EXCERPT:
Congresswoman Giffords, others shot in Ariz.
At least 6 killed, including 9-year-old child in shooting outside Tucson store
Video: Doctor: 'Optimistic' of Giffords' condition
msnbc.com news services msnbc.com news services
Rep. Gabrielle Giffords of Arizona was shot in the head Saturday when an assailant opened fire outside a grocery store during a meeting with constituents, killing at least six people and injuring several others in a rampage that rattled the nation.
Giffords was among at least 18 people shot, and the hospital said her outlook was "optimistic" and that she was responding.
"She's in critical condition," Dr. Peter Rhee said. "The neurosurgeons have finished operating on her and I can tell you that in the current time period I am very optimistic about recovery ... she was following commands."
Rhee described Giffords' wound as "through-and-through ... It went through her brain."
The hospital said a 9-year-old child was among the killed, and a federal judge was also fatally shot.
'Senseless and terrible' Police say the shooter was in custody, and was identified by people familiar with the investigation as Jared Loughner, 22. Pima County Sheriff's officials said he used a pistol to carry out the shooting spree. U.S. officials who provided his name to the AP spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to release it publicly.
The shooting prompted an outpouring of sympathy from politicians and people around the country.
Video: Suspect: 'You could call me a terrorist' (on this page)
Obama sent his FBI director to oversee the investigation.
"It's not surprising that today Gabby was doing what she always does, listening to the hopes and concerns of her neighbors," Obama said in a nationally televised news conference. "That is the essence of what our democracy is about."
Gabrielle Giffords
Federal law enforcement officials were poring over captured versions of a MySpace page that belonged to Jared Loughner and over Youtube video published to the Internet weeks ago under an account "Classitup10" and linked to him. The MySpace page, which was removed within minutes of the gunman being identified by U.S. officials, included a mysterious "Goodbye friends" message published hours before the shooting and exhorted his friends to "Please don't be mad at me."
In one of several Youtube videos, which featured text against a dark background, Loughner described inventing a new U.S. currency and complained about the illiteracy rate among people living in Giffords' congressional district in Arizona. Two spellings of his last name were given in the aftermath of the shooting — Loughner and Laughner.
"I know who's listening: Government Officials, and the People," Loughner wrote. "Nearly all the people, who don't know this accurate information of a new currency, aren't aware of mind control and brainwash methods. If I have my civil rights, then this message wouldn't have happen (sic)."
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Rampage Three hours after the shooting, the L-shaped shopping center in Tucson was blocked off by police and had fire trucks and other vehicles in its parking lot that blocked the view of the store's front door. No shell casing could be seen from the area 500 yards from the store where reporters and photographers were kept.
Outside Giffords' office on Capitol Hill, a handful of congressional staffers could be seen walking into her office without comment, some with roller bags and one who was in tears. About a half dozen yellow flowers, placed by one mourner, sat outside the door.
U.S. Marshal for Arizona David Gonzales confirmed that U.S. District Judge John Roll also died in the attack. Roll was the chief judge in Arizona, appointed in 1991 by the first President Bush, NBC News reported.
Giffords, 40, was re-elected to her third term last November. She was a member of the Arizona House and Senate before coming to Washington.
Giffords tweeted shortly before the shooting, describing her "Congress on Your Corner" event: "My 1st Congress on Your Corner starts now. Please stop by to let me know what is on your mind or tweet me later."
Giffords is married to astronaut Mark E. Kelly, who has piloted space shuttles Endeavour and Discovery. The two met in China in 2003 while they were serving on a committee there, and were married in January 2007. He was expected to arrive at the hospital Saturday evening, NBC News reported.
Threats Giffords was first elected to Congress amid a wave of Democratic victories in the 2006 election, and she won a narrow victory against a tea party favorite in the 2010 election.
She has been mentioned as a possible Democratic nominee in 2012 for the U.S. Senate seat held by Republican Jon Kyl, who has not said whether he'll run again, or for the governor's office in 2014.
The shooting comes amid a highly charged political environment that has seen several dangerous threats against lawmakers but nothing that reached the point of actual violence.
A San Francisco man upset with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's support of health care reform pleaded guilty to threatening the Democratic congresswoman and her family, calling her directly on March 25 and threatening to destroy her Northern California home if she voted for health care reform.
In July, a California man known for his anger over left-leaning politics engaged in a shootout with highway patrol officers after planning an attack on the ACLU and another nonprofit group. The man said he wanted to "start a revolution" by killing people at the ACLU and the Tides Foundation.
Giffords herself has drawn the ire of the right, especially for her support of the health care bill from politicians like Sarah Palin.
Her Tucson office was vandalized a few hours after the House vote to approve the health care law in March, with someone either kicking or shooting out a glass door and window. In an interview after the vandalism, Giffords referred to the animosity against her by conservatives. Palin listed Giffords' seat as one of the top "targets" in the midterm elections because of the lawmakers' support for the health care law.
"For example, we're on Sarah Palin's targeted list, but the thing is, that the way that she has it depicted has the crosshairs of a gun sight over our district. When people do that, they have to realize that there are consequences to that action," Giffords said in an interview with MSNBC.
Video: Rep. Giffords target of harassment, threats (on this page) In the hours after the shooting, Palin issued a statement in which she expressed her "sincere condolences" to the family of Giffords and the other victims.
Capitol police responded to the shooting by advising lawmakers and their staff to "take reasonable and prudent precautions regarding their personal security."
Despite her clashes with the right, Giffords describes herself as a former Republican and current Blue Dog Democrat.
Vigil outside hospital Hours after the shooting, a group of women wept, hugged and clutched votive candles at a vigil outside Tucson's University Medical Center.
"I am in shock, I am in deep sadness, I ask myself why? Why do we keep killing our good people? I remember (John F.) Kennedy, I remember Martin Luther King. And I feel anger, but I also feel the basis of this is fear and racism," said Dorsett Edmunds, 67, a physical therapist, as she clutched a votive candle and wept.
Linda Ray, 66, who worked on all of Giffords' campaigns, said she feared the shooting would lead to more divisiveness in U.S. politics.
"The thing that's so powerful about this — is that Gabrielle Giffords' district is predominantly Republican. In order to win that district, I worked shoulder to shoulder with Republicans ... it was a model for what this country should be."
A half-a-dozen people sat on the lawn in front of the hospital with bunches of flowers.
Kevin Dahl, 54, a conservationist, said he viewed Giffords as one of the most intelligent and thoughtful voices in Congress.
"We live in a time of polarized politics where hate is acceptable. This is the exact opposite of democracy. I am ashamed of my state," he said.
Jason Brown said he was an intern for Giffords in both her Tucson and Washington offices.
"I was a witness to the threats she got at her office by phone and in letters. Then to see it play out today, it was all real. I was incredibly shocked, depressed for my country."
Lawmakers urged to take precaution Meanwhile, officers with the Capitol Police force advised members of the House and their aides to "take reasonable and prudent precautions" about their own security in the wake of the shooting.
In an e-mail obtained by The Associated Press, the Capitol Police say they were directly involved in the investigation of the shooting.
This is a breaking news story, check back for details. The Associated Press, Reuters and NBC News contributed to this report.
http://giffords.house.gov/2011/01/us-rep-gabrielle-giffords-wants-members-of-congress-to-cut-their-own-salaries.shtml
EXCERPT:
U.S. REP. GABRIELLE GIFFORDS WANTS MEMBERS OF CONGRESS TO CUT THEIR OWN SALARIES
Congresswoman introduces legislation to cut pay of all members of Congress by 5 percent
WASHINGTON – U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords today introduced legislation that would cut her own salary and that of her colleagues in the House and Senate by 5 percent.If approved, it would be the first time in nearly 78 years that members of Congress have taken a pay cut.
“The House today voted to cut the office budgets for members of Congress by 5 percent,” said Giffords. “I strongly support that cut. But our salaries should not be exempt. Members of Congress must set an example and there’s no better way to do that than by cutting our own salaries.”
Cutting the salaries of members of Congress is supported by numerous taxpayer groups, like Americans for Tax Reform, Citizens Against Government Waste and the National Taxpayers Union.
“There has to be a visible gesture that people can immediately relate to,” Pete Sepp, the union’s executive vice president, told The Hill. “And cutting pay would be one of the best symbols, because unlike virtually anything else the federal government does, when Congress spends money on its own salaries and benefits, people can make a direct comparison to their own situation.”
Giffords’ bill has 18 cosponsors including Rep. Ron Paul, a Republican from Texas. The text of the legislation can be read here.
A bill to cut members’ salaries was introduced by then-Rep. Ann Kirkpatrick of Arizona last year with bipartisan support. Giffords was one of 34 cosponsors of the bill, which did not come to the floor. Kirkpatrick no longer serves in the House, but Giffords said the idea still deserves serious consideration.
The pay cut proposed today by Giffords would cut member pay effective immediately after the November 2012 election. It is not possible to cut salaries sooner because the 27th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution does not allow adjustments to pay in between election cycles. Giffords’ bill also would block all automatic pay increases to members of Congress.
The last time members of Congress took a cut in pay was in the midst of the Great Depression, on April 1, 1933. Members’ salaries at the time went from $9,000 per year to $8,500 per year, a reduction of 5.6 percent.
The base pay for House and Senate lawmakers is now $174,000, while majority and minority leaders each make $193,400 per year. Newly elected House Speaker John Boehner will receive a $30,100 pay increase this year because of his new position, making his annual salary $223,500.
Giffords introduced her legislation on the same day that House members voted to cut the budgets of their offices by 5 percent annually for two years. Giffords supported the cuts, which passed the House earlier today in a 410-to-13 vote.
The office budget cuts, which also will affect House committees and leadership, are expected to save $35.2 million this year. For Giffords, the 5 percent office budget cut represents about $78,400 of the amount that the House has allotted to her to maintain offices in Tucson, Sierra Vista and Washington.
The congressional office budgets pay salaries of House staff members as well as rent for district offices, travel, office supplies and other miscellaneous office costs.
“We are living in tough economic times,” said Giffords. “Everyone is being forced to make sacrifices. Members of Congress can’t ask any American to cut back before we are willing to make some sacrifices of our own. I’m prepared to do that and I want my colleagues to join me.”
EXCERPT from above:
Giffords’ bill has 18 cosponsors including Rep. Ron Paul, a Republican from Texas. The text of the legislation can be read here.
TH CONGRESSST SESSION H. R. ll IFFORDS introduced the following bill; which was referred to thellllllllllllll
A BILL
To provide for a 5 percent reduction in the rates of basic
pay for Members of Congress.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
1 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
2 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
3 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Congressional Pay Cut
4 Act’’.
5 SEC. 2. REDUCTION IN RATES OF BASIC PAY FOR MEMBERS
6 OF CONGRESS.
7 (a) I
N GENERAL.—Effective with respect to pay peri- 8 ods beginning after the date of the regularly scheduled
9 VerDate 0ct 09 2002 13:18 Jan 06, 2011 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 C:\TEMP\GIFFOR~1.XML HOLCPC
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f:\VHLC\010611\010611.086.xml (483455|2)
2
general election for Federal office held in November 2012,
1 the rate of basic pay for each Member of Congress shall
2 be reduced by 5 percent, rounded to the nearest multiple
3 of $100 (or, if midway between multiples of $100, to the
4 next higher multiple of $100).
5 (b) P
REEMPTION.—The adjustment under subsection 6 (a) shall be in lieu of any adjustment which (but for this
7 Act) might otherwise take effect, in the rates of basic pay
8 for Members of Congress, with respect to the pay periods
9 referred to in subsection (a).
10 (c) D
EFINITION.—For purposes of this Act, the term 11 ‘‘Member of Congress’’ means an individual serving in a
12 position under subparagraph (A), (B), or (C) of section
13 601(a) of the Legislative Reorganization Act of 1946 (2
14 U.S.C. 31).
15 VerDate 0ct 09 2002 13:18 Jan 06, 2011 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 C:\TEMP\GIFFOR~1.XML HOLCPC
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f:\VHLC\010611\010611.086.xml (483455|2)
Part 1 of 16: Gabriel Giffords Health Care Town hall Meeting
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kR1X4FK_HJY&feature=related
Part 1 of 16: Gabriel Giffords Health Care Town hall Meeting
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kR1X4FK_HJY&feature=related
.....................................................................
(Original Signature of Member)
112
1
To provide for a 5 percent reduction in the rates of basic pay for Members
of Congress.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Ms. G
Committee on
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