Congressional Hearing Health Caucus

The Congressional Hearing Health Caucus (Caucus), a caucus of the United States Congress, was created in 2001[1] in cooperation with the National Campaign for Hearing Health, a public education and advocacy project run by the Deafness Research Foundation (now called the Hearing Health Foundation.) The focus of the Congressional Hearing Health Caucus includes several aims that promote hearing health and encourage universal newborn hearing health screenings for all Americans. Those most at risk for hearing-related concerns are newborns, infants, and the elderly, particularly if such issues are left undetected. Therefore, a primary goal of the Congressional Hearing Health Caucus is to see that auditory abilities of all Americans are screened, including universal hearing screening for newborns. One of the co-founders and co-chairmen of the Caucus was former Congress Member James T. Walsh[2] (R-NY). The Director of the National Campaign for Hearing Health at the time of launch of the CHHC, was Elizabeth Thorp, who had herself been born with unilateral deafness not discovered until she was eight years old.[3]

Current co-chairs of the Committee are David McKinley (R-WV) and Mike Thompson (D-CA).[4]

Background

Walsh and other Congress members recognized the need for hearing screenings for everyone, but particularly for newborns and infants,[5][6][7][8] as well as individuals who were aging,[5] including American veterans.[9][10]

In association with his leadership activities of the Caucus, Walsh promoted passage of an act that guaranteed hearing screenings for newborns and infants.[6] The Newborn and Infant Screening and Intervention Program Act was authored and sponsored, mainly, by Walsh in 1999.[8][11] On March 11, 2009, the act was renamed as the James T. Walsh Universal Newborn Hearing Screening Program,[6] and was identified within 42 United States Code 280g-1.[6] The Act is for "the early detection, diagnosis, and treatment regarding hearing loss in newborns and infants," and includes several provisions so that these endeavors may be accomplished.[6]

Additionally, in 1991, Walsh sponsored and introduced the Hearing Loss Testing Act.[7][11]

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References
  1. "Transcripts of Quarterly CHHC meetings" (PDF). SaveOurDeafSchools.org. Retrieved 18 September 2014.
  2. James Walsh' biography, Project Vote Smart, Philipsburg, MT: Project Vote Smart, 2014, Retrieved 13 February 2014.
  3. http://www.washingtonian.com/washingtonvoices/advice/reasons-to-get-your-hearing-checked-this-may.php
  4. "Reps. McKinley and Thompson Introduce Resolution to Recognize World Hearing Day". U.S. Representative David B. McKinley, P.E. 2018-02-21. Retrieved 2019-04-01.
  5. Congressional Hearing Health Caucus: Background, American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, 2013, Retrieved 19 January 2014.
  6. 42 USC 280g-1: Early detection, diagnosis, and treatment regarding hearing loss in newborns and infants Archived 2013-12-15 at the Library of Congress Web Archives, United States Code, Washington, DC: United States House of Representatives, Undated, Retrieved 18 January 2014.
  7. Congressman James T. Walsh Archived 2014-02-02 at the Wayback Machine, St. Bonaventure University Friedsam Memorial Library archives, St. Bonaventure, NY, Spring 2009, Retrieved 19 January 2014.
  8. Biographical profile for James T. Walsh, Vote NY, Reston, VA: Vote USA, Undated, Retrieved 17 January 2014.
  9. NCRA supports Congressional Hearing Health Caucus Archived 2014-02-01 at the Wayback Machine, National Court Reporters Association, Vienna, VA, 23 February 2012, Retrieved 19 January 2014.
  10. Congressional Hearing Health Caucus lunch briefing on tinnitus and hearing loss Archived 2013-12-10 at the Wayback Machine, American Tinnitus Association, 2013, Retrieved 19 January 2014.
  11. Congressman James T. Walsh: Newborn and infant hearing screening Archived 2014-02-02 at the Wayback Machine, St. Bonaventure University: Friedsam Memorial Library archives, St. Bonaventure, NY, Spring 2009, Retrieved 19 January 2014.
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