[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 155 (2009), Part 15]
[House]
[Pages 20436-20437]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                  NATIONAL THERAPEUTIC RECREATION WEEK

  (Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania asked and was given permission to 
address the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, in July we celebrate 
National Therapeutic Recreation Week. And therapeutic recreation or 
recreational therapy embraces a definition of health, which includes 
not only

[[Page 20437]]

the absence of illness, but extends to enhancement of the physical, 
cognitive, emotional, social, and leisure development.
  This caring profession touches the lives of individuals facing life-
changing disease and disability all across the Nation. These services 
are provided by professionals nationally certified by the National 
Council for Therapeutic Recreation Certification as certified 
therapeutic recreation specialists.
  Every day, countless individuals face rebuilding lives as a result of 
disease and disability. These individuals benefit from compassionate 
and cost-effective care of a certified therapeutic recreation 
specialist. Recreational therapy ultimately aims to improve an 
individual's functioning and keep them as active, healthy, and 
independent as possible.
  Mr. Speaker, I congratulate the caring professionals of the 
therapeutic recreation profession for the services and care that they 
provide every day.

                          ____________________