For Immediate Release
Contact: Jerrica Thurman, Vice President, Communications, jerrica@amputee-coalition.org
(September 2, 2022, Washington, DC) – The Amputee Coalition recently announced the recipients of its inaugural Congressional Champions Award. The Congressional Champions Award was created for congressional members who have advocated on behalf of the limb loss and limb difference community. This year’s awards went to the primary sponsors of the Access to Assistive Technology and Devices for Americans Study Act, also known as the Triple A Study Act. This bipartisan, bicameral legislation represented the first time that Congress has acted to specifically address the needs of our community as we seek to discover challenges individuals face in receiving prosthetics.
The two senators and two representatives were awarded during the Amputee Coalition’s 2022 National Conference in Palm Desert, CA. The four recipients who are receiving this award in recognition of their legislative work in support of the limb loss and limb difference community, are:
- Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)
- Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN)
- Rep. G.K. Butterfield (D-NC-1)
- Rep. Brett Guthrie (R-KY-2)
These bipartisan, bicameral Congressional members champion the limb loss and limb difference community, requesting an evaluation of prosthetic coverage for individuals living with limb loss and limb difference. Earlier this year, they sent a letter to GAO specifically requesting them to examine current barriers to using assistive technologies, and to include prosthetic devices, as it applies, to health care coverage for individuals in the limb loss and limb difference community. Through the efforts of these members, the Triple A Study became a reality as the Government Accountability Office (GAO) agreed to conduct the study. It is expected that we should receive GAO’s finding in 2023.
“Sens. Blackburn and Duckworth and Reps. Butterfield and Guthrie have continued efforts to assist the limb loss and limb difference community,” said Amputee Coalition Interim President and CEO John Register. “The letter is a reflection of the deep commitment of Congressional leadership to the community by advancing the goals of the Triple A Study Act, a major legislative priority for the Amputee Coalition. Currently, two-thirds of Americans who experience limb loss or limb difference never receive a prosthetic device, but there is little analysis to explain why. This study will help identify the best care practices for amputees and study barriers to care for assistive technologies.”
The Amputee Coalition is proud to recognize Sens. Blackburn and Duckworth and Reps. Butterfield and Guthrie as champions for people living with limb loss and limb difference. The Amputee Coalition will continue its work with members of Congress and with GAO in developing a fuller understanding of the challenges facing the limb loss and limb difference community, and more importantly, creating solutions to positively impact their lives.
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Amputee Coalition: The Leading Voice on Limb Loss and Limb Difference
The Amputee Coalition is the only national nonprofit that serves all individuals who experience limb loss or limb difference. We are dedicated to ensuring that no one faces limb loss alone. Our mission is to reach out and empower people affected by limb loss to achieve their full potential through support, education, advocacy, and prevention. We work to provide vital resources to people with limb loss and limb difference, as well as their families and caregivers. With these resources, they can recover, readjust, and live the life they most want to live. Learn more at www.amputee-coalition.org.