Gabrielle Giffords to resign from Congress
By JORDAN FABIAN
Channel: Politics
Arizona Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D) will resign from Congress this week to continue her rehabilitation from a gunshot wound to the head she sustained last year, she announced Sunday.
Giffords suffered the life-threatening wound at a constituent event in her Tucson-area district. In a video message posted to YouTube, she pledged to return to public service following her recovery.
“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. “I’m getting better. Every day, my spirit is high. I will return and we will work together for Arizona and this great country.”
Giffords has already reached unprecedented milestones in her recovery, which are apparent in her video. The congresswoman was shot on Jan. 8, 2011 in an apparent assassination attempt that left six others dead.
Her intern at the time, Daniel Hernandez was the first to tend to her until paramedics arrived.
Giffords has been largely absent from Congress during her recovery. She unexpectedly returned to Congress in August to vote for a vote to raise the debt ceiling.
