But on Wednesday, at a Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pension Committee meeting,聽聽he was part of a unanimous vote for nearly $700 million in funding for autism research and treatment. In fact, he is one of three lawmakers who introduced that will reauthorize a 2006 autism law that expires Sept 30. The others are Sens. Scott Brown,聽聽R-Mass., and聽Dick Durbin, D-Ill.

Enzi spokesman Joe Brenckle explains the senator’s position this way:

It is important to understand the legislation cosponsored by Senator Enzi does not represent new spending.聽聽Instead it reauthorizes an existing program at the prior year’s funding level.聽聽This bill is still subject to the annual appropriations process, but Senator Enzi believes that worthy, non-duplicative federal programs will continue to be authorized.

The original law called for聽$1 billion to expand federal聽research聽as聽well as increase services, diagnosis and treatment聽and enhance聽awareness efforts. The money increased autism research spending by almost 50 percent.聽 The reauthorization bill will continue the funding for an additional three years.聽The House has yet to move a re-authorization bill.

lobbyist Stuart Spielman said he’s confident the bill will pass, though the group is cognizant of pressures caused by the deficit. “We are not blind to the general fiscal environment … but this is a continuation of a successful progam,” he said.

Updated at 11:59 a.m. on Sept. 7.

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