Ann Kirkpatrick: “This is a very emotional day for me. This is the day, 9 years ago, that Gabby Giffords was shot and wounded in Tucson…”

“This is a very emotional day for me. This is the day, 9 years ago, that Gabby Giffords was shot and wounded in Tucson, and Federal Judge John Roll was killed. Gabby had been my mentor in the State legislature. She was somebody I looked up to and admired. She had gone to Scripps College, and I was so happy when my daughter Ashley got accepted at Scripps, because that is where Gabby had gone. She is just outstanding in every single way and remains so, and thank heaven for that. I was a law clerk for Judge John Roll, another outstanding man. I have to tell you, this is so personal for me. I grew up hunting in rural Arizona, and I was a very strong advocate for the Second Amendment--still am--but we have to do something about gun violence in this country. I thank my colleagues for standing here with me: Speaker Pelosi, the Senators, and all of the Arizona delegation. We stand united today in wanting to honor Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords and Federal Judge John Rolls. I ask all to please rise for a moment of silence. The SPEAKER pro tempore. The House will observe a moment of silence.”