25 to 8:58:37( Edit History Discussion )

Daniel Akaka: senator collins of maine, mr. president, is an amendment that -- and will be sponsored as well by senator kennedy, who is the chair of the committee -- this amendment is really in many respects due

8:58:37 to 8:58:53( Edit History Discussion )

Daniel Akaka: to autism speaks, an organization which has been working so hard to make aak difference dealing with the growing problem of autism in our i country. i'd be remiss at this juncture if i didn't mention

8:58:53 to 8:59:09( Edit History Discussion )

Daniel Akaka: rick santorum, mr. president. rick santorum and i offer ied the "combat autism legislation" a year ago or so ago that was adopted unanimously by this body b to authorize some $800 million to make

8:59:09 to 8:59:23( Edit History Discussion )

Daniel Akaka: a difference in trying to discover the causes and how we treat and deal with the myriad of problems that families have with autistic children, covering the spectrum. obviously some are mildly you a

8:59:23 to 8:59:37( Edit History Discussion )

Daniel Akaka: cities particular and others profoundly you a cities particular. but it is a growing problem in this country. the numbers used to be one childne in 166 births could be a fcted by aut ism. those

8:59:37 to 8:59:47( Edit History Discussion )

Daniel Akaka: numbers have dropped to one in 150. every indication i they will continue to drop. it is a profound problem that deserves our attention and it grows every single year. the amendment would increase the

8:59:47 to 9:00:03( Edit History Discussion )

Daniel Akaka: funding for autism ed in the fiscal year 2009 budget by $197 million and a budget-neutral manner bringing autism funding up to its authorized level and then double ing our commitment to funding research into

9:00:03 to 9:00:17( Edit History Discussion )

Daniel Akaka: the causes and treatments of autism. in 2006, the congress unanimous unanimously paed, as i mentioned, the "combating autism act," which my colleague from pennsylvania, rick santorum, and i offered along

9:00:17 to 9:00:30( Edit History Discussion )

Daniel Akaka: with theng snow shower supportof sator kennedy, enzi, and others. this was the largest expansion of funding in programs for children and famies with autism and spectrum disorder ever and made m a difference

9:00:30 to 9:00:46( Edit History Discussion )

Daniel Akaka: already in offering some real hope to understand this issue, to not only avoid it, if we can, , but then to treat it and support families. at the time the bill passed, the center for disease control

9:00:46 to 9:01:02( Edit History Discussion )

Daniel Akaka: and prevention estimate ed that 1 out of 166 children were diagnosed with the problem. it has now dropped to one in 150 150. in fact 67 children are diagnosed with autism spectrum every single day

9:01:02 to 9:01:14( Edit History Discussion )

Daniel Akaka: in this country nt country. a new case is diagnosed almost every 20 minutes. it continues to be a challenge to determine how much federal funtdz something actually going to to study the causes of

9:01:14 to 9:01:24( Edit History Discussion )

Daniel Akaka: and the treatments of autism.. in fact some estimates are that actual n.i.h. funding for research specific to autism is less than half of what is being reported. that is why this amendment is so critical.

9:01:24 to 9:01:37( Edit History Discussion )

Daniel Akaka: it will redouble our federal commitment to funding autism, the fast est-growing development developmental disability in the united states. let me repeat that. it is the fastest-growing, the fastest-growing

9:01:37 to 9:01:51( Edit History Discussion )

Daniel Akaka: developmental disability in our country. at a time when the number of children in families living with autism has grown exponentially, the president's budget proposes to freeze federal spending on autism

9:01:51 to 9:02:02( Edit History Discussion )

Daniel Akaka: at levels that are in insufficient to make the kind of discoveries in autism that are needed. many of our colleagues, no doubt doubt, have been visited by children and theirhe families. autism is a

9:02:02 to 9:02:17( Edit History Discussion )

Daniel Akaka: complex neurological disorder which manifests itself differently in each individual, but occurs in all racial, ethnic ethnic, and sociohneconomic groups much it is a lifelong condition, mr. president,

9:02:17 to 9:02:30( Edit History Discussion )

Daniel Akaka: that affects not only the individual with the disability but impacts the entire family, often requiring intensive levels of support and intervention. there are so many unanswered questions about autism,

9:02:30 to 9:02:40( Edit History Discussion )

Daniel Akaka: and it will require a major scale of funding to bring us close erlo to answering it. we should close no doors or promising avenues of research into the causes of autism. and my amendment allows all

9:02:40 to 9:02:54( Edit History Discussion )

Daniel Akaka: bio biomedical research opportunities on you a autism to be purr siewvmentd the amendment i am offering would enable us to redouble our efforts on autism research and treatment services by increasing

9:02:54 to 9:03:11( Edit History Discussion )

Daniel Akaka: funding for research, treatment, education, and interventions. as i mentioned by $197 million. again, i emphasize here, it is the fastest-growing development developmental disability in our country.

9:03:11 to 9:03:23( Edit History Discussion )

Daniel Akaka: and the numbers n of children being born with autism are increasing every day in this country. and again on behalf of senator collins and myself, senator kennedy and others, we would urge you to be

9:03:23 to 9:03:35( Edit History Discussion )

Daniel Akaka: supouportive of this amendment when it comes up. it's budget-neutral. we provided for an offset here that ought to make it easierr for members to support it this. lastly, mr. president, i want to talk

9:03:35 to 9:03:49( Edit History Discussion )

Daniel Akaka: a couple minutes here of my time to commend the chairman of the budget committee, senator conrad. this is a very difficult job. judd gregg, the ranking member as well, the members of the of the

9:03:49 to 9:04:02( Edit History Discussion )

Daniel Akaka: budget committee -- i served on that committee for many, many years, and have nothing but admiration and respect for those going through this process. this budget is a very positive step i think to address

9:04:02 to 9:04:17( Edit History Discussion )

Daniel Akaka: many of our serious challenges that our economy is face ing today. before speaking on the specific issues regarding the resolution, which i just did by the way on autism and maternal and child health,

9:04:17 to 9:04:26( Edit History Discussion )

Judd Gregg: i want to take a minute to again address some of the problems plaguing our commitment of i have been coming to the floor now with regularity over the last several weeks to speak on these economic issues and

9:04:17 to 9:05:44( Edit History Discussion )
Speech By: Judd Gregg