You’ve got to wonder what is so important...

If anybody knows Joe Barton (R, Fort Worth, Texas), please ask him to explain what possible reform at the National Institute of Health is so important that it's worth blocking the Combating Autism Act of 2006 from passage in the House of Representatives. I've seen his bullet points and I don't see anything that can't be done additionally, subsequently to passage of the Combating Autism Act in the form already authorized by the Senate without the hokey-pokey of a conference committee and all the other nonsense required to reconcile differences between the Senate version and a "new" House version.

The Senate passed it unanimously and it has 228 co-sponsors in the House as-is. Come to think of it, why didn't those 228 co-sponsors have the democratic fortitude to pass a discharge bill and force it to the floor for a vote? Maybe enough phone calls and visits from voters during this election season can put a little spine in the co-sponsors to do that after the election is over. If you live in Sixth Congressional District of Texas (or know somebody who does), please take your proverbial voter torches and democratic pitchforks to your visit with Congressman Barton.

We've ignored autism long enough. It affects more children than anyone imagined. It affects my children.

Please get out of the way, Joe.