[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 132 (Thursday, August 3, 2017)]
[Senate]
[Page S4882]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]





 SENATE RESOLUTION 247--DESIGNATING JULY 29, 2017, AS ``PARALYMPIC AND 
                          ADAPTIVE SPORT DAY''

  Mr. HATCH (for himself, Mr. Bennet, Mr. Isakson, and Ms. Klobuchar) 
submitted the following resolution; which was considered and agreed to:

                              S. Res. 247

       Whereas, in 2015, roughly 53,000,000 people in the United 
     States reported living with some type of impairment;
       Whereas, in 2015, roughly 3,800,000 veterans in the United 
     States reported living with a service-related disability;
       Whereas adaptive sports for individuals with impairments 
     have existed for more than 100 years;
       Whereas, after World War II, adaptive sports were widely 
     introduced in order to assist the large number of World War 
     II veterans and civilians that were injured during wartime;
       Whereas July 29, 1948, marks the date of the Opening 
     Ceremony of the London 1948 Olympic Games in Stoke 
     Mandeville, United Kingdom, where Dr. Ludwig Guttmann 
     organized the first wheelchair competition for service men 
     and women injured in World War II (also known as the ``Stoke 
     Madeville Games'');
       Whereas the Stoke Mandeville Games, in 2017, ultimately 
     evolved into the Paralympic Games and include athletes with 
     physical, visual, and intellectual impairments;
       Whereas the International Paralympic Movement celebrates 
     values such as courage, determination, inspiration, and 
     equality, and works to enable Paralympic athletes to achieve 
     sporting excellence and inspire and excite the world;
       Whereas Paralympians in the United States continue to 
     achieve competitive excellence, preserve ideals and values of 
     the International Paralympic Movement, and inspire all people 
     in the United States;
       Whereas 18 veterans were members of Team USA at the 2014 
     Paralympic Winter Games held in Sochi, Krasnodar Krai, 
     Russia, and 35 veterans were members of Team USA at the 2016 
     Paralympic Summer Games held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil;
       Whereas participation in the Paralympic Games, other 
     adaptive sport competitions, and athletic reconditioning 
     activities such as the Paralympic Military Program plays a 
     fundamental role for members of the Armed Forces and veterans 
     who are reintegrating into civilian life, and can enable 
     those individuals to gain a new purpose in life by extending 
     their physical limits during rehabilitation in order to 
     rebuild and recover personal identity, formulate adaptive 
     strategies for life, and achieve athletic excellence;
       Whereas a celebration of Paralympic and Adaptive Sport Day 
     will improve communities in the United States and uplift and 
     inspire the Paralympic champions of the future;
       Whereas Paralympic and Adaptive Sport Day will encourage 
     the youth in the United States to participate in and support 
     the practical inclusion of all people in sports; and
       Whereas Paralympic and Adaptive Sport Day creates awareness 
     of and understanding toward individuals with impairments: 
     Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) designates July 29, 2017, as ``Paralympic and Adaptive 
     Sport Day'';
       (2) supports the inclusive goals and ideals of the 
     International Paralympic Movement, as well as opportunities 
     for individuals with impairments to be full contributing 
     participants in society;
       (3) acknowledges the extraordinary contribution and 
     sacrifice made by members of the Armed Forces and veterans 
     who have sustained a traumatic injury and impairment while 
     serving the United States;
       (4) promotes a more inclusive society for all individuals 
     with impairments through Paralympic and adaptive sports 
     throughout the United States; and
       (5) promotes the values of the International Paralympic 
     Movement, including courage, determination, inspiration, and 
     equality.

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