HRES1050Referred to Committee

Expressing support for the designation of September 19, 2026, as "Black Autism Acceptance and Awareness Day".

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Introduced
In Committee
3
Passed One Chamber
4
Passed Both
5
Signed into Law
119th
Congress
2026-02-10
Introduced
0
Cosponsors
HRES
Type

Sponsor

Michael Lawler
Michael Lawler
Republican · NY · Representative
Votes with party: 92.5% (544 recorded votes)

Full profile: /officials/L000599

Source: Congress.gov · FEC

Cosponsors (0)

Members who have signed on to support this bill since introduction. Source: Congress.gov.

No cosponsors on record. Bills can pass without cosponsors — this often means the sponsor introduced the bill alone, either because it's a messaging bill, a chairman's mark, or simply early in the legislative cycle.

Latest Action

The most recent step in the bill's legislative path. Committee Activity below shows referrals and reports; the full action-by-action history including floor proceedings lives at Congress.gov →

Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.

2026-02-10

Source: Congress.gov

Plain-English Summary

This resolution would officially recognize September 19, 2026, as a national day to raise awareness about autism in Black communities and promote acceptance of autistic Black individuals. The designation aims to highlight the unique experiences and challenges that Black people with autism face, including higher rates of misdiagnosis and underdiagnosis. While the resolution itself doesn't create new programs or funding, it would encourage public recognition and education about this topic.

AI-assisted summary generated from the official bill metadata (title, subjects, actions) sourced from Congress.gov. Cached and reviewed. Always verify against the official text linked below.

Subjects

Health

Full Bill Text

Verbatim text published on Congress.gov via GovInfo. Use Cmd+F / Ctrl+F to search within this excerpt.

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office] [H. Res. 1050 Introduced in House (IH)] <DOC> 119th CONGRESS 2d Session H. RES. 1050 Expressing support for the designation of September 19, 2026, as ``Black Autism Acceptance and Awareness Day''. _______________________________________________________________________ IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES February 10, 2026 Mr. Lawler submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce _______________________________________________________________________ RESOLUTION Expressing support for the designation of September 19, 2026, as ``Black Autism Acceptance and Awareness Day''. Whereas autism is a form of neurodivergence characterized by differences in social communication skills and by repetitive and highly focused behaviors and ways of thinking; Whereas, despite recent efforts to serve Black autistic individuals, there appear to be significant racial inequities in the diagnosis and treatment of Black autistic children; Whereas Black parents of autistic children reported significantly less autism concerns and behavioral concerns, with children more likely to be seen as ``disruptive'' instead of neurodivergent; Whereas Black autistic individuals are more likely to be misdiagnosed, underdiagnosed, and diagnosed late; Whereas Black autistic individuals are underrepresented in autism research; Whereas Black autistic individuals have been found to have more difficulty in accessing specialty care; Whereas the Black community reports more accounts of marginalization and dismissal of concerns in health care settings, including in the autism space; Whereas Black autistic youth face increased risk of negative outcomes during interactions with law enforcement; and Whereas Black autistic youth face disproportionate discipline at school, resulting in a higher prevalence of suspensions, expulsions, and other classroom punishments: Now, therefore, be it Resolved, That the House of Representatives-- (1) expresses support for the designation of ``Black Autism Acceptance and Awareness Day''; (2) encourages all Americans to celebrate Black Autism Acceptance and Awareness Day by-- (A) raising awareness about the inequalities facing Black autistic individuals; (B) promoting understanding, acceptance, and inclusion of Black autistic individuals; (C) reinforcing the importance of amplifying the voices of Black autistic individuals; and (D) advocating for justice and equity for Black autistic individuals; (3) recognizes that acceptance for Black autistic individuals is essential; (4) recognizes that true acceptance for Black autistic individuals means culturally competent care, challenging existing biases, building community, and providing equitable access to resources and opportunities; (5) recognizes that autism does not end after childhood, and resources and acceptance are needed for Black autistic individuals into adulthood; and (6) recognizes that neurological differences, like autism, are natural variations in the human experience, and those variations should be celebrated. <all>