Ways and Means Committee Member Melissa Hart Co-Sponsors Hearing Aid Assistance Tax Credit Bill

Alexandria, Va. (May 24, 2006) Representative Melissa Hart (R-PA) co-sponsored the Hearing Aid Assistance Tax Credit (H.R. 414) in early May. She is the 105th H.R 414 co-sponsor and the eighth member of the House Ways and Means Committee to co-sponsor the bill. The Ways and Means Committee considers all tax legislation including the hearing aid tax credit. Rep. Hart's district is located to the northwest of Pittsburgh including Allison Park and Ellwood City. Rep. Hart noted that "while the technology to help people with hearing loss is readily available, too many Americans still cannot afford it. This legislation will enable more people with hearing loss to get the assistance they need to improve their lives."

In addition to Congresswoman Hart, eight other representatives signed on to co-sponsor H.R. 414 over the past month:

• Rep. Michael Doyle (D-PA, 14th District)
  
• Rep. Brian Higgins (D-NY, 27th District)
  
• Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-NY, 14th District)
  
• Rep. Charlie Melancon (D-LA, 3rd District)
  
• Rep. Randy Neugebauer (R-TX, 19th District)
  
• Rep. Nick Rahall (D-WV, 3rd District)
  
• Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL, 20th District)
  
• Rep. Curt Weldon (R-PA, 7th District)

HIA continues to aggressively support passage of the hearing aid tax credit legislation. Hearing loss is one of the few medical conditions for which there is little financial assistance available, despite the documented benefits of amplification for people with hearing losses. Earlier this year, the Better Hearing Institute issued a study confirming that there are economic, as well as psychosocial benefits of hearing aid use as people with hearing losses who use hearing aids earn, on average, $12,000 more in income annually than non-users.

HIA is urging all hearing aid tax credit supporters to contact their Congressional Representative or Senators and ask them to support and co-sponsor H.R. 414/S. 1060. To find out if your Representative or Senators are co-sponsors already, please visit www.hearing.org/public.

HIA, headquartered in Alexandria, VA, is the national trade association of manufacturers of hearing aids, implantable hearing devices, assistive listening devices, component parts and power sources for amplification devices.