E-mail updates
Follow on Twitter
Subscribe to RSSRep. Gabrielle Giffords, gravely wounded in a shooting a year ago, will resign from Congress. NBC's Kelly O'Donnell reports.
Updated at 6:02 p.m. ET
Arizona Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D) will resign from Congress this week, she announced in a video message posted Sunday.
Giffords, the victim of a gunshot wound to the head in an attack a year ago in her Arizona district, cited her continued work toward recovery as a reason for stepping down from her seat.
"I have more work to do on my recovery, so to do what is best for Arizona I will step down this week," she said in a video message posted to YouTube. "I will return and we will work together for Arizona and this great country."
According to a statement posted on her Congressional website, Giffords will attend Tuesday night's State of the Union address as one of her final acts as a member of Congress before submitting her resignation to Speaker John Boehner on Wednesday. The statement also says Giffords plans to "finish" the Congress on your Corner event where the shooting happened before she leaves office.
"Gabby Giffords embodies the very best of what public service should be. She's universally admired for qualities that transcend party or ideology - a dedication to fairness, a willingness to listen to different ideas, and a tireless commitment to the work of perfecting our union. That's why the people of Arizona chose Gabby - to speak and fight and stand up for them," President Obama said in a statement Sunday evening. "Gabby's cheerful presence will be missed in Washington. But she will remain an inspiration to all whose lives she touched - myself included. And I'm confident that we haven't seen the last of this extraordinary American."
Giffords has enjoyed a remarkable recovery since being shot in that Jan. 8, 2011 incident that left six dead.
Prior to that shooting, she had been considered a rising Democratic star, and had been considering a bid for Senate this fall. During the course of her recovery, she has been absent from Capitol Hill except for a surprise return to vote in August on an agreement to raise the nation's debt ceiling.
“I salute Congresswoman Giffords for her service, and for the courage and perseverance she has shown in the face of tragedy. She will be missed,” House Speaker John Boehner said in a statement.
House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi reacted to the announcement in a statement saying Giffords "has been a true bright star - a dynamic and creative public servant. Gabby's message of bipartisanship and civility is one that all in Washington and the nation should honor and emulate." Pelosi continued, "I join all my colleagues in Congress in thanking Gabby for the honor of calling her colleague and wishing Gabby and Mark great success and happiness. She will be missed in the House of Representatives, but her legacy in the Congress and her leadership for our nation will certainly continue."
Leave a Comment:
harrison-4083307....why not try to fit racism into this as well...or gender identity.....just as relevant
While I wish her the best let's not forget that she supported lifting the ban on assault weapons. Much of this tragedy would have been averted if it were not for the fact that 30 bullets could be fired without reloading. Had the ban remained in place I believe the number fired would have been 8.
Because lunatics follow gun laws?
God bless you and Mark Gabby!!! You have been in my prayers since the day that the tragedy happened a year ago, and you'll remain in my prayers until the day that Jesus calls me home! It is my prayer that God will bring you to a full and swift recovery so that if you should so choose, you'll be able to serve the people of Arizona with the excellent wisdom that they so deserve. It is also my prayer that you'll come to know Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior so that when you leave this world, Christina will be able to tell you exactly how much of an honor it was to come and see you that day!
Now I'm going to get in some hot water with some for saying this, but I truly feel that the Lord wants me to tell you this Gabrielle. You need to go and visit Jared and forgive him Gabby! I don't what feelings you are harboring towards him or if you just try not to think about him at all, but go and forgive him Gabby and let all of it go. I'm not asking you to do this for his benefit Gabby, but for your own. Jesus loves you and died for you Gabrielle, but He also loves Jared and died for him also. He is sick Gabby and needs to be released from the demons that possess his soul, and you going to see and forgive him and tell him that Jesus loves him, just might do the trick.
I again want you to know that you, Mark, and your families will always be in my prayers.
Keep your eyes on the skies, Jesus is coming! He loves y'all and so do I!!!
I am glad that she is recovering and has finally realized her priority. I hope we will not hear about every physical therapy exercise she does now. It's time for her to be out of the limelight.
She should just stay home and get better shes not missing anything but the same old obama bull .... tax the rich and spend more ...... thats all its going to be
how could rush limbaugh , hannidy , and republican conservative christians , brainwash people to try and kill a beautiful young lady like that ?????
Your statement is just as assinine and ludicrous as someone saying - How could Eric Holder, Lanny Breuer, Dennis Burke and Barack Obama conspire with mexican drug cartel bandits to kill US Border Agent Brian Terry?
I truly feel sorry for Ms. Giffords.However,all this recovery nonsense is a lot of crap .She is a terribly disabled person who certainly is not and will not be able to responsibly represent people in Congress. I believe a disservice has been done to the people of Arizona for all these months with no representation.What we would like and what it is are two entirely different things.
I still like Gabby Giffords but I can't believe she is friendly to, let alone friends with,
Debbie "Wash-her-man-shorts". I don't believe it just because it has been reported by the liberal media!
Even with the brain trauma she has suffered, Ms. Giffords mental faculties are not so challenged that she would let
this poor excuse of a human (Wash-her-man-shorts) in her personal life!
Wash-her-man-shorts is just trying to grab more face time. Why dont you just GO AWAY!!! You've already had WAY more of your "15 minutes of fame" than you deserve!!!
And the Oscar for best actress in a fiction goes to Debby "Blabber-mouth" Shultz. The tears, the emotion, what a performance(clap, clap, clap) she was so convincing, I mean she almost seemed....human....ALMOST. Do you people on the left have NO shame??? You dig up a "dead Ted" Kennedy, you used him to SHOVE your HRC Bill down Americas throat, " lets do it for Teddy". And when you thought liberals couldn't stoop any lower, they drag Gabby Gifford out her hospital bed, so they can sell the LIES Obamas SOTU speech had in it, "America swallow this crap too, do it for Gabby". Better grease up your bellies Democrats, have a feeling, though it doesn't possible, you will have to stoop even lower to get Obama re-elected. Again thumbs up Debby, great acting, if your day job doesn't work out..............
i am sick and tired of hearing about this women. 5 people are dead she was just lucky. yet media just cant let it go. so to them 5 people stuck in a coffin deserve no merit and move on! i hope she has wonderful recovery and she moves on. but enough!
I still say Debbie should "Wash-her-man-shorts"...
I actually teared up! Good luck with your recovery Congresswoman Giffords! I do believe we havent seen the last from you! God bless!