Press Releases

Today, Rep. Jeff Miller, Chairman of the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, issued the following statement congratulating the veterans of the Paralympics team who represented the United States at the 2012 London Games:

“I could not be more proud of the veterans who represented the United States at the London Paralympics. These men and women, who once wore our nation’s uniform, donned a new uniform this summer. Tonight, our veterans return home to the heroes welcome they deserve.

“The VA-U.S. Paralympic Program was established in 2010 to help wounded warriors recover from their injuries through adaptive sport. The success of this program is in the numbers: 16,000 have participated at the community level at hundreds of locations as part of the rehabilitation process. This program also has given our warriors the chance to go for the gold with 20 veterans making the 2012 team, bringing home 12 medals. But more important, the program has given these heroes the opportunity to play sports with their children and friends again.  

“The world saw firsthand what willpower, courage, and ability, not disability, can do not only for the body, but the spirit. ‘Pursue success’ is the advice gold medalist and closing U.S. flag-bearer, Navy Lt. Brad Synder, who was blinded in an IED explosion in Afghanistan one year ago, gave us in London. That is true wounded or not, and America’s wounded warriors have set an example for us all to follow.”