ACI Alliance Celebrating World Hearing Day on Capitol Hill

March 3, 2026

World Hearing Day, observed annually on March 3 and organized by the World Health Organization (WHO), is a global awareness day dedicated to promoting ear and hearing health, and preventing hearing loss across the lifespan. In recognition of this important day, American Cochlear Implant (ACI Alliance) and Hearing Loss Association of America (HLAA) co-hosted a special Capitol Hill reception celebrating leadership in hearing health and recognizing champions who are advancing access to care for millions of Americans.

On Tuesday, March 3, 2026, ACI Alliance and HLAA, welcomed policymakers, advocates, clinicians, and members of the hearing health community for an evening reception and presentation of the inaugural Champion for Hearing Health Award. This year, we were proud to honor Congressman Tom Barrett (R-Michigan) and Congressman Mike Thompson (D-California) for their leadership of the Congressional Hearing Health Caucus and their steadfast dedication to improving access to hearing care and hearing technology.

Both honorees bring distinguished military service to their advocacy. Representative Barrett served 22-years in the U.S. Army, including deployments to Iraq, Guantanamo Bay, Kuwait, and the Korean DMZ. He brings extensive miliary service to his role. Representative Thompson served in the U.S. Army’s 173^rd Airborne Brigade, received a Purple Heart, and has shared his personal experience with service-related hearing loss, bringing lived experience and powerful perspective to his work on behalf of others facing similar challenges.

Their leadership reflects a broader truth: hearing loss is one of the most common service-related disabilities among U.S. Veterans. It is the fifth most common service-connected disability, and more than 1.5 million veterans receive VA disability compensation for hearing loss. Veterans are 30 percent more likely than non-veterans to experience severe hearing impairment, driven by prolonged noise exposure, blast injuries, and traumatic brain injury during military service. Untreated hearing loss among veterans is associated with significantly higher rates of depression, social isolation, cognitive decline, and reduced employment — compounding the sacrifice they have already made in service to our country. Addressing this gap is a matter of health equity and a national obligation.

We were also privileged to welcome distinguished guest speaker William Howard, a U.S. Army Veteran living with hearing loss, who shared his personal reflections on the impact of hearing care and the importance of continued policy leadership in this space. Mr. Howard received his first cochlear implant through the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) in 2019. He shared how this experience has transformed his life, inspiring him to support other veterans and cochlear implant candidates. Today, he mentors other veterans and cochlear implant candidates and participates in VA and educational outreach events. His story underscores the human impact behind the policy work and the urgent need to prioritize hearing health nationwide.

Additional guest speakers included Dr. Brian Kaplan, a board-certified Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) surgeon, specializing in the medical and surgical treatment of hearing loss and implantable hearing technology. Barbara Kelly, Executive Director of HLAA, who has dedicated more than 35 years to advancing hearing health advocacy, presented the Champion of Hearing Health Award to Representative Thompson. Donna Sorkin, Executive Director of the ACI Alliance, has significantly expanded the organization’s national advocacy impact and presented the award to Representative Barrett.

For many years, ACI Alliance has been a strong advocate for veterans experiencing hearing loss. Through advocacy, education, and storytelling, we have highlighted the experiences of veterans whose lives have been transformed through hearing care and cochlear implantation. Their stories, many featured on our website, demonstrate both the challenges of service-related hearing loss and the life-changing potential of modern hearing technology. Please visit our website at Veterans’ Stories to read more.

As we mark World Hearing Day, we celebrate not only progress in hearing science, research, and technology, but also the policymakers and advocates who work diligently to ensure access for all. Looking ahead, we are energized to build on this momentum and further advance hearing health nationwide.

Executive Director of ACI Alliance, Donna Sorkin, presents the award to CI recipient and Veteran William Howard who accepted the award on the Congressman’s behalf.