[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 55 (Tuesday, April 8, 2008)]
[House]
[Pages H2025-H2027]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




          EARLY HEARING DETECTION AND INTERVENTION ACT OF 2008

  Mrs. CAPPS. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill

[[Page H2026]]

(H.R. 1198) to amend the Public Health Service Act regarding early 
detection, diagnosis, and treatment of hearing loss, as amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 1198

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``Early Hearing Detection and 
     Intervention Act of 2008''.

     SEC. 2. EARLY DETECTION, DIAGNOSIS, AND TREATMENT OF HEARING 
                   LOSS.

       Section 399M of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 
     280g-1) is amended--
       (1) in the section heading, by striking ``INFANTS'' and 
     inserting ``NEWBORNS AND INFANTS'';
       (2) in subsection (a)--
       (A) in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by striking 
     ``screening, evaluation and intervention programs and 
     systems'' and inserting ``screening, evaluation, diagnosis, 
     and intervention programs and systems, and to assist in the 
     recruitment, retention, education, and training of qualified 
     personnel and health care providers,'';
       (B) by amending paragraph (1) to read as follows:
       ``(1) To develop and monitor the efficacy of statewide 
     programs and systems for hearing screening of newborns and 
     infants; prompt evaluation and diagnosis of children referred 
     from screening programs; and appropriate educational, 
     audiological, and medical interventions for children 
     identified with hearing loss. Early intervention includes 
     referral to and delivery of information and services by 
     schools and agencies, including community, consumer, and 
     parent-based agencies and organizations and other programs 
     mandated by part C of the Individuals with Disabilities 
     Education Act, which offer programs specifically designed to 
     meet the unique language and communication needs of deaf and 
     hard of hearing newborns, infants, toddlers, and children. 
     Programs and systems under this paragraph shall establish and 
     foster family-to-family support mechanisms that are critical 
     in the first months after a child is identified with hearing 
     loss.''; and
       (C) by adding at the end the following:
       ``(3) To develop efficient models to ensure that newborns 
     and infants who are identified with a hearing loss through 
     screening receive follow-up by a qualified health care 
     provider. These models shall be evaluated for their 
     effectiveness, and State agencies shall be encouraged to 
     adopt models that effectively increase the rate of occurrence 
     of such follow-up.
       ``(4) To ensure an adequate supply of qualified personnel 
     to meet the screening, evaluation, diagnosis, and early 
     intervention needs of children.'';
       (3) in subsection (b)--
       (A) in paragraph (1)(A), by striking ``hearing loss 
     screening, evaluation, and intervention programs'' and 
     inserting ``hearing loss screening, evaluation, diagnosis, 
     and intervention programs''; and
       (B) in paragraph (2)--
       (i) by striking ``for purposes of this section, continue'' 
     and insert the following: ``for purposes of this section--
       ``(A) continue'';
       (ii) by striking the period at the end and inserting ``; 
     and''; and
       (iii) by adding at the end the following:
       ``(B) establish a postdoctoral fellowship program to foster 
     research and development in the area of early hearing 
     detection and intervention.'';
       (4) in paragraphs (2) and (3) of subsection (c), by 
     striking the term ``hearing screening, evaluation and 
     intervention programs'' each place such term appears and 
     inserting ``hearing screening, evaluation, diagnosis, and 
     intervention programs'';
       (5) in subsection (e)--
       (A) in paragraph (3), by striking ``ensuring that families 
     of the child'' and all that follows and inserting ``ensuring 
     that families of the child are provided comprehensive, 
     consumer-oriented information about the full range of family 
     support, training, information services, and language and 
     communication options and are given the opportunity to 
     consider and obtain the full range of such appropriate 
     services, educational and program placements, and other 
     options for their child from highly qualified providers.''; 
     and
       (B) in paragraph (6), by striking ``, after rescreening,''; 
     and
       (6) in subsection (f)--
       (A) in paragraph (1), by striking ``fiscal year 2002'' and 
     inserting ``fiscal years 2009 through 2014'';
       (B) in paragraph (2), by striking ``fiscal year 2002'' and 
     inserting ``fiscal years 2009 through 2014''; and
       (C) in paragraph (3), by striking ``fiscal year 2002'' and 
     inserting ``fiscal years 2009 through 2014''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from 
California (Mrs. Capps) and the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Deal) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from California.


                             General Leave

  Mrs. CAPPS. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and 
include extraneous material on the bill under consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentlewoman from California?
  There was no objection.
  Mrs. CAPPS. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  I rise in strong support of H.R. 1198, the Early Hearing Detection 
and Intervention Act. I'm very proud to have introduced this bill with 
Congressman Jim Walsh of New York, who has championed this issue for 
many years.
  This bill is near and dear to me as cochair of both the Hearing 
Health Caucus and the Infant Health and Safety Caucus.
  The Early Hearing Detection and Intervention Program is one of those 
success stories that are often rare in Washington. Since its 
authorization in 2000, we have seen a tremendous increase in the number 
of newborns who are being screened for hearing loss, but our work is 
not done. We need to ensure that every newborn is screened and that 
every family that needs access to follow-up care is given that access.
  I have been a school nurse for over 20 years, and in those years, I 
can tell you firsthand what happens to a child who has undiagnosed 
hearing loss and/or never received proper intervention. They may fall 
behind in school and they may face other social difficulties. Early 
identification and intervention are essential to a child's well-being, 
and that's what we aim to achieve through the reauthorization of the 
Early Hearing Detection and Intervention Act.
  I would like to thank the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Alliance, the 
American Academy of Audiology, and the March of Dimes for their support 
of this legislation. Let's continue to build upon the success of the 
past 8 years and make sure that every child has access to diagnosis and 
treatment of hearing loss.
  Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. DEAL of Georgia. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  I would like to join my colleague in supporting H.R. 1198, the Early 
Hearing Detection and Intervention Act of 2008.
  This legislation reauthorizes the Early Hearing Detection and 
Intervention Program, which was first enacted in 2000 to help States 
develop newborn hearing screening and early intervention programs. This 
program has successfully improved newborn screening for hearing loss, 
which allows many children to benefit from early detection. This 
provides enhanced opportunities for language and communication skill 
development.
  Unfortunately, children experiencing hearing loss who are not 
identified early can have delays in speech, language, and cognitive 
development. Through grant programs, this legislation helps ensure 
infants with hearing losses are identified and receive appropriate 
follow-up care. The bill also establishes a post-doctoral fellowship 
program to improve early hearing detection research.
  This legislation moved through our committee in a bipartisan fashion, 
and I would urge its adoption.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mrs. CAPPS. Madam Speaker, I continue to reserve the balance of my 
time.
  Mr. DEAL of Georgia. Madam Speaker, I am pleased to yield 3 minutes 
to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Walsh) who was the sponsor of the 
original legislation which this bill seeks to reauthorize.
  Mr. WALSH of New York. Madam Speaker, I thank my friend and 
colleague, Mr. Deal from Georgia, for yielding time and his leadership 
on health issues. I would also like to thank my colleague from 
California, Lois Capps, who's done such a marvelous job of leading the 
Hearing Caucus for the past several years.
  I would like to recognize, also, my cochairs along with Congresswoman 
Capps, Vern Ehlers, and Carolyn McCarthy, who also worked long and hard 
on this issue, as well as the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Alliance, the 
National Center of Hearing for Assessment and Management. Without their 
hard work, this important legislation would not have been possible.
  In the year 2000, Congress authorized the Children's Health Act 
which, among several initiatives, provided the necessary authority for 
the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to begin addressing 
the screening

[[Page H2027]]

and intervention needs of newborns and children with hearing loss. 
Indeed, when this program began, there were pilot programs in the 
country, probably back about 12 or 13 years ago, 3 percent of the 
children born in the United States were tested. Today, it's well over 
95 percent of the entire universe of newborns born in the United States 
today are being tested.
  As we all know, the first 3 years of life are the most important 
period for language and speech development. It is essential that 
hearing impaired infants and young children be identified and an 
intervention begun in order to take full advantage of the developing 
sensory systems. If unidentified, these children will lose out on the 
crucial period of speech and language learning.
  Auditory impairment can impact social, emotional, cognitive, and 
academic development leading to personal, vocational, and economical 
defects. Delayed identification in management of severe to profound 
hearing loss can impede a child's ability to adopt to life in a hearing 
or deaf community.
  The early hearing, detection, and intervention programs include 
screening, audiological evaluation, and early intervention to enhance 
communication, thinking, and behavioral skills needed to achieve 
academic and social success. The EHDI programs are serving a critical 
need in a successful manner.
  Today, I call upon Congress to continue the success that has been 
experienced since the year 2000 and enact legislation to reauthorize 
EHDI programs. H.R. 1198 builds upon the EHDI authorization from the 
year 2000 to address areas of continuing challenge.
  First, it would provide authority to address those children who are 
falling through cracks and not receiving necessary care after a 
screening that shows they have potential hearing loss.
  Second, it is clear that family-to-family support is critical in the 
first months after a child is identified with hearing loss. Excellent 
family-to-family support programs developed by state EHDI programs and 
other organizations are not yet wildly implemented. This legislation 
would provide the agency authority to support and disseminate such 
programs that are working for parents and their children.
  Third, it is clear that more research and study is needed in the area 
of hearing detection and intervention.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The time of the gentleman has expired.
  Mr. DEAL of Georgia. I yield the gentleman an additional minute.
  Mr. WALSH of New York. I thank the gentleman.
  H.R. 1198 would enable NIH to establish a post-doctoral research 
fellowship program to effectively recruit researchers to become 
involved in early hearing detection and intervention.
  Finally, H.R. 1198 provides the agency the authority to address the 
shortage of trained health professionals and other personnel necessary 
to make certain that every child who is screened with a hearing problem 
gets access to appropriate interventions needed to succeed.
  I urge my colleagues to support this important legislation. Again, I 
thank my cochairs on the caucus.
  Mrs. CAPPS. Madam Speaker, I continue to reserve.
  Mr. DEAL of Georgia. I would urge the adoption of the resolution, and 
I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mrs. CAPPS. Madam Speaker, I am prepared to close, and as I do, I 
would like to remind us all that since the authorization of the Early 
Hearing Detection Intervention Act in 2000, we've seen a tremendous 
increase in the numbers of newborns who are being screened for hearing 
loss; and with this passage of this reauthorization, we can continue to 
build upon the success of the past 8 years and make sure that every 
child has access to diagnosis and treatment of hearing loss.
  Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of the Early 
Hearing Detection and Intervention Act.
  Sadly, thousands of infants are born with a hearing loss each year. 
Fortunately, thanks to the Early Hearing Detection and Intervention 
(EHDI) program that was established in 2000, today approximately 93 
percent of all newborns are screened. Many infants with hearing loss 
and their families have benefited from early identification of hearing 
loss. The EHDI program allows babies with hearing loss to develop 
normally and lead productive lives by ensuring that they will be ready 
to learn when they enter school.
  However, many infants who are identified as having a hearing 
disability due to the screening tests do not receive timely follow-up 
care because of shortages in trained professionals needed for infant 
hearing screening programs. We must do better in ensuring that infants 
and their families have access to comprehensive hearing loss care. The 
bill seeks to accomplish this by presiding comprehensive information 
about family support, training, and information services to the family 
of children identified with hearing loss and ensure that they are given 
the opportunity to consider all the options of early intervention 
services, educational and program placements.
  This legislation will improve on the successful Early Hearing 
Detection and Intervention program. I urge my colleagues to vote for 
this much needed bill.
  Mrs. CAPPS. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentlewoman from California (Mrs. Capps) that the House suspend the 
rules and pass the bill, H.R. 1198, as amended.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

                          ____________________