[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 101 (Tuesday, July 16, 2013)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1061-E1062]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 CONGRATULATING JON MOWL AND THE UNITED STATES DELEGATION TO THE 2013 
                 SUMMER DEAFLYMPICS IN SOFIA, BULGARIA

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. JAMES P. MORAN

                              of virginia

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, July 16, 2013

  Mr. MORAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Jon Mowl and the 
180 deaf and hard of hearing athletes and coaches heading to Sofia, 
Bulgaria for the 2013 Summer Deaflympics. Held quadrennially, the 
Deaflympics are the world's second oldest multiple sports games after 
the Olympics. From July 26 through August 4 this summer, Sofia will 
host 14,707 athletes from over 90 countries.
  The Summer Deaflympics are built on 89 years of tradition. At the 
recent 2009 Summer Deaflympics in Taipei, Taiwan, more than 2,500 
athletes from 77 nations participated, including 140 Americans. The 
Summer Deaflympics are sanctioned by the International Olympic 
Committee. For the 2013 Summer Deaflympics, the United States plans to 
bring its best team that has been training for four years for this 
opportunity. The need for separate games for deaf athletes is not just 
evident in the number of participants. Deaf athletes are distinguished 
from all others in their special communication needs on the sports 
field. Visual presentation of information during the Games for both 
athletes and visitors are a critical part of the Games infrastructure, 
which includes the use of video screens, captioning and information 
boards. A visual environment is critical for communication with deaf 
athletes, deaf officials and deaf spectators.
  Unlike Olympians or Paralympians, elite deaf and hard of hearing 
athletes must

[[Page E1062]]

fundraise to pay their way and do not receive financial support from 
the United States Olympic Committee. This presents a twofold challenge 
for the Deaflympics athletes: fundraising on top of training for the 
Games. People like you who support the mission of USADSF and its 
athletes are the ones who make it possible for the athletes to 
accomplish their lifelong dream. Each Deaflympian must fundraise $2,350 
(not including international travel and training camp expenses) to 
cover all costs at the 2013 Summer Deaflympics. Over 180 United States 
deaf and hard of hearing athletes and coaches are training for Sofia to 
represent the U.S. in 11 sports. Among them will be Jon Mowl of 
Alexandria, Virginia who will be competing in team handball.
  An accomplished athlete, Jon scored over 1,300 in his four year 
career on the Gallaudet University basketball team and was on the team 
that went to the 2007 World Deaf Basketball Championships. This earned 
him a spot on the U.S. Deaflympics gold medal winning basketball team 
at the 2009 Deaflympics in Taiwan.
  Mowl graduated from Gallaudet with a Bachelor of Science in 
mathematics and went on to become an adjunct mathematics professor at 
Gallaudet for a semester before getting a job at the Department of 
Health and Human Services. He was hired into the Workforce Recruitment 
Program and later transitioned to DLA Finance Energy. Mowl's primary 
responsibilities are budget formulation and execution of the $425 
million sustainment, restoration and modernization program at DLA 
Finance Energy.
  Since the 1935 London Summer Deaflympics, the United States of 
America Deaf Sports Federation has been sending elite deaf and hard of 
hearing Americans to compete in the Deaflympics. USA Deaf Sports 
Federation (USADSF) is the only national athletic association in the 
United States that coordinates the participation of American deaf and 
hard of hearing individuals in international sport competitions. USADSF 
is affiliated with the International Committee of Sports for the Deaf 
(ICSD) and the International Olympic Committee (IOC). They support 
teams in 17 sports and represent over 100,000 deaf and hard of hearing 
athletes in the United States and have sent 2,031 Deaflympians to the 
Summer and Winter Deaflympics since 1935. The Deaflympics were the 
first international games for athletes with disabilities and, different 
from many other games, because athletes cannot be guided by sounds 
(i.e. a starters gun), they must rely on other methods of competition 
and refereeing.
  Mr. Speaker, Jon Mowl and his 179 teammates deserve this body's 
support. Their success is an example of preserving talent through 
resilience and dedication in the face of hardship.

                          ____________________