The Autistic Self Advocacy Network issued the following statement today regarding the upcoming House Oversight and Government Reform Committee hearing on autism:
“We’re profoundly concerned by the decision by the House Committee on Oversight & Government Reform to convene a hearing on autism next week without the inclusion of any Autistic witnesses or representatives from organizations run by Autistic people. Just like the house contraceptive hearing without women earlier this year, we’re once again seeing a hearing about a population without any representatives from those most directly impacted. We strongly urge the House Committee on Oversight & Government Reform to reconsider and work with organizations run by Autistic people to ensure our community is represented in these deliberations.”