In the News

In honor of Deafblind Awareness Week and Helen Keller’s birthday, U.S. Rep. Matt Cartwright this week introduced bipartisan legislation to help overcome barriers and identify policy gaps for individuals with combined hearing and vision loss.

The Deafblind Disabled Americans Table Approximation (DATA) or Deafblind DATA Act, would require the U.S. Census Bureau to publish data on the deafblind population.

Currently, the U.S. Census Bureau only collects and publishes data about individual disabilities, such as hearing difficulty and vision difficulty, but does not publish data about people who experience multiple disabilities. As a result, there is limited data on the number of Americans experiencing the combination of hearing loss and vision loss, also known as deafblindness.

Cartwright, D-Moosic, said deafblindness can pose communication challenges, limit information access, and hinder social and emotional well-being. In children, it may significantly impact development and educational attainment. For deafblind adults, it can be difficult to secure employment opportunities or live independently.

“As members of Congress, it is our responsibility to ensure that all of our constituents have access to the resources and opportunities available to them,” Cartwright said. “Without a comprehensive national picture of the deafblind population, these individuals may not receive the support needed to thrive. My commonsense legislation represents a significant and meaningful step towards identifying policy gaps for deafblind individuals, which will ensure that all members of our communities are being represented.”