Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 120.djvu/2852

 PUBLIC LAW 109–416—DEC. 19, 2006

120 STAT. 2821

Public Law 109–416 109th Congress An Act To amend the Public Health Service Act to combat autism through research, screening, intervention and education.

Dec. 19, 2006 [S. 843]

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Combating Autism Act of 2006’’.

Combating Autism Act of 2006. 42 USC 201 note.

SEC. 2. CENTERS OF EXCELLENCE; IMPROVING AUTISM-RELATED RESEARCH.

(a)

CENTERS OF EXCELLENCE REGARDING RESEARCH ON AUTISM.—Section 409C of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C.284g) is amended— (1) in the section heading, by striking ‘‘AUTISM’’ and inserting ‘‘AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER’’; (2) by striking the term ‘‘autism’’ each place such term appears (other than the section heading) and inserting ‘‘autism spectrum disorder’’; and (3) in subsection (a)— (A) by redesignating paragraph (2) as paragraph (3); and (B) by striking paragraph (1) and inserting the following: ‘‘(1) EXPANSION OF ACTIVITIES.—The Director of NIH (in this section referred to as the ‘Director’) shall, subject to the availability of appropriations, expand, intensify, and coordinate the activities of the National Institutes of Health with respect to research on autism spectrum disorder, including basic and clinical research in fields including pathology, developmental neurobiology, genetics, epigenetics, pharmacology, nutrition, immunology, neuroimmunology, neurobehavioral development, endocrinology, gastroenterology, and toxicology. Such research shall investigate the cause (including possible environmental causes), diagnosis or rule out, early detection, prevention, services, supports, intervention, and treatment of autism spectrum disorder. ‘‘(2) CONSOLIDATION.—The Director may consolidate program activities under this section if such consolidation would improve program efficiencies and outcomes.’’. (b) CENTERS OF EXCELLENCE GENERALLY.—Part A of title IV of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 281 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following:

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