Despite the Bush Administration's repeated attempts to eliminate funding for the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) Universal Newborn Hearing program, the committee agreed to retain the 2004 funding level of just under $10 million. The Early Hearing Detection and Intervention program under the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is also expected to be retained at its funding level from last year.
ASHA again lead the push for EHDI funding through coordinating a letter to all members of Congress which was signed by 35 national consumer groups, professional organizations and manufacturers, from both health care and education fields. That letter can be viewed at www.asha.org/NR/rdonlyres/3DD1B256-8923-475E-85E4-DC5F54884B3A/0/FY05EHDIApproLetter.pdf. ASHA lobbyists also met with subcommittee staff to ensure continued funding for these programs. Comprehensive EHDI information and advocacy resources can be found on ASHA's EHDI Advocacy Center at www.asha.org/about/legislation-advocacy/federal/ehdi/.
