Midland, MI - November 30, 2007 - Representative Dave Camp (R-MI) was the honored guest of two leading hearing advocacy organizations on Wednesday, November 28, 2007.
The Hearing Loss Association of Michigan, and the Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing hosted a buffet dinner and programat the Tuscany Banquet Hall in Midland from5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. More than 130 members, family, and friends attended the event. The supper was sponsored by Hearing Industries Association.
The program was organized to focus local attention on the importance of hearing health issues including the lack of financial assistance for the vast majority of people who need hearing aids which are not covered by Medicare or most private insurance policies. The groups support the Hearing Aid Assistance Tax Credit Act, which would address this issue by providing a $500 tax credit per hearing aid for people 55 and older and those with dependent children. The legislation has the support of 65 members of the House of Representatives (H.R. 2329) and a companion bill, S.1410, has been co-sponsored by 7 Senators. The bill will ultimately come before the House Ways and Means committee of which Camp is a member.
During the program, sister and brother, Taylor, 7, and Peyton, 4, of Midland led the group in saying the Pledge of Allegiance. Mr. Dave Hotopp with his young daughter, Ann Marie, both of Midland, spoke about the need for assistance for hearing aids. Mr. Vale Ouderkirk from Hope also spoke about the benefits of having hearing aids and the need for assistance in purchasing them. Ouderkirk issued a good natured challenge to Representative Camp and the current legislature to find a way to fix the funding issues with hearing health care. A challenge which Representative Camp readily accepted on taking the podium during a standing ovation, saying 'I have taken Vale's challenge, and I will go back and I will do my homework on these bills that you are interested in.'. Representative Camp also said that in doing a little pre-event research he learned that 'hearing loss and the medical costs that are associated with that are no small matter. So, trust me when I say I hear you loud and clear on this issue.' To commemorate the event and help Representative Camp spread the word about hearing loss and funding issues, he was presented with a big orange plastic megaphone with a Michigan flag decal on one side and an H.R.2329 decal on the other.
About the Hearing Loss Association of Michigan
The Hearing Loss Association of Michigan (HLA-MI) is a state affiliate of the Hearing Loss Association of America (HLAA), founded in 1979 by Rocky Stone under the name of Self Help for Hard of Hearing People, opens the world of communication to people with hearing loss through information, education, advocacy and support. HLAA publishes the bimonthly Hearing Loss Magazine, holds annual conventions, Walk4Hearing, and more. Information can be found at www.hearingloss.org. The national headquarters is located at 7910 Woodmont Avenue, Suite 1200, Bethesda, MD 20184. HLAA has chapters and state organizations across the country, with 17 chapters in Michigan in addition to the state organization.
