[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 161 (Tuesday, October 23, 2007)]
[Senate]
[Page S13257]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    NATIONAL PHYSICAL THERAPY MONTH

  Mr. JOHNSON. Mr. President, I rise today in recognition of National 
Physical Therapy Month. What we currently celebrate as National 
Physical Therapy Month began in 1981 as a week long celebration in the 
month of June. In 1992, that week was extended to a whole month and was 
moved to October.
  National Physical Therapy Month focuses attention on the value of 
physical therapy to one's health and the contributions of physical 
therapists to the health of their communities. This year National 
Physical Therapy Month is focusing on obesity because physical activity 
is a crucial component of weight loss and better health.
  My understanding of physical therapy has greatly increased over the 
past several months. I owe a debt of gratitude to a great many doctors, 
nurses, and therapists who brought me through the darkest moments of my 
life and who are walking with me on the road to recovery.
  I am blessed to work with professional and talented physical 
therapists as I continue my recovery. Their confidence in my ability to 
improve is infectious, and my physical therapists motivate me to work 
harder than I thought possible. I am confident that with my hard work 
and the dedication of my physical therapists, my potential to improve 
is limitless.
  Throughout my career in the U.S. House and Senate, I have strongly 
supported expanding access to all kinds of health care professionals. 
Physical therapists provide critical services to their patients. In a 
rural State like ours, where they may be the only provider of these 
services in their community, physical therapists greatly improve 
patient access to care and quality of life.
  This year the Senate is considering the Medicare Access to 
Rehabilitation Services Act which would repeal the annual Medicare 
outpatient cap on certain physical and occupational therapy services 
and the Medicare Patient Access to Physical Therapists Act which would 
authorize qualified physical therapists to provide services for 
Medicare beneficiaries without requiring a physician referral. It would 
also provide for treatment of outpatient speech-language pathology 
services separately from outpatient physical therapy services. I am 
pleased to support both of these measures, and I commend them to my 
colleagues for their consideration.
  I encourage everyone to consider with their health care professionals 
how physical therapy might benefit them, whether recovering from an 
accident or illness or seeking preventive care. National Physical 
Therapy Month is a great time to learn more about the benefits of 
physical therapy.

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