Recent discussions within federal panels and advisory committees have sparked significant debate regarding the future direction of autism research and funding. A federal panel has adopted an overhauled autism plan that shifts focus from genetics, eliciting concerns from the community. This comes as advisors to Robert F. Kennedy Jr. are advocating for a radical overhaul in autism research and recommending a doubling of U.S. spending on autism care and family support. Vaccines have also taken center stage in the discussions at the federal autism advisory committee, further complicating the landscape. The community has called on the Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee (IACC) to review all public input before any strategic plan vote is finalized, as the autism panel prepares to move ahead with a new framework despite pushback.