Hillary Clinton

This speech titled 2007.11.24.remarks_at_the_autism_event_with_sally_pederson_in_sioux_city_iowa originally had 2810 tokens. You can view the original text here.

i delight to be here __PUNCT__

i apolog for be a littl late __PUNCT__

appar __PUNCT__ there wa more of a headwind than tail and it took us a lot longer and i apolog for that __PUNCT__

and i thank you so much for be here and be part of thi event todai __PUNCT__

i want to recogn a few peopl becaus i so pleas that we could have thi event here at the boi club __PUNCT__

and that wouldn't have been possibl without roger friesen and the boi club of sioux citi for host us todai __PUNCT__

and i want to thank my good_friend tom vilsack __PUNCT__ former governor vilsack __PUNCT__ who here __PUNCT__

i want to also thank danni holeman the head of afscm here in iowa __PUNCT__

i want to thank repres roger wendt and hi wife anita __PUNCT__ thank them for be here __PUNCT__ teresa wolff the democrat chair for woodburi counti __PUNCT__

also i want to thank our guest up on the stage here who you will hear from in a minut __PUNCT__

in addit to salli pederson the former lieuten_governor and a member of our women leadership council here in iowa __PUNCT__ salli ha a lot of experi on the subject i go to be speak about in a minut __PUNCT__ as do our two other particip __PUNCT__

on is jane seeli whose daughter sara seeli ask me a question last week when i wa here in iowa and it turn out that sara is autist and ask me an excel question and it got me think about all of the famili that ar deal with autism and all of their challeng __PUNCT__

and doctor patricia gilbaugh who is on of sara seeli care coordin and care giver is with us now __PUNCT__

now i see a lot of peopl hold these bumper strip over their ey becaus the light ar so power on their ey and that not good __PUNCT__ is it __PUNCT__ so mayb if somebodi could hear my voic and we could do someth about these light __PUNCT__

i sorri about that __PUNCT__ but that mother natur and we have to put up with that __PUNCT__

ell __PUNCT__ todai we ar here at the boi club becaus of the work that the boi club doe everi singl_dai here in sioux citi __PUNCT__

and on of their mission which thei have recogn is the critic need for servic for children with autism __PUNCT__

so the boi club began provid those servic __PUNCT__

now salli ha been a strong leader and advoc on behalf of famili with autism for year __PUNCT__

as lieuten_governor she led the vilsack __PUNCT__ pederson administr initi for health_care and human_servic __PUNCT__ and she ha been an effect advoc for peopl with disabl __PUNCT__

her work with the homestead __PUNCT__ which serv adult live with autism __PUNCT__ is an exampl that i like to see replic across the countri __PUNCT__

she came to thi as most peopl who ar advoc do __PUNCT__ becaus of her own child __PUNCT__

and to the extent we address autism todai as part of the presidenti_campaign __PUNCT__ it becaus of parent like salli who fought for their children when no on els would even acknowledg there wa a problem __PUNCT__

driven by their love and devot __PUNCT__ mother and father across the countri have rais_awar __PUNCT__ demand fund __PUNCT__ and open our ey to the need of so mani children __PUNCT__

now __PUNCT__ when i wa in law_school __PUNCT__ i took a special year at the yale child studi center __PUNCT__

that wa back in the veri earli___NUM__ __PUNCT__

at that time __PUNCT__ scienc wa still blame parent for autism __PUNCT__

and thei particularli blame mother __PUNCT__

and i rememb read some of the so __PUNCT__ call research and in particular the work of on scientist who had a lot of nation and intern promin for hi theori __PUNCT__

and i thought __PUNCT__ you know __PUNCT__ that just can't be right __PUNCT__ there got to be more to it to that __PUNCT__

i later move to littl rock where on of my friend had a son with autism __PUNCT__

and i spent_time in her home __PUNCT__ i spent time with her and her son and my instinct perhap as a mother wa that thi could not be the explan __PUNCT__

now __PUNCT__ despit what scienc us to do __PUNCT__ blame the parent for autist kid __PUNCT__ now we know that parent ar the child best hope to deal with what is a veri complic set of condit __PUNCT__

i want to discuss thi issu todai becaus the recent increas in autism ar alarm __PUNCT__

the number of children with an autism spectrum disord __PUNCT__ that mean across the spectrum from what call asberg syndrom __PUNCT__ where kid with it mai be or adult with it mai be not as social_interact as you or i would be but thei can function pretti well __PUNCT__ all the wai to the most sever form of autism includ seizur and mental_retard __PUNCT__ all along thi spectrum there so mani differ symptom and differ capac that peopl have __PUNCT__

the number with the autism spectrum disord ha grown from __NUM__ in __NUM__ in __NUM__ to __NUM__ in __NUM__ in __NUM__ and the number continu to rise __PUNCT__

the autism societi of america estim that __NUM___million_american and their famili ar now affect by autism __PUNCT__

thei believ that could reach four million in the next decad __PUNCT__

autism affect peopl of all racial __PUNCT__ ethnic __PUNCT__ and social_group __PUNCT__ although it is four time more like to strike boi than girl which is why the boi club tackl thi here in sioux citi is such a great contribut __PUNCT__

and autism is cost the unit_state at least __NUM___billion billion_dollar a year __PUNCT__

the symptom have becom all too familiar __PUNCT__

the child who never make ey contact __PUNCT__ doesn't notic when hi dad come home after work __PUNCT__

the child who stack block over and over and over again __PUNCT__

the child who would rather twirl in a corner by herself than plai with other kid __PUNCT__

these children have so much to contribut __PUNCT__ but thei ar often trap insid their own world __PUNCT__ unabl to commun __PUNCT__

yet for all the peopl autism affect __PUNCT__ we don't know that much about what caus it and why it is increas in number __PUNCT__

we don't know how to cure it and we don't even know the best wai to treat it __PUNCT__

we don't have enough servic to care for those who have it or support their famili __PUNCT__

i think it time we had a govern and a presid that recogn the serious of autism and address it head __PUNCT__ on __PUNCT__

i am commit to thi caus __PUNCT__ and as salli said i have been fight for children __PUNCT__ particularli children with need __PUNCT__ children with disabl __PUNCT__ children who ar abus or neglect __PUNCT__ children without adequ educ or health_care for my entir adult_life __PUNCT__

onc i went to work for the children defens fund __PUNCT__ my first assign wa to go door to door in new bedford __PUNCT__ massachusett and figur out why so mani children who were list in the censu figur weren't enrol in school __PUNCT__

i went door to door __PUNCT__ and home after home __PUNCT__ i found reason __PUNCT__ i found children who were blind or who were deaf __PUNCT__ children in wheelchair __PUNCT__ children with behavior problem __PUNCT__

thei were kept home becaus school wouldn't accommod them __PUNCT__

i knew then that i want to spend my life be a voic for children __PUNCT__ children who had been left behind and too often forgotten __PUNCT__

i want to fight to give all children the same opportun i had grow up __PUNCT__

todai __PUNCT__ on of the most urgent __PUNCT__ and least understood __PUNCT__ challeng_face our children is thi rise_tide of autism __PUNCT__

that why as first ladi __PUNCT__ i fought hard for more awar and more fund for autism __PUNCT__

i wa veri proud when my husband sign the children_health act of __NUM__ which had a special focu on autism research and launch a long __PUNCT__ term studi on environment influenc on children health __PUNCT__

in the senat __PUNCT__ i help develop and co __PUNCT__ sponsor the combat autism act of __NUM__ which wa sign into law by presid_bush __PUNCT__

the bill author __MONEY___billion over five year to combat autism through environment research __PUNCT__ surveil __PUNCT__ awar __PUNCT__ earli detect and earli intervent __PUNCT__

and in march of thi year __PUNCT__ i introduc the expand the promis for individu with autism act along with my colleagu __PUNCT__ senat allard from colorado __PUNCT__

thi focus on improv the qualiti of life for individu live with autism __PUNCT__ attain appropri servic that will cross the life span __PUNCT__

and as presid __PUNCT__ i will build on my work with a strong commit to fight autism __PUNCT__

i start __PUNCT__ first __PUNCT__ by invest heavili in research to understand the caus of autism and hopefulli to start find cure __PUNCT__

i will invest a total of __MONEY__ billion over five year to help fight autism __PUNCT__ becaus presid_bush sign the bill but refus to provid the fund __PUNCT__ a familiar stori __PUNCT__

and he just veto a bill that congress includ fund for autism in __PUNCT__

specif __PUNCT__ we need to fund research to identifi the caus of autism __PUNCT__ includ possibl environment caus __PUNCT__

that includ expand our system for health track __PUNCT__ so that we can look for link between the environ and the rise of autism and other diseas __PUNCT__

that someth that i been fight for sinc __NUM__ __PUNCT__

i introduc an environment health track bill everi congress sinc then becaus i think we need to face up to the fact that there ar three main caus of ill or condit that impact peopl __PUNCT__ genet __PUNCT__ behavior and environ and usual it a combin of on or more of those trigger __PUNCT__

and we haven't done enough to realli figur out to what it is we ar expos ourselv and our children to from the environ that trigger __PUNCT__ perhap __PUNCT__ a genet respons __PUNCT__ that make_peopl who ar suscept to autism show that __PUNCT__

usual it diagnos around __NUM___month __PUNCT__ if you lucki to find somebodi who know the condit __PUNCT__

lot of time it doesn't happen until the child is __NUM__ or __NUM__ and that mean that you delai the treatment and intervent that could help __PUNCT__

i also creat an autism task_forc charg with investig evid __PUNCT__ base treatment __PUNCT__ intervent __PUNCT__ and servic __PUNCT__

i model thi after what ha happen in breast_cancer __PUNCT__

breast cancer survivor becam partner with physician and scientist and research in find what wa go on that caus breast cancer and what the best treatment were __PUNCT__

onc the task_forc ha done it work __PUNCT__ i act on it recommend __PUNCT__

more research is our best hope for combat autism __PUNCT__ and __PUNCT__ as presid __PUNCT__ i will fund it __PUNCT__

for the children and adult who have autism __PUNCT__ i invest in the best possibl care throughout their lifetim __PUNCT__

i commit __MONEY___million annual to provid care and improv the qualiti of life for individu live with autism __PUNCT__

thi start with better screen __PUNCT__

the american academi of pediatr recent call for a univers autism screen for all children under the ag of __NUM__ __PUNCT__

now __PUNCT__ i applaud thi and we go to have to realli encourag the academi and pediatrician and other physician to learn about the signal and symptom and begin to coordin inform so thei can identifi it earlier __PUNCT__

to reinforc those effort __PUNCT__ i ensur that we get screen inform to profession who deal with young_children through feder_program such as head_start __PUNCT__ medicaid and chip __PUNCT__

next __PUNCT__ i expand access to post __PUNCT__ diagnosi care so that we have a seamless transit from diagnosi to treatment __PUNCT__

todai __PUNCT__ the number of children affect is grow far faster than the care avail __PUNCT__

that mean parent often have to hear a doctor sai __PUNCT__ your child ha autism __PUNCT__ and then get sent awai with no good option for care __PUNCT__

thi is especi tragic becaus we know earli intervent can make all the differ __PUNCT__

as autist children reach school __PUNCT__ ag __PUNCT__ we support them in public_school wherev possibl __PUNCT__

the number of children in public school with autism ha doubl in the past three year alon __PUNCT__

but the train for teacher hasn't __PUNCT__ in fact __PUNCT__ a lot of teacher get no train whatsoev __PUNCT__

i will provid fund for teacher train so thei can fulfil their mission of teach everi child __PUNCT__

and we won't stop care about autist individu just becaus thei grow up __PUNCT__

with access to the right type of servic __PUNCT__ includ hous __PUNCT__ vocat rehabilit __PUNCT__ we can help adult with autism live rich and full live __PUNCT__

so i will help state creat and provid appropri servic for adult with autism __PUNCT__

for parent __PUNCT__ we creat an onlin nation technic assist center to provid the best possibl inform about autism treatment __PUNCT__ intervent __PUNCT__ and servic __PUNCT__

and final __PUNCT__ as presid __PUNCT__ i will fund qualiti __PUNCT__ afford health_care for everi singl american __PUNCT__

my american health choic plan let you keep your exist coverag if you like it __PUNCT__ but it provid afford choic if you don't have them __PUNCT__ and it cover everi singl american __PUNCT__

what happen in famili of autism __PUNCT__ or famili with diabet or famili with a histori of cancer or heart_diseas or ani other condit __PUNCT__ is that oftentim insur is so expens you can't afford it __PUNCT__ when the insur doesn't cover the veri thing you need it for __PUNCT__

everyon will have access to the same choic member of congress have __PUNCT__ which includ mental_health health_care __PUNCT__

i alwai sai __PUNCT__ if it good enough for member of congress __PUNCT__ it good enough for american_famili __PUNCT__

under my plan __PUNCT__ you and your child will never be deni coverag becaus of pre __PUNCT__ exist condit or risk factor __PUNCT__

parent will no longer be burden by unmanag premium just becaus their children have autism __PUNCT__

and when all american have regular healthcar __PUNCT__ we be abl to reach so mani more children earli on __PUNCT__

my health_plan __PUNCT__ my autism agenda __PUNCT__ and all of the polici that i put_forward ar unit by my belief that it up to us to reclaim the futur for our children __PUNCT__ and ensur that everi child ha a chanc to live up to hi or her god __PUNCT__ given potenti __PUNCT__

we have learn that children and adult with autism have great potenti inde __PUNCT__

these ar not onli special need individu __PUNCT__ these ar special individu __PUNCT__

thei have a lot to offer __PUNCT__

just last week __PUNCT__ at an event in vinton __PUNCT__ sara seeli __PUNCT__ a young_woman with autism __PUNCT__ i had no idea __PUNCT__ i wa just look out at a crowd like thi __PUNCT__ and she wa eagerli wave her hand with that big smile on her face __PUNCT__ ask a question about pollut and problem of deforest __PUNCT__

and she said later __PUNCT__ she is __PUNCT__ obsess with tiger __PUNCT__

now __PUNCT__ i have no doubt that she will make a differ in our world __PUNCT__ and i am so pleas to be join by sara mom __PUNCT__ jane seeli __PUNCT__ and her doctor __PUNCT__ dr __PUNCT__ patricia gilbaugh __PUNCT__ todai __PUNCT__

sara not alon __PUNCT__

so we should never give up on ani child __PUNCT__ i think that is on of our oblig __PUNCT__

and togeth __PUNCT__ we can help all those live with autism to live up to their potenti __PUNCT__

and we can commit ourselv to conquer thi realli difficult and veri frustrat and discourag condit that strike children __PUNCT__ liter out of the blue __PUNCT__

there is no marker for it __PUNCT__ we don't know it come __PUNCT__ and oftentim thei ar not quit sure what is happen until the diagnosi is deliv __PUNCT__

so __PUNCT__ now i want to turn to three peopl who have live with it __PUNCT__ who can add to what i said befor we turn to take your question on ani issu that on your mind __PUNCT__

thank you all veri much __PUNCT__