On the recordJanuary 12, 2011
I rise to honor my friend and colleague, Gabrielle Giffords, her staff and the other victims of the Arizona shooting tragedy. The arc of time of Congresswoman Giffords' service to her community and in the U.S. House so far has proven to be a time of change and challenge. Through it all, Representative Giffords has been a model public servant. When we were sworn in 4 years ago, Congresswoman Giffords and I arrived as part of a class, Republican and Democrat, that had very high ideals. She was a leader from the very beginning. We adopted ethics reform. We bolstered veterans. We sought modern solutions for energy challenges. We helped more students attend college. And she, particularly, promoted scientific innovation. She sought a seat on the Armed Services Committee at a time when our country was struggling with the war in Iraq. Gabby works to strike a balance with pragmatic policies that actually work.
