Title 42, The Public Health and WelfareRelease 119-73not60

§280i–2 Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee

Title 42 › Chapter 6A— PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE › Subchapter II— GENERAL POWERS AND DUTIES › Part R— Programs Relating to Autism › § 280i–2

Last updated Apr 5, 2026|Official source

Summary

The Secretary must set up a group called the Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee to coordinate all HHS work on autism spectrum disorder. The group must watch and report on autism research and, when possible, services and supports across federal agencies. It must summarize research advances on causes, prevention, treatments, early screening and diagnosis, interventions (including school and community programs), and access to services across a person’s life. The Committee must make recommendations to the Secretary about changes needed, how the public can take part in decisions, and a strategic plan for autism research that includes proposed budgets and steps to avoid unnecessary duplicate work. It must send an annual update on research advances and a two-year update on the strategic plan that shows progress and actions taken. The Committee will include federal members such as the CDC Director, NIH Director and selected NIH institute directors, leaders of other HHS agencies (for example ACL, ACF, CMS, FDA, HRSA), and representatives from other federal departments that serve people with autism (for example Education, Labor, Justice, VA, HUD, Defense). Between one-third and one-half of the members must be non-federal public appointees chosen by the Secretary; at least three must have an autism diagnosis, at least three must be parents or guardians of someone with autism, and at least three must represent leading research, advocacy, or service organizations. Non-federal members serve 4-year terms and may be reappointed once. The Secretary must give administrative help. The Committee must meet when the chair or Secretary calls it, at least twice a year, and all meetings must be public with time for public questions and presentations. It may form subcommittees and hold workshops. The Committee ends on September 30, 2029.

Full Legal Text

Title 42, §280i–2

The Public Health and Welfare, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)The Secretary shall establish a committee, to be known as the “Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee” (in this section referred to as the “Committee”), to coordinate all efforts within the Department of Health and Human Services concerning autism spectrum disorder.
(b)In carrying out its duties under this section, the Committee shall, on a regular basis—
(1)monitor autism spectrum disorder research, and to the extent practicable services and support activities, across all relevant Federal departments and agencies, including coordination of Federal activities with respect to autism spectrum disorder;
(2)summarize of 11 So in original. The word “of” probably should not appear. advances in autism spectrum disorder research related to causes, prevention, treatment, early screening, diagnosis or rule out, interventions, including school and community-based interventions, and access to services and supports for individuals with autism spectrum disorder across the lifespan of such individuals;
(3)make recommendations to the Secretary regarding any appropriate changes to such activities, including with 22 So in original. Probably should be preceded by “recommendations”. respect to the strategic plan developed under paragraph (5);
(4)make recommendations to the Secretary regarding public participation in decisions relating to autism spectrum disorder, and the process by which public feedback can be better integrated into such decisions;
(5)develop a strategic plan for the conduct of, and support for, autism spectrum disorder research, as described in section 284g(a)(1) of this title, which shall include—
(A)proposed budgetary requirements; and
(B)recommendations to ensure that autism spectrum disorder research, and services and support activities to the extent practicable, of the Department of Health and Human Services and of other Federal departments and agencies are not unnecessarily duplicative; and
(6)submit to the Congress and the President—
(A)an annual update on the summary of advances described in paragraph (2); and
(B)a biennial update on the strategic plan described in paragraph (5), including progress made in achieving the goals outlined in such strategic plan and any specific measures taken pursuant to such strategic plan.
(c)(1)The Committee shall be composed of the following Federal members—
(A)the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention;
(B)the Director of the National Institutes of Health, and the Directors of such national research institutes of the National Institutes of Health as the Secretary determines appropriate;
(C)the heads of such other agencies as the Secretary determines appropriate, such as the Administration for Community Living, Administration for Children and Families, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, the Food and Drug Administration, and the Health Resources and Services Administration; and
(D)representatives of other Federal Governmental agencies that serve individuals with autism spectrum disorder such as the Department of Education, the Department of Labor, the Department of Justice, the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Department of Housing and Urban Development, and the Department of Defense.
(2)Not more than ½, but not fewer than ⅓, of the total membership of the Committee,33 So in original. The comma probably should not appear. shall be composed of non-Federal public members to be appointed by the Secretary, of which—
(A)at least three such members shall be individuals with a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder;
(B)at least three such members shall be parents or legal guardians of an individual with an autism spectrum disorder; and
(C)at least three such members shall be representatives of leading research, advocacy, and service organizations for individuals with autism spectrum disorder.
(3)(A)Non-Federal members shall serve for a term of 4 years, and may be reappointed for one additional 4-year term.
(B)A vacancy on the Committee shall be filled in the manner in which the original appointment was made and shall not affect the powers or duties of the Committee. Any member appointed to fill a vacancy for an unexpired term shall be appointed for the remainder of such term. A member may serve after the expiration of the member’s term until a successor has been appointed.
(d)The following provisions shall apply with respect to the Committee:
(1)The Committee shall receive necessary and appropriate administrative support from the Secretary.
(2)The Committee shall meet at the call of the chairperson or upon the request of the Secretary. The Committee shall meet not fewer than 2 times each year.
(3)All meetings of the Committee shall be public and shall include appropriate time periods for questions and presentations by the public.
(e)In carrying out its functions, the Committee may establish subcommittees and convene workshops and conferences. Such subcommittees shall be composed of Committee members and may hold such meetings as are necessary to enable the subcommittees to carry out their duties.
(f)This section shall not apply after September 30, 2029, and the Committee shall be terminated on such date.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Amendments

2024—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 118–180, § 3(c)(1)(A), inserted “, on a regular basis” after “shall” in introductory provisions. Subsec. (b)(2). Pub. L. 118–180, § 3(c)(1)(B), substituted “summarize” for “develop a summary”. Subsec. (b)(5), (6). Pub. L. 118–180, § 3(c)(1)(C), added pars. (5) and (6) and struck out former pars (5) and (6) which related, respectively, to development of a strategic plan and annual updates to Congress and the President. Subsec. (f). Pub. L. 118–180, § 3(c)(2), substituted “
September 30, 2029” for “
December 20, 2024”. Pub. L. 118–83 substituted “
December 20, 2024” for “
September 30, 2024”. 2019—Subsec. (b)(2). Pub. L. 116–60, § 3(c)(1)(A), inserted “across the lifespan of such individuals” before semicolon at end. Subsec. (b)(5). Pub. L. 116–60, § 3(c)(1)(B), inserted “across the lifespan of such individuals” before “and the families” in introductory provisions. Subsec. (c)(1)(D). Pub. L. 116–60, § 3(c)(2)(A), inserted “, the Department of Labor, the Department of Justice, the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Department of Housing and Urban Development,” after “Department of Education”. Subsec. (c)(2). Pub. L. 116–60, § 3(c)(2)(B), substituted “at least three such members” for “at least two such members” in subpars. (A) to (C). Subsec. (c)(3)(A). Pub. L. 116–60, § 3(c)(2)(C), substituted “one additional 4-year term” for “one or more additional 4-year terms”. Subsec. (f). Pub. L. 116–60, § 3(c)(3), substituted “2024” for “2019”. 2014—Subsec. (b)(1). Pub. L. 113–157, § 5(1)(C), added par. (1). Former par. (1) redesignated (2). Pub. L. 113–157, § 5(1)(A), struck out “and annually update” after “develop” and substituted “interventions, including school and community-based interventions” for “intervention”. Subsec. (b)(2). Pub. L. 113–157, § 5(1)(B), (C), redesignated par. (1) as (2) and struck out former par. (2) which read as follows: “monitor Federal activities with respect to autism spectrum disorder;”. Subsec. (b)(3). Pub. L. 113–157, § 5(1)(D), struck out “recommendations to the Director of NIH” after “including”. Subsec. (b)(4). Pub. L. 113–157, § 5(1)(E), inserted before semicolon “, and the process by which public feedback can be better integrated into such decisions”. Subsec. (b)(5), (6). Pub. L. 113–157, § 5(1)(F), added pars. (5) and (6) and struck out former pars. (5) and (6) which read as follows: “(5) develop and annually update a strategic plan for the conduct of, and support for, autism spectrum disorder research, including proposed budgetary requirements; and “(6) submit to the Congress such strategic plan and any updates to such plan.” Subsec. (c)(1). Pub. L. 113–157, § 5(2)(A)(i), substituted “Federal membership” for “In general” in heading and “The Committee shall be composed of the following Federal members—” for “The Committee shall be composed of—” in introductory provisions. Subsec. (c)(1)(C). Pub. L. 113–157, § 5(2)(A)(ii), inserted “, such as the Administration for Community Living, Administration for Children and Families, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, the Food and Drug Administration, and the Health Resources and Services Administration” before semicolon and inserted “and” at end. Subsec. (c)(1)(D). Pub. L. 113–157, § 5(2)(A)(iii), inserted “and the Department of Defense” after “Department of Education” and substituted period at end for “; and”. Subsec. (c)(1)(E). Pub. L. 113–157, § 5(2)(A)(iv), struck out subpar. (E) which read as follows: “the additional members appointed under paragraph (2).” Subsec. (c)(2). Pub. L. 113–157, § 5(2)(B)(i), (ii), substituted “Non-Federal” for “Additional” in heading and “Not more than ½, but not fewer than ⅓, of the total membership of the Committee” for “Not fewer than 6 members of the Committee, or 1/3 of the total membership of the Committee, whichever is greater” in introductory provisions. Substitution in text was executed as the probable intent of Congress, notwithstanding directory language that struck out “⅓” instead of “1/3” as it appeared in the original. Subsec. (c)(2)(A). Pub. L. 113–157, § 5(2)(B)(iii), substituted “two such members shall be individuals” for “one such member shall be an individual”. Subsec. (c)(2)(B). Pub. L. 113–157, § 5(2)(B)(iv), substituted “two such members shall be parents or legal guardians” for “one such member shall be a parent or legal guardian”. Subsec. (c)(2)(C). Pub. L. 113–157, § 5(2)(B)(v), substituted “two such members shall be representatives” for “one such member shall be a representative”. Subsec. (c)(3). Pub. L. 113–157, § 5(2)(C), added par. (3). Subsec. (d)(2) to (4). Pub. L. 113–157, § 5(3), redesignated pars. (3) and (4) as (2) and (3), respectively, and struck out former par. (2) which read as follows: “Members of the Committee appointed under subsection (c)(2) shall serve for a term of 4 years, and may be reappointed for one or more additional 4 year term. Any member appointed to fill a vacancy for an unexpired term shall be appointed for the remainder of such term. A member may serve after the expiration of the member’s term until a successor has taken office.” Subsec. (f). Pub. L. 113–157, § 5(4), substituted “2019” for “2014”. 2011—Subsec. (f). Pub. L. 112–32 substituted “2014” for “2011”.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

42 U.S.C. § 280i–2

Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare

Last Updated

Apr 5, 2026

Release point: 119-73not60