Story highlights President Donald Trump and former Rep. Gabby Giffords praise Scalise

Steve Scalise was shot at a congressional baseball team practice in June

Washington (CNN) Rep. Steve Scalise, the House Republican whip who was shot in June at a congressional baseball team practice, returned to Capitol Hill Thursday for the first time since being seriously wounded and said his prayers had been answered during his recovery process.

"I am definitely a living example that miracles really do happen," Scalise said with House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy at his side. Scalise thanked God and his wife as well as the Capitol Police officers and doctors who saved his life.

During his speech, Scalise said leaders from around the world -- including Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, British Prime Minister Theresa May and King Abdullah II of Jordan -- reached out to him to send well wishes, a sign he saw of how important the US Congress is to the rest of the world.

But he added that leaders he hadn't met also reached out to him.

"What it says is, sure they cared about my well being, but more than that, they saw this as an attack on all of us," he said. "They saw this as an attack on the institution of our Congress and our government."

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