The Director of the National Campaign for Hearing Health at the time of launch of the CHHC, was Elizabeth Thorp, who had herself been born with unilateral deafness not discovered until she was eight years old.
[4] Walsh and other Congress members recognized the need for hearing screenings for everyone, but particularly for newborns and infants,[5][6][7][8] as well as individuals who were aging,[5] including American veterans.
[9][10] In association with his leadership activities of the Caucus, Walsh promoted passage of an act that guaranteed hearing screenings for newborns and infants.
[8][11] On March 11, 2009, the act was renamed as the James T. Walsh Universal Newborn Hearing Screening Program,[6] and was identified within 42 United States Code 280g-1.
[6] The Act is for "the early detection, diagnosis, and treatment regarding hearing loss in newborns and infants," and includes several provisions so that these endeavors may be accomplished.