The Amputee Coalition 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. The legislation represented the first time that Congress has acted to specifically address the needs of the limb loss community. The recipients were:
- Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)
- Marsh Blackburn (R-TN)
- G.K. Butterfield (D-NC-1)
- 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 [the Government Accountability Office] specifically requesting them to examine current barriers to using assistive technologies, and to include prosthetic devices, as it applies, to healthcare coverage for individuals in the limb loss and limb difference community,” according to the award.
The Amputee Coalition expects to receive the GAO’s finding next year.
“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.”
