Thank you and good morning.

It is a pleasure for me to join my colleagues, Corrine Brown and Gus Bilirakis, in this historic city of New Port Richey to participate in this important hearing.  Having worked together for several years on the Veterans Affairs Committee, we have made great strides toward better serving those who served our country. 

I am honored to represent the Western Panhandle of our great state and to stand for our servicemembers, veterans and all Floridians with my two distinguished colleagues and friends. 

I want to welcome our witnesses and thank all of you for taking the time to be here today and to share your story, wisdom and expertise with all of us. 

For those veterans on our witness panels and in the audience, I salute you for your service to this great nation.  You exemplify the bravery and goodness inherent in our beloved state and all of Florida should be proud to call you their own. Your sacrifices will not be forgotten.

A sergeant once said that “morale is what makes your feet do what your head knows just ain’t possible.”  I am sure this sentiment resonates with all service members and veterans who are accustomed to performing seemingly impossible tasks with courage, integrity, and ease. 

That is also the attitude that lays the groundwork to understanding the significance of our discussion today about the role of recreation therapy in the healing process.  Maintaining a sense of self sufficiency and a high quality of life is vital as our wounded warriors move through the process of rehabilitation and reintegration.  It is important for VA to provide guidance and support the allocation of funds for recreation therapy because recreation therapy supports wellness and provides the first opportunity to engage veterans in sports as a part of their rehabilitation.

I very much look forward to our discussion about recreation therapy services in the VA and exploring how we can better design, expand, and maximize these programs to meet the individual needs and support the recovery and enrich the lives of every veteran patient. 

Again, I thank you all for being here and yield back.