Gabrielle Giffords Returns To Congress To Vote On Debt Ceiling Deal

Jen Chung

Published Aug 1, 2011

Modified Aug 1, 2011

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Jen Chung

Published Aug 1, 2011

Modified Aug 1, 2011

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The House of Representatives passed the bill to raise the debt ceiling in a 269 to 161 vote. The Washington Post has a graphic of the "recalcitrant Republicans and disappointed Democrats [who] rallied around a measure to avert a government default" as well as the House members who voted against the effort, but the real news was that Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-Arizona), who was shot in the head at the beginning of the year, made a surprise appearance to cast her vote in support.

Giffords walked into the chamber with assistance and was given a standing ovation. She waved to her colleagues and kissed a few; House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi called her the "personification of courage." Giffords had Tweeted in the evening, "The #Capitol looks beautiful and I am honored to be at work tonight," and her Facebook page said, "Gabby is voting to support the bipartisan debt-ceiling compromise. This is a huge step in her recovery, and an example of what we all know--she is determined to get better, and to serve CD8 and our nation. This vote--expected to be very close--was simply too important for her to miss." Her office released a statement explaining that she had been following the debt ceiling situation, "After weeks of failed debate in Washington, I was pleased to see a solution to this crisis emerge. I strongly believe that crossing the aisle for the good of the American people is more important than party politics. I had to be here for this vote. I could not take the chance that my absence could crash our economy."

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Her friend Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Florida) said that Giffords' husband, astronaut Mark Kelly, had called over the weekend and asked if Giffords' vote was needed. Though it wasn't needed, Giffords decided she wanted to be there. Wasserman Schultz said, "She decided that if it’s not pivotal, it’s important to her constituents that she be there for the vote. She would be a yes vote, she said, and she wanted to cast a vote."

The Senate will vote on the bill tomorrow.

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vote

house of representatives

debt-ceiling crisis

gabrielle giffords