HOUSE PASSES MATSUI AND GUTHRIE’S BILL TO REAUTHORIZE NEWBORN HEARING SCREENING AND INTERVENTION PROGRAM

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, Congresswoman Doris Matsui (CA-06) and Congressman Brett Guthrie (KY-02) applauded House passage of S.4052, Early Hearing Detection and Intervention Act of 2022.

The House passed the Senate companion bill of Matsui and Guthrie's H.R.5561, Early Hearing Detection and Intervention Act of 2021which passed the House in December 2021. U.S. Senators Rob Portman (R-OH), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Bill Cassidy (R-LA), and John Hickenlooper (D-CO) introduced the Early Hearing Detection and Intervention Act of 2022 in April 2022.

"A child's first few years are critical for their development - and parents deserve all the tools to make informed choices about their infants' care early on," said Congresswoman Matsui. "The Early Hearing Detection and Intervention Act gives families access to newborn hearing screenings and ensures that those diagnosed can access appropriate follow up care and timely intervention services. I look forward to seeing the President sign this bill into law and ensure that these programs can continue to improve our children's health and well-being into the future."

"This proven program helps detect and diagnose hearing loss early in children so that parents and health care providers can make early and effective interventions that give children the support they need to thrive," said Congressman Guthrie. "I'm proud to lead the charge on the House side to reauthorize this vital program, and I hope this bipartisan bill to support the well-being of young children with hearing loss is signed into law soon."

"ASHA greatly appreciates Representatives Matsui and Guthrie for their long-time leadership to ensure that newborns are screened for hearing loss then diagnosed and treated in a timely manner," said Judy Rich, EdD, CCC-SLP, BCS-CL, 2022 President of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. "Their work, and commitment to reducing pediatric hearing health care disparities, will ensure that state newborn hearing screening programs can be appropriately funded and focused on getting all children with hearing loss the help they need when they need it."

This bipartisan bill to reauthorize the program for early detection, diagnosis, and treatment of deaf and hard-of-hearing newborns, infants, and young children now heads to the president's desk. This program started in 1999, and this legislation would fund the program through fiscal year 2027.

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