H.R. 1646, the Hearing Aid Tax Credit, attracted its 100th co-sponsor just as the House of Representatives adjourned for its 5-week August recess. This milepost was reached in only five months after the bill was first introduced by Reps Carolyn McCarthy (D-NY) and Vern Ehlers (R-MI) in March 2009. It took more than a year to reach the 100 co-sponsor plateau in the last Congress (2007-2008). The bill has attracted bi-partisan support from 66 Democratic and 34 Republican Representatives including 14 members of the House Ways and Means Committee which has jurisdiction over all tax legislation.
In the Senate, Olympia Snowe (R-ME) has co-sponsored the Hearing Aid Tax Credit (S. 1019) which is similar to H.R. 1646, although it provides a credit for people of all ages while the House bill covers only children and those 55 and older. Senator Snowe plans to champion the legislation along with Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA). She is a member of the Senate Finance Committee which reviews all tax legislation, and she has co-sponsored the hearing aid tax credit since 2005 when Norm Coleman (R-MN) was the lead Senate sponsor.
Hearing Aid Tax Credit Reaches 100 Co-sponsor Threshold in Record Time, Sen. Olympia Snowe Joins Sen. Tom Harkin as Senate Champion
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