House conducts moment of silence for Tucson shooting anniversary

Washington, DC, January 8, 2016

THE HILL

House conducts moment of silence for Tucson shooting anniversary

By Cristina Marcos

The House paused its proceedings Friday afternoon to hold a moment of silence for the five-year anniversary of the shooting in Tucson, Ariz. that injured former Rep. Gabrielle Giffords.

Rep. Martha McSally (R-Ariz.), who now represents the district Giffords once did, led the commemoration surrounded by the rest of the Arizona congressional delegation. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Fla.), the Democratic National Committee chairwoman who is a close friend of Giffords, also joined Arizona lawmakers in the center of the House chamber.

"For many, the pain of that day will always be with us. But Tucson has not languished in grief. As we remember the victims, we also remember how our community rose up with courage and unity to support those grieving and honor their loved ones," McSally said.

Six people died in the shooting at a "Congress on Your Corner" event hosted by Giffords on Jan. 8, 2011. Giffords and her successor in Congress, former Rep. Ron Barber who was serving as her district director at the time, were both among the 13 injured.

Giffords, a Democrat who has since become a prominent advocate for gun control, was in attendance at President Obama's unveiling of new executive actions this week and a CNN town hall Thursday night.