Reps. Knollenberg, Ball, Barnett, Booher, Terry Brown, Byrnes, Caul, Constan, Cushingberry, Dean, Gonzales, Haines, Hammel, Hansen, Horn, Huckleberry, Rick Jones, Robert Jones, Kurtz, Lahti, LeBlanc, Leland, Lemmons, Liss, Lund, Marleau, McDowell, Neumann, Polidori, Sheltrown, Slavens, Spade and Tyler offered the following resolution:

            House Resolution No. 104.

            A resolution to memorialize the Congress of the United States to enact H.R. 1646, the Hearing Aid Assistance Tax Credit Act.

            Whereas, Hearing loss is a devastating problem for countless numbers of people. For seniors, untreated hearing loss causes additional costs to Medicare and other health problems due to loss of independence, social isolation, depression, safety issues, and decreased quality of life. For children, untreated hearing loss leads to social, emotional, behavioral, and learning difficulties; and

            Whereas, It has been estimated that out of the 1.4 million people in Michigan who have a hearing loss, only 22 percent of them wear hearing aids. Clearly, this is because the average out-of-pocket costs for two hearing aids is over $4,000; and

            Whereas, H.R. 1646, the Hearing Aid Assistance Tax Credit Act, has been introduced in the 111th Congress to allow a $500 federal tax credit for the purchase of hearing aids. The credit would be limited to individuals over age 55 and certain dependents, and is available every five years. The credit would not be available to taxpayers whose modified adjusted gross income exceeds $200,000 for any taxable year. Although this is a modest federal income tax credit, it would have a major impact on seniors' and children's lives; now, therefore, be it

            Resolved by the House of Representatives, That we hereby memorialize the Congress of the United States to enact H.R. 1646, the Hearing Aid Assistance Tax Credit Act; and be it further

            Resolved, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, and the members of the Michigan congressional delegation.