Over the winter holidays, President Joe Biden signed two bills sponsored by New Jerseyans into law: one led by Rep. Chris Smith (R-Manchester) reauthorizing several major autism-related programs, and another authored by Rep. Frank Pallone (D-Long Branch) providing more funding for automated external defibrillators (AEDs) and CPR training.
Smith’s bill, the Autism Collaboration, Accountability, Research, Education, and Support (Autism CARES) Act of 2024, authorizes $1.95 billion for autism programs through Fiscal Year 2029; Smith has shepherded autism-related legislation through Congress every few years since 2000, when the first version of the Autism CARES Act became law.
“As the prime author of the Autism Cares Act of 2024 and previous iterations of the law in 2011, 2014, and 2019, I know this legislation will help make a huge difference in the lives of the millions of Americans with autism by providing robust funding for durable remedies as well as effective early detection and intervention services to allow them the highest quality of life possible,” Smith said in a statement.
The bill passed the House 402-13 in September and the Senate on a voice vote in December (after which it had to pass the House once again); every New Jerseyan in Congress supported it. Biden signed it into law on December 23.
Pallone’s bill, meanwhile, is the Cardiomyopathy Health, Education, Awareness, Research, and Training in Schools (HEARTS) Act, which creates a federal grant program for AEDs and CPR training in schools and daycare centers. It passed both the House and Senate on voice votes, and was also signed by Biden on December 23.
“Just like the Grinch’s heart grew three sizes that day, this Christmas brought a moment of true heartwarming change,” Pallone said in a statement. “The HEARTS Act is about saving lives and equipping schools to act in cardiac emergencies. It’s a gift of safety and hope that will protect young people for years to come.”