WASHINGTON, DC, October 22, 2015 – More than 150 Congressional staffers, hearing advocates and guests attended a Screening Reception held by the Friends of the Congressional Hearing Health Caucus (FCHHC) yesterday in the Rayburn House Office Building. Around 50 attendees had their hearing screened and ears checked using a video otoscope by volunteer audiologists, hearing aid dispensers and otolaryngologists. CHHC Co-Chairmen Reps. Dave McKinley (R-WV) and Mike Thompson (D-CA) attended the event and urged hearing champions to continue to advocate for important hearing health issues in Congress.
Rep. Thompson noted that hearing health is an important element of overall healthcare, and that it is critical to address hearing loss early to avoid negative impacts on a person’s learning and earning potential. Rep. McKinley noted the importance of following up on passage of HR1344, the Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (EHDI) bill which was passed by the House in September, and is now being considered by the Senate.
(From left) Rep. Mike Thompson, Rep. David McKinley and Andy Bopp, HIA.
HIA coordinates programming for the FCHHC which hosts periodic events for Congressional and other hearing health champions. The group hosted two other events in 2015 including a Briefing Luncheon focused on the EHDI Bill and a National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD) tour for Congressional staffers. FCHHC will meet in December to plan events for 2016.
