other health care officials under the gun when it comes to hearings. what is the strategy and how important will that be? >> they are the chairman and the new leaders of the house as of next -- as of last week. the way they have described it is, they believe this law is bad and it will not work and can do harm to people and health care companies. they say they've used the opportunity to hold these hearings and have people from the -- they view this as an opportunity to hold these hearings and have people from the administration up there. they see this as the first death to 2013 when they believe they -- the first step toward 2013 when they believe they have been white house and -- they

have the white house and they can repeal the bill. >> the secretary made it clear that their strategy is to use this new opposition that is in one half of congress to be a forum to make their positive case. i wanted to know if she would it knowledge that there is any downside. she kept restating the positive aspects of the law. she in no way tried to delegiti the the budget andmiz -- delegitimize the republican

opposition. she did not enter if there were specific parts of the law that she would like to revise. >> jeffrey young? >> i suppose this has been the administration's posture since the lawsuit started. when they are asked what they are going to do is part of this gets stricken or if there is another way other than the insurance mandate, they do not acknowledge that that is a possibility. they are remaining optimistic in public that eventually they will win. >> the thing that is interesting about the administration's position in respect to the mandate, needed the president or secretary sebelius were proponents of a mandate. it was now secretary of state

hillary rodham clinton who was a proponent of mandates. now this administration has become the heir of something they did not start out supporting. now they have become champions of it. >> did secretary sebelius satisfy you with her answer? >> it was interesting to hear her say they are planning to carry out all the new responsibilities without an increase in their budget. even more so, they have less money. she did not speculate about what might happen if republicans are successful in another component of their strategy, which is to take money away from the offices that are carrying out the regulations so they cannot do their work, defunding or a partial government shutdown. she did not say what she would

do at that happens. it is hard to imagine what the contingency plan would be for that. >> finally, what did you not ask her that he wanted to ask her? >> one of the things hhs is going to have to contend with is what the states are going to do. a lot of the implementation rests with regulations hhs has begun to come out with. a lot of governors who have come into office is not -- are not in harmony with this law. >> this is a small thing compared to all of the major issues about health care reform and the insurance market and state budgets. last month, the administration issued a regulation that would

start paying doctors to discuss in of life options with their patients. this ignited debate during health care reform because some thought it was the government payingdoctorw -- paying doctors to not use extraordinary measures. it put that in the bill and then took it out. i wanted to know if they were planning to revisit that later. [captioning performed by national captioning institute] [captions copyright national cable satellite corp. 2011] >> starting tuesday, the house takes up the debate on the appeal of the health care law. >> on wednesday, a memorial

service was held to honor the victims of the tucson, arizona shootings. speakers included president obama , jan brewer and janet napolitano. this is about one hour and 40 minutes. [applause]

>> ladies and gentlemen, tucson, and america. [applause] ♪ ["fanfare for the common man"

playing] ♪

♪

[applause]

>> welcome. let me start in the traditional way by introducing myself. i am carlist and solace. on my mother's side, i am -- carlos gonzales. on my mother's side, i am mexican. on my waterside, i am yacci refugee from mexico. we have been here -- i am degeneration in the valley in tucson. -- i am his generation in the valley in tucson. -- fifth generation. please understand i am not of

medicine man. i am forced enough to teach here at this university and fortune on up to learn the sacred ways in the sacred words so that i can share them with them. i have been given permission by my elders to say blessings of this type, all the to tell the truth, i have never done one for so many people. [laughter] so i have been fortunate to grow up in this great country where a poor kid -- [applause] from the south side of tucson -- [cheers and applause] new could get a fine education at the university of arizona. and then better, to come back as a teacher and teach students at

this institution. so with that, i would start the blessing after my brief introduction. i have to do it the traditional way. it is the way we do it. for those of you that no the traditional blessing way, please feel free to do it. let me begin. oh creator, i come to get a blessing, a blessing at this time -- to give the a blessing, a blessing at this time of disunity. please after hearing my blessing and my prayer, let us work toward harmony, toward wholeness and balance sheet.

honoring theby eastern door from where we get visions and guidance. make each of us get the vision and guidance to proceed in a good way. from the southern dorks where we get the energies of the champ -- doors where we get the energies of the families, let us honor the families of those that passed on, of those that are healing, and also let us honor our own families. let us remain humble and also use humor when appropriate, for humor is healing and can help people. from the western door, please

let us honor the sacred ways and our sacred and ancestors. without them we would not be here. oh creator, that is the door through which those who have passed on have walked to the next world. let us honor them as they pass on. let us also look within ourselves to see how we can improve and be better human beings. from the northern door where we receive challenges and the strength and meet those challenges, let us all receive strained to meet the challenges that face our great country. please give us that strength as we proceed. trump bought their sky where we get the masculine energy, -- from hobart skied -- father sky

where we get they've masculine energy for protection, and give us that energy. from mother earth, where we get the feminine energy, less get the energy to help those that need it and those that ask for our help. these energies, the masculine energy, and the feminine industry -- energy, let them come together in our center where the creator exists, where each of us has a piece of the creator. please, you have given us eat a gift. may we use these kits to help our fellow human beings. of creator, let us bless the families of those that have lost their loved ones. let us bless the family of those that are healing. let us bless those people that

are here today. let us bless those that are outside in greater tucson and arizona and in our country. let us bless them so that they too can hill from this tragedy that has -- heal from this tragedy that has occurred. oh creator, if i may, my son is on afghanistan. a little blessing to him, too. [applause] 0 creator, let us not forget our fellow teachers, those that stand, those that blow on the wind, those that are tall and stately. those that call on the earth, those that slither on the earth, those that live under the year. let us remember and less the winged ones, those that swim in

the water, but for legged and also our brothers, but to let it, they walk throughout this world. now we all come together at this time and made the words of the people here sing again to their hearts so that state to can heal -- so that they can heal. oh creator, i ask this humbly. i ask this of that we can all once again achieve harmony and balance in our lives. oh creator, welcome. we welcome those people that come to our beloved city, the beloved city of tucson. welcome here and please bless each and everyone here. with that, i would like to and my blessing -- end my blessings.

[applause] >> please welcome robert shelton, president of the university of arizona. >> good evening. on behalf of the faculty, staff, and the students of the university of arizona here in tucson, ariz. -- [applause] i am privileged to welcome you to "together we thrive, tucson and america." our thanks to the doctor for

offering tonight's blessing. [applause] when sean now the lead in the national anthem by the tucson symphony orchestra, conducted by george hansen and sung by a doctoral student in music here at the university of arizona. ["star spangled banner" playing] >> ♪ osage can you seeing oh say can you see by the dawn's early light

and the rockets' red glare the bombs bursting in air gave approval through the night that our flag was still there oh, say does that star spangled banner yet wave land of the free and the home of the brave ♪ [applause]

>> please be seated. tonight we had gathered here as a community to mourn the tragic and senseless loss. we are here to try in a small way to bring comfort to those whose lives had been forever changed by an act so heinous that it is simply impossible to comprehend. no one who lives here was untouched by the events of last saturday. over the past few days, i have repeatedly heard people ask, "how could such a thing have happened and how could it have happened here, in our town, and to people so loved and so it mired?"

one of the characteristics that has struck me about tucson, of vast metropolitan area of 1 million people, it can function so much like a small college town. [applause] it is in the truest and best sense of the word a community where people know each other and care about each other. the university of arizona sits in the middle of that committee, both literally and figuratively. by hosting this ceremony, we hope that we can begin the process of healing. tonight we have a chance to pray for those who were wanted --

wounded, remember those that were lost, and remember our commitment to each other. representative gabrielle giffords is a good friend of mine, as she is almost everyone in this community. [applause] this attack on her and on her constituents, our neighbors, our friends, has changed us all. the question we have to answer is whether that change will make us angry and afraid, or whether it will inspire us to commit to building a more sensible and caring world. [applause] tucson is a city that is unique

for its diversity and its passion. so many of you would come out tonight speaks to our unity of spirit and our desire to stand by our friends and our neighbors in this time of great need. [applause] our society has many serious challenges, but fortunately we have a great leadership to help us through these difficult times. many of those leaders are here with us tonight to offer their support. [applause] to offer their support to the families and friends so tragically affected by the

events of last saturday. among the many heroes this week was one of our students, daniel hernandez, jr. -- [cheers and applause] daniel showed extraordinary ploys at a most difficult moment.

you see he is here tonight what the president of the associated students of the universe of a -- the university of at good evening. i like to start by e -- and university community for coming here to sell your support for those affected by a heartbreaking events of this weekend. it is uplifting to see everyone tonight and to witness the outpouring of support for all of you attding congresswoman gabby giffords' event in order to take place in the democratic process. it was something she has spent the better part of her life serving. like many students here and other young people, i have had the opportunity to interact with gabby and her staff as an

intern. and to gain a sense of appreciation and inspiration for public service in its most genuine form. from my experience, i believe the of one of the things gabby would want us to take away from saturday is that we need to continue to be devoted public servants and citizens. on saturday -- [applause] on saturday, violence reared its ugly head to silence our voice in government, but we know our command and you will not be silent and our representatives will not be silent. [applause] one of the most expressive examples of the spirit is my friend standing next to me, daniel hernandez. [applause]

many of you had heard his story as someone who displayed courage and heroism in the face of danger. as someone who knew daniel before he had been called a hero, as a friend, the one who stayed up late with me many late nights of work and brought me many cups of coffee, i was not surprised to hear of his actions and selfless courage. toomey daniel exemplifies the spirit of used and in individual committed to his friends, community, and greater humanity. daniel is only a representation of many that stepped up and took action. those individuals are a symbol of the character found throughout this community, and thus the potential to act with kindness and to rise up when we have been called to do so. [applause] it is with great honor that i introduce to you, my friend,

daniel hernandez, to say a few words. [applause] >> thank you, thank you. thank you. i would like to start up by thinking in a late but also with a few words, but first of which is e pluribus unum. never have those words been more true than today. we have come together. on saturday, we all became tucsonians, we became an arizonans, and above all, we became the americans. despite those actions, we saw glimmers of hope. these glimmers of hope come from people who are the real heroes.

although i appreciate the sentiment, i must humbly reject the use of the word hero because i am not one. that heroes are people like pam simon. [applause] gave zimmerman, who unfortunately we lost that day. ron barber, the first responders, and also people like dr. rhee, who've done an amazing job in making certain gabby is ok and those that are injured are being treated to the best of our ability. [applause] thank you. we have all come together to realize that what a fine says is not the differences, it is that we are all together, we are all a family, we are all americans.

we must recognize that the real heroes i mentioned are those that dedicated their life to public service, whether direct care in nursing, or being a position, or being a great representative like congresswoman giffords, or being a staffer, they are the people we should be honoring and they are the people we need to keep and our thoughts and prayers. i thank you for this opportunity but i say we must reject the title of hero and reserve it for those who deserve it, and those who deserve it are the public servants in the first responders and the people making sure they have dedicated their life to taking care about is. with that, i thank you all. [applause]

>> these two young students are examples of why i am so proud of this university. they should get all of us a great sense of hope for our future. thank you, daniel. thank you, emily. [applause] i am now honored to bring to the lectern the leader of our state. she is providing great leadership at a difficult and challenging time. please welcome to the podium the governor of the state of arizona, the honorable jan brewer. [applause] >> thank you, and thank you president shelton.

mr. president, mrs. obama, the justice kennedy, attorney general holder, secretary napolitano, minority leader pelosi, and my fellow arizonans, good evening. let me say again, thank you, daniel, for your very uncommon courage that likely couragegabby giffords -- on common courage that likely saved gabby giffords' life. mr. president, i thank you for coming today to help us with our healing. [applause] in the aftermath of saturday, your words have been a source of comfort and strength to every

arizonan. your presence serves as a reminder that we are not alone in our sorrow. america agrees with us. this great nation stands ready to help our wounded heal, to join in morning aulos beyond measure. loss beyond measure. a day that began as a warm arizona morning, neighbors were grocery shopping, running errands, they were gathering to meet their congresswoman, to see the gabby giffords smile all of us know so well. there is no way -- [applause] there is no way to quantify loss

of a fine public service like united states district court judge john roll. [applause] there is no way to measure the depth of good people parents and grandparents liked dorwin stoddard, phyllis schneck, and dot morris. gave zimmerman, also killed, only 30 years old, devoted to social work and a fighter for justice. [applause]

there is absolutely no in the ad debt of the void someone like gabe leaves behind. we also lost christina-taylor green. born on another day of a unparalleled sadness, september 11, 2001, christina wasmesaerde at elementary school. she loved ballet, we can never know what christina might have come. we cannot imagine what the families of our six innocent neighbors are appealing. nor could we known the pain of the wounded, some whom are still struggling for their lives. gunfire did not it pierced our sense of well-

being. it raised questions of which we can make no sense, questions begging for answers that will not come at any time soon. i know this -- arizona it is united in a mission of recovery. this state, bound together by prayer and action and hope and faith, will not be shredded by one madman's act of darkness. [applause] we have come to understand, aided by your presence, that we are being lifted up by the thoughts and prayers of others who mourn with us. we will remember how to smile again. i know arizona. i know every corner. i know it's proud, courageous citizens. we will go forward together,

patient and tribulation, devoted to prayer, we will go forwardmae whose service in the cause of freedom and of justice. may he bless you and your families and our great state of arizona. and may god always bless and protect the united states of america. thank you. [applause] >> thank you, governor romer. confronting the challenges of our nation's security is an enormous security. we are safer as a country because we have the right person leading that effort. please now welcome back to

arizona, our former governor and the current secretary of homeland security, janet napolitano. [applause] >> thank you. thank you, tucson. thank you, arizona. [applause] >> we know that of violence that occurred saturday does not

represent this community, this state, or this country. [applause] at these times, words can fail us. comfort my people,steadcomfort, says your guide. speak comfort to jerusalem and cry out to her that her warfare is ended, that her inequity is part in, for she has received from the lord's hand double for all her sands. the loss of one crying in the wilderness, prepare the way of the lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our god. every valley shall be exalted in every mountain and hill brought low. the crooked places shall be made straight and the rough places smooth.

the glory of the lord shall be revealed and all flesh shall see it together for the mouth of the lord hath spoken. lift up your eyes on high and see who has created these things. who brings out their hosts by number? he calls them all by name, by the greatness of his might and the strength of his power, not one is missing. why do you say, at jacob, and speak, israel, my way as hidden from the board and might just claim is passed over by my god? had you not heard the everlasting god, the lord, the creator of the ends of the earth, neither banks nor is weary? his understanding is unsearchable. he gives power to the week ended those who have no might, hereth. even the use of paint and the

weary and a young man shall utterly false. but those who wait on this board shall renew their strength. they shall mount up with wings like eagles. they shall run and not be weary. they will walk and not faint. this is the word of the lord. [applause] >> thank you, secretary napolitano. [applause] i am honored now to introduce the leader of the united states department of justice. he is our nation's leading law enforcement official. please welcome the attorney general of the united states, eric holder.

[applause] >> thank you. far -- likell reads secondi'll read from corinthians. since we have the same spirit of faith of his hand that wrote, i believe and so i spoke, we too believe and so we speak, knowing that he who raised the lord jesus will raise us also with cheeses and bring us with you into his presence. for it is all for your sake, so that as grace extends to more and more people, it may extend

thanksgiving to the glory of god. so we do not lose heart, though i our outer nature is wasting away, our inner nature is being renewed every day. for this slight momentary of affliction is preparing us for of gloryal waeight beyond comparison. we let not the things that are seen, but to the things that are unseen. for the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen, are eternal. we know that if the earthly 10th we live in is destroyed, we have a building from god, i house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. this is the lords words.

[applause] >> i think you can see by ed those who are in the program and by the many dignitaries and elected officials in the audience how deeply our country was affected by the terrible events last saturday. we are truly honored to have a leader of our great nation with us here tonight. [applause]

we are obviously saddened by the circumstances that have brought president and mrs. obama to tucson. but we're comforted, we are comforted by their compassion and inspired by their determination to reach out and help. america has been blessed through its glorious terry hits in history by committed president's who often in great personal sacrifice step forward to lead us to better futures and greater hope. barack obama assumed the presidency at a perilous time in our history. we are fortunate to have someone with his intellect, his energy, and his heart to leave us forward. please welcome the president of the united states, barack obama. [cheers and applause]

>> thank you, thank you. thank you very much. thank you. thank you very much. thank you. please be seated. [cheers and applause] to the families of those we have lost, to all who call them friends, to the students of this university, the public servants gathered here, the people of tucson, and the people of

arizona -- i have come here tonight as an american who like all americans kneel to pray with you today and will stand by you tomorrow. there is nothing i can say that hole.fill the sudden in your hearts. but no this -- the hopes of the nation are here tonight. we mourn with you for the fallen, we join you in your grief, and we add our faith to

your so that gabrielle to giffords and the other victims of this tragedy will pull through. scripture tells us there is a river whose stream makes glad the city of god, a holy place where the most holy dwell. god is within her. she will not fall. god will help her at break of day. on saturday morning, gabby, her staff, and many of her constituents gathered outside a supermarket to exercise their

rights to peacefully assemble and free speech. [applause] they were fulfilling a central tenet of the democracy envisioned by our founders. representatives of the people answering questions to their constituents, who carry their concerns back to our nation's capital. gabby called it congress on your corner. the updated version of government of, and by, and for the people. [applause] and that quintessentially american scene, that was the

scene shattered by a gunman's bullets. and the six people who lost their lives on saturday, they too represented what is best in us, what is best in america. judge john roll served our legal system for nearly 40 years. [applause] a graduate of this university and a graduate of this law school. [applause] judge roll was recommended for the federal bench by john mccain 20 years ago. appointed by george h. w. bush,

and rose to become arizona's chief federal judge. [applause] his colleagues describe him as the hardest working judge within the ninth circuit. he was on his way back from attending mass, as he did every day. he decided to stop by and say hi to his representative. john is survived by his loving wife, maureen. his three sons and his five beautiful grandchildren. [applause] georgian dorothy morris -- george and dorothy morris, dot to her friends, did everything

together. their friends call that a 50- year honeymoon. saturday morning, they went by the safe way to hear what their congresswoman had to say. gunfire rang out, and george, the former marine, instinctively shielded his wife. [applause] bothe dot passed away. a new jersey native, phyllis schneck, retired to tucson to beat the snow. in the summer she would return east where world revolved around her three children, the seven grandchildren, and day 2-year- old great granddaughter.

she often worked under her favorites tree. she would sell eight friends with the logos of the jets and the giants to give out at she v. a republican, she took a liking to gabby and wanted to getdorwi. they started their own respective families. but when both were widowed, they found their way back. daughter puty's it, to be boyfriend and girlfriend again. you could find them just up the road, helping folks in need at

the mountain avenue church of christ. of retired construction worker, dorwin spent his spare -- spare time fixing up the church with his dog, spot. his final act of selfless this was to dive on top of his wife, sacrificing his life for her. [applause] everything gabe zimmerman did, he did with passion. [applause] his true passion was helping people. heby's outreach director, made the care is of thousands of our constituents his own. he saw to it that seniors got to keep medicare benefits that they have earned. that veterans got the metals and

care that they deserved. that government was working for ordinary folks. he died doing what he loved, talking with people and seeing how he could help. gabe is survived by his parents, his brother, and his fiancee who he plan to marry next year. [applause] and then there is 9-year-old christina-taylor green. christina was a a student, a dancer, a gymnast, a swimmer. she decided she wanted to be the first woman to play in the major leagues. as the only girl on her little league team, no one put it past

her. [applause] she showed an appreciation for life and common -- uncommon for a girl her age. she told her mother, we are so blessed. she paid those backed by participating in a charity that helped children who were less fortunate. our hearts are broken by their sudden passing. our hearts are broken. and yet our hearts also have reason for fullness. our hearts are full of hopes and thanks for the people who survive the shooting, including

the congresswoman many went to sea on saturday. i have just come from the university medical center just a mile from here, where our friends gabby courageously fights to recover even as we speak. i want to tell you, her husband mark is here and he allowed me to share this with you. right after we went to visit, a few minutes after we let the room and some of her colleagues from congress were in their room, gabby opened her eyes for the first time. [cheers and applause] are hurt, and she knows that we are rooting for her for what will undoubtably be of rough

road ahead. [applause] our hearts are full of thanks for that could nays -- good news and full of gratitude for those who saved others. we're thankful to daniel hernandez. a volunteer in gabby's office. daniel, you may deny it but we have decided you are a hero. you ran through the chaos to minister to your boss to help tend her once and help keep her alive. [cheers and applause]

we are grateful to the men who tackled the gunman as he stopped to reload. [cheers and applause] they are right over there. [applause] [applause]

we are grateful for petit patricia maisch who wrestled away that killers ammunition and undoubtedly saved some lives. [cheers and applause] >> and we are grateful for the doctors and nurses. and the first responders to worked wonders to deal -- heal

those that had been heard. -- hurt. we are grateful to them. [applause] these men and women remind us that her wisdom -- heroism is not only found on the fields of battle. heroism does not require special training or physical strength. heroism is here. in the hearts of so many of our fellow citizens just waiting to be summoned.

as it was on saturday morning. their actions, their selflessness poses a challenge to each of us. it raises the question of what, beyond prayers and expressions of concern, is required of us going forward. how can we honor the fallen? how can we be true to their memory? you see, when a tragedy like this strikes, it is part of our nature to demand explanations. to try to have some order on the chaos to make sense out of that

which seems senseless. already, we have seen the national conversation commenced. not only about the motivations behind these killings, but about everything from the merits of gun safety laws to the adequacy of our mental health system. much of this process of debating what might be done to prevent such tragedies in the future is an essential ingredient in our exercise of self-government. at a time when our discourse has become so sharply polarized, at a time where we are far too eager to lay the blame for all that ails the world at the feet

of those who happen to think differently than we u-haul -- than we do, it is important to pause for a moment and make sure we are talking with each other in a way that heels. -- heals. not in a way that wounds. [applause] script tells us that there is evil in the world. and that terrible things happen for reasons that defy human understanding. in the words of job, when i looked for life, then came darkness.

bad things happen. we have to guard against simple explanations in the aftermath. but the truth is, none of us can know exactly what triggered this vicious attack. the of us can know with any certainty what might have stopped these shots from being fired. or what ought to work in the inner recesses of a violent man's mind. we have to examine all of the facts behind this tragedy. we cannot and will not be passive in the face of such violence. we should be willing to challenge old assumptions in order to lessen the prospect of such violence in the future. [applause]

but what we cannot do is use this tragedy has one more occasion to turn on each other. [applause] that, we cannot do. [applause] that, we cannot do. as we discussed these issues, let each of us do so with a good dose of humility. rather than pointing fingers or assigning blame, which use this occasion to expand our moral imaginations. to listen to each other more carefully.

to sharpen our instincts for at the feet. and remind ourselves of all the ways that our hopes and dreams are bound together. after all, that is what most of us do when we lose somebody in our family. especially if a loss is unexpected. we are shaken out of our routines. we are forced to look inward. we reflect on the past and we spend enough time with an agent. did we express our gratitude from the sacrifices that they made for us. did we tell a spouse just how desperately we love them?

not just once in awhile, but every single day? so some loss causes us to look backward, but it also forces us to look forward. to reflect on the present and the future. on the manner in which we live our lives. and nurture our relationships with those that are still with us. [applause] we might ask ourselves if we have shown enough kindness and generosity. had compassion. -- and compassion to the people in our lives. we might question if our priorities are in order.

we recognize our own mortality and we are reminded that in the fleeting time we have on this earth, what matters is not wealth or status or power or fame, but how well we have loved. and what small part we have played in making the lives of other people better. [applause] and that process of reflection of making sure we align our values with our actions, that is what i believe a tragedy like

this requires. for those who were harmed or killed, they are part of our family. the american family, 300 million strong. [applause] we may not have known them personally, but surely we see ourselves and them. . dot, -- to george, dot, others. we sense them in our life partners. phyllis is our mom or grandma. gabe, our brother or son. and judge roll, we recognize a

man that not only applies to family and doing his job well, but a man that embodied america's fidelity to the law. in gabi, we see a reflection of the public spiritedness that desire to participate in the sometimes frustrating and sometimes contentious but always necessary and never-ending process to form a more perfect union. [applause] and in cristina. we see all of our children so curious, so trusting, so

energetic. so full of magic. so deserving of our loved. and so deserving of our good example. if this tragedy, some reflection and debate as it should, let's make sure it is worthy. of those we have lost. [applause] let's make sure is not on the usual plain of politics and point scoring and pettiness that drift away and the next news cycle. the loss of these wonderful people should make everyone of us strive to be better, to be better in our private lives,

could be better friends and neighbors, co-workers, parents. and as it has been discussed in recent days, and their death helped usher in more civility in public discourse. remember that is not because a simple act of civility caused this tragedy. but rather, because only a more civil and honest public discourse can help us face up to the challenges of our nation in a way that would make them proud. [applause]

we should be civil because we want to live up to the example of public servants like those that knew first and foremost that we are all americans, we can question each other's ideas without questioning each other'' love of country, and that working together, we constantly widen the circle of our concern. so that we bequeath the american dream to future generations. [applause] they believed and i believe that we can be better.

those that died here, they held me believe. lehman not be able to stop all evil in the world. but i know that how we treat one another is entirely up to us. and i believe that for all of our imperfections, we are people of decency and good as. the forces that divide us are not as strong as those that unite us. [applause] that is what i believe. in part because that is what a child believes. imagine for a moment, here was a

young girl who was just becoming aware of our democracy. just beginning to understand the obligations of citizenship. just starting to let the fact that some day, she might play a part in shaping her nation's future. she had been elected to student council. she sought public service as something exciting and helpful. she was often the term congresswoman. someone she was sure was good and important. and might be a role model. she saw all of this through the eyes of a child. undimmed by the cynicism and vitriol that we take for granted as adults.

i want our democracy to be as expectations. good as she imagined it. all of us, we should do everything we can do to make sure this country lives up to our children's expectations. [applause]

as it has already been mentioned, christina was given to us on the timber 11, 2001. there were 50 babies born that day pictured in a book called "faces a vote -- of hope." on the other side of her photo were simple wishes. i hope you help those in thneed. i hope you know all the words to the national anthem and sing it with your hand over your heart. [applause] i hope that you jump in rain puddles. if there are rain puddles in

heaven, cristina is jumping in them today. [applause] and here, on this earth, a year on this earth we place our hands over our hearts and we commit ourselves as americans to forging a country that is forever were the for gentle, happy spirits. god bless and keep those we have lost. they love and watch over the survivors and may he bless the united states of america. [applause]

>> thank you. thank you, president obama for your remarkable and inspiring words. [applause] i also thank all of the speakers here tonight as well as all of

the federal, state, and local leaders that have come tonight to lend their support. we have heard many inspirational thoughts from our distinguished guests. this time, i invite everyone here and those watching around the nation to join together in a moment of silence that will be followed by the musical selections. join me, please, in a moment of silence.

♪ [applause]

>> i now conclude the program tonight by reading a poem that was written by the current poet loriat of the united states of america. he has a long history with the poetry center here at the university of arizona. the pollen is titled, who the new year. with what stillness at last you appear in the valley your first sunlight reaching down to touch of the tips of the few high leaves that do not stir as though they had not noticed

then, the voice of the above calls from the far away in itself to morning so this is the sound of you here and now, whether or not anyone here is a -- hears it thank you for coming,nd [applause] ♪ [choir singing]

[applause]

[captioning performed by national captioning institute] [captions copyright national cable satellite corp. 2011] [cheers and applause] ♪

♪

♪

[applause] [applause]

["imagine"] ♪

[cheers and applause]

[cheers] >> lawmakers gathered on the house floor to pay tribute to congresswoman gabrielle giffords and others who were victims of the shooting in tucson. track daily time lines and read transcripts on the congressional chronicle. it is washington your way. earlier on wednesday, members of the u.s. house offered their own tribute to representative gabrielle giffords. , staff members who were killed

or wounded and the other victims of the shooting in tucson. this is two hours. mr. boehner: i ask for the resolution and ask for its immediate consideration in the house. the speaker pro tempore: house resolution 32. whereas on january 8, 2011, an armed gunman opened fire at a congress on your corner event hosted by representative gabrielle giffords of tucson, arizona, killing six and wounding at least 14 others. whereas christina taylor green, dorothy morris, john rohl, and gabriel zimmerman lost their lives in this attack. whereas christina taylor green, a 9-year-old daughter of john and roxanne green, was born on september 11, 2001, and was a third grader with an avid interest in government who was recently leblingted to the student council in mesa verde

elementary school. whereas dorothy morris attended the january 8 event with george, her husband of over 50 years, with whom she had two daughters and who was also critically injured as he tried to shield her from the shooting. whereas john rohl, a pennsylvania native who was 63 years old, began his professional career as a bailiff in 1972, was appointed to the federal bench in 1991 and became a chief judge for the district of arizona in 2006 and was a devoted husband to his wife, marie, father to his three sons and grandfather to his five grandchildren. whereas phyllis, a proud mother of three, grandmother of seven, a great-grandmother from new jersey, was spending the wenter in arizona and was a 79-year-old church volunteer and a new york giants fan. whereas dorwan, a volunteer at the mountain avenue church of christ, is credited with

shielding his wife, a long-time friend whom he married while they were in their 60's who was also injured in the shooting. whereas gabriel matthew zimmerman who was 30 years old and engaged to be married served as director of community outreach to representative gabrielle giffords and was a social worker before serving with representative giffords. whereas representative gabrielle giffords was the target of this attack and remains in critical condition at the arizona hospital. whereas 13 others were also wounded in the shooting, including ron barber and pamela simon, both stafferers to representative giffords and whereas several individuals, including patricia mosh, amply -- army colonel bill badger, retired, who was also wounded in the shooting, roger schullingburg, and daniel hernandez jr. helped apprehend the gunman and assist the injured, thereby risking their

lives for the safety of others and shall be commended for their bravery. now therefore be it resolved that the house of representatives, one, condemns in the strongest possible terms the horrific attack which occurred at the congress on your corner event hosted by representative gabrielle giffords in tucson, arizona, on january 8, 2011. two, offers its heartfelt condolences to the families, friends and loved ones of those who were killed in the attack. the rapid and complete recovery of those wounded in the shooting. christina taylor green, dorothy morris, john rohl, phyllis, dorwan and gabriel zimmerman. five, applauds the bravery and quick thinking exhibited by those individuals who prevented the gunman from potentially taking more lives and helped to save those who have been wounded. six, recognizing the service of the first responders who raced

to the scend professionals who attended to the victims once they reached whose service and skill saved lives. seven, reaffirms the bedrock principle of american democracy and representative government which is memorialized in the first amendment of the constitution and which representative gabrielle giffords herself read in the hall of the house of representatives on january 6, 2011, of the right of the people petition the government for a redress of grievances. s ght, s in the democracy of which all a intimidation and threats of violence cannot silence the voices of any american. nine, honors the service and leadership of representative gabrielle giffora house, as she courageously adjourning today, shall do so out of the respect to the

victims of this attack. the speaker pro tempore: pursuant to the order of the house today, the resolution shall be debatable for six hours, divided equally and controlled by the majority leader and the minority leader or their designees. the gentleman from virginia, mr here to mourn. an unspeakable act of violence has taken six innocent lives and left several more, including our colleague, gabrielle giffords, battling for theirs. these are difficult hours for our country. among the fallen is gave zimmerman, a member of congresswoman giffords' staff, a public servant of the highest caliber, one of our own. and even in our shock, we are composed and determined to fulfill our calling to represent our constituents. for h

which gave gave his life. we swore an oath to uphold the constitution and at the time of the attack, he was engaged in the most simple and direct of democratic rituals. listening to the people. listening to his neighbors. the brutality that shattered saturday morning's calm was devastating but brief. bravery and quick thinking prevented a larger massacre. turning innocent bystanders heroes. the service and skill of first responders and medical professionals saved lives. law enforcement officials are now working to su swift justice. look to tucson right now and you'll be reminded that america's most plentiful source of wealth and strength is her people.

we're thankful, so thankful, that gab and pam simmons, are wou, with us as well. in her steady, gabby's staff has pressed on, opening for business monday morning, right on schedule. and the men and women who faithfully served the people of arizona's eighth district have signaled that no act, no matter how heinous,il doing our duty and being among the people we serve. and to all the dedicated professionals that we rely we feel a litany of unwanted emotions that no resolution could possibly capture. we know that we gather here without distinction of party, the needs of this institution have always risen above partisanship. and what this institution needs

right now is strength. wounded way forward no matter how painful and difficult it may be. today is not a ceremony, but tragedy that stirs us to renew our commitment to faithfully and let us not let this inhuman act frighten us into doing otherwise. the free exchange of ideas is the life blood of our democracy as prescribed by the first amendment, the beacon of free expression that congresswoman giffords recited in this well just days ago. these rights have not been handed down by dictate, they've been preserved and protected through generations of hard sacrifice and commitment. and we will continue that unfinished work. we will do it for christina taylor green, dorothy morris,

phyllis shank, dorwan, ordinary in their democracy, and we will do it for judge john and we'll do it for gave zimmerman. and we will do it, god willing, with gabrielle giffoken but our this is a time for the house to lock arms in prayer for the fallen and the wounded and resolve to carry on a dialogue of democracy. . we may not have all the final answers but we already have the answer that matters most. that we are americans and we'll make it through this difficult period. we will have the last word. god bless this house. god bless this congress. and god bless america.

the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from arizona. >> madam speaker, i yield one minute to the minority leader, ms. pelosi. the speaker pro tempore: the th prayers and indeed our hopes for those who have lost so much because of the tragedy in arizona involving our colleague, congresswoman gabby giffords. her staff and innocent inadequa like this, but nonetheless i hope it is a comfort to those who are -- lost loved ones, or injured on saturday that so many people mourn the losses but also pray for the survivors and care for them at this very difficult time. i think the resolution is -- its

will read it, pray over it, and resolution and i hope people be grateful that we had this opportunity to comment on it. today we will say many prayers for our country and for the victims of this horrific others who were injured, remember the six who were killed. there names are mentioned and they are described in the resolution. the speaker has mentioned their names, but i think acknowledging them bears repetition. how do you explain the death of the 9-year-old christina taylor green, recently been elected to the studentnne green dorothy morris married for more than 50 years to her high school

sweetheart and mother of two. federal judge john roll who had just come from mass. which he attended every day. phyllis schneck, mother of three, grandmother of seven, and great grandmother. and i know she's a giants fan. snowbird in arizona carrying at dorwan stoddard, died shielding his wife, mary, shielding his wife, mary. and has been mentioned in the resolution and we have mourned, congresswoman gabby giffords director of community outreach gabrielle matthew zimmerman. one ever his -brbbed the fuel magazine of ammunition of the killer as he attempted to reload. just think how many more we could have lost. roger sulzgeber and joseph

zimudeo, and daniel hernandez jr., 20 years old an intern who had just been on the job for four days when he heard gunshots, he ran toward them, ran toward them, and attended to congresswoman giffords, helping to staunch her bleeding with his own hands. pray for the recovery of other members of congresswoman giffords staff, ron barber, pam simon, and the entire giffords staff for carrying on. those heroes at the scene were joined by first responders from county and municipalities, arriving just three minutes after the first 9-1-1 call and performed excellently and in doing so saved lives. we also pay tribute to the skilled professionals at

arizona's university medical center whose role is ongoing. healing the victims of this tragedy. tonight the university community. to acknowledge together saturday's tragedy. promptly this is called together we thrive, tucson and america. together we thrive, tucson and america, will be an opportunity to grieve and it will be a demonstration of our strength. strength in community. a strength in community that was demonstrated last saturday, a strength in community there that is ongoing. tucson demonstrated its strength on saturday when the city was full of heroes, ordinary citizens, victims, first responders coming together in the spirit of

community. madam speaker, our colleague, congresswoman giffords, was the primary target of cowardly act, and as she recovers, we honor her as a brilliant and courageous member of congress. she brought to congress an invigoration, thinking of new generation of national leaders. a businesswoman, state legislator, she came to congress full of ideas, and we will long continue to be blessed by them, look forward to when she is present with us on the floor. she has spoken out courageously and led boldly when the times demanded it. it's especially tragic that those who lost their lives and those who were wounded had come together as the resolution presents to participate in an activity that reflects the best of our democratic tradition.

a representative of the people, gabby giffords, her staff hearing directly from the men and women she represents. american democracy is founded on our commitment to a contest of ideas not violence. political disagreement and dissent must never violate our nation's values as expressed in the constitution, of free expression, speech, and peaceful assembly. gabby spoke to that right here from the floor last week. in this hour of anguish, we seek renewed commitment to hope, to civility, to peace among the american people. in our -- many of our churches we sing on sunday and other days of the week, let there be peace on earth and let it begin i guess with us, but with me. with each of us, within each of us.

speaking as one house today, coming together, peace with us, we offer our thoughts and support, our prayers to the health of our colleague, gabby, congresswoman gabrielle giffords, and all of the injured. we share the stories, the heroes of the tramdy, and mourn those who perished. let their actions and their memories be a blessing to our country. we don't know why god saw this to be necessary, but let this be something that we cherish as an opportunity as we mourn the heartbreaking horror of it all. this resolution is fitting tribute, great resolution, please read it again and again, carry those names in your heart. remember each of these people because of, again, a tragic

accident took lives, wounded people, in the free expression of ideas. may this resolution remind us of the urgent need to uphold our democratic values, to treat one another with courtesy and with respect, and to act as congresswoman giffords has always done and always do, in a manner that reflects the best of american leadership. as our thoughts and prayers go out to the families of all who were affected, i want to call special attention to commander, captain mark kelly, gabby's husband, who has been a source of strength to all of us in this difficult time. we pray for him. we thank him for he -- for his and gabby's service to our country. god truly blessed america with their leadership, with their service.

and with their love for each other. thank you, madam speaker. i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman yields back. the gentleman from virginia. mr. cantor: madam speaker, i yield myself such time as i may consume. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. cantor: this week most members of the house will gather briefly here in washington, but our hearts and spirits will be in arizona. the unspeakable tragedy in tucson last saturday came as a complete shock, casting a pall over the entire nation. with this resolution we join 300 million americans and millions of others around the world in showing our solidarity with congresswoman giffords and the rest of the victims. gabby serves arizona's eighth district with distinction and thoughtful leadership and we are all praying for her speedy recovery. saturday's cowardly crime was more than just an attack on dozens of innocent americans at

a grocery store. it was an attack of the very essence of democracy and representative government. an assault on the open exchange of ideas between legislators and the people to whom they are accountable. this resolution honors the memory of christina taylor green, dorothy morris, judge john roll, phyllis schneck, dorwan stoddard, and gabrielle zimmerman. the -- gabriel zimmerman. it represents a broad american public, young and old, men, women, and child, friends, brothers, sisters, and children . they will be missed. but not forgotten. this inexplicable crime reminds us there is evil in the world. yet as we look for light in a thicket of darkness, our nation has drawn inspiration from the

bravery and quick thinking displayed by the heroes on the scene. were it not for their efforts, there likely would have been many more victims. the outpouring of support, prayer, and solidarity also reminds us that america is a country of compassion, community, and empathy. we will stand with the victims and their families and pray and mourn with them as they cope with this horrific tragedy. madam speaker, i also want to offer my thoughts of comfort to gabby giffords' staff and want them to know that our hearts hang heavy and our thoughts and prayers are with them. as they try and persevere through this very difficult time. madam speaker, i'd also like to add my thanks to the brave law enforcement that has helped our nation over the last several

days and every day. the law enforcement under the directorship of director mueller, the f.b.i., the local law enforcement in arizona, and from our perspective most especially the capitol bliss and -- capitol police and the office of the sergeant at arms and sergeant at arms themselves that they are doing each and every minute as we try to cope with this tragedy. madam speaker, this resolution affirms the point all of us want to make, our hearts are heavy, we mourn with the victims, and i urge my colleagues to support it. madam speaker, i yield my remaining time to the gentleman from arizona, mr. flake, and ask unanimous consent that he be permitted to control that time. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. the gentleman from arizona. million pastor: i yield four --

mr. pastor: i yield four minutes to the gentleman from maryland, mr. hoyer. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from maryland is recognized for four minutes. mr. hoyer: i thank the gentleman from arizona for yielding. madam speaker, this week we pause the work of the house to mourn the loss of lives of six of our fellow citizens. one of those born on that day of tragedy and carnage when thousands were slain and equally -- in an equally indiscriminate, heinous act of hate. citizens shot dead on saturday in tucson in pursuit of the right to peaceably assemble. . the amendment which gabrielle giffords read on this floor. we come as well to honor those who risked their lives to save others. to pray for the lives of the wounded. and to pray for our colleague and friend, congresswoman

gabrielle giffords. today this tellble of representative democracy -- tell am of representative democracy is -- temple of representative democracy is a sadder place. but representative giffords' intelligence and toughness, her public spirit and her charm will, god willing, and with the extraordinary med edcal care she is receiving -- medical care she is receiving, soon return to this body. and again be a practitioner and a model for the principles of civil debate and thoughtful deliberation on which this temple is founded. congresswoman giffords was attacked doing the work that is the heart of democracy as has been so eloquently observed by our speaker, mr. boehner. listening to her neighbors, listening to those who sent her here to washington to reflect

their views. each one of us have done that work, each one of us has come back bearing their fears and their hopes, their convictions and their visions for the future. some of course are everyday hopes, some are matters of life and death. but in each case we bring these hopes here and speak to our neighbors as best we can. that is what congresswoman giffords was doing. we do not know, of course, the specific motive which led the perpetrator of this crime to act. nor can we draw conclusions as to specific causes. but it seems to me it is a time for us to reflect on the heightened anger being projected on our public debate. and the daily denigration of those with whom we disagree and it is appropriate therefore that

the wrenching, shocking, senseless violence of that day compel us to reflect on our own represent -- responsibility to tell per our words -- temper our words and rcht those with whom we disagree. let the failure to do so give incitement to the angriest and most unstable among us. let us speak for our neighbors in a spirit of unity. not a false and shallow unity, not a unity that wishes away our differences or our discords, but a unity founded on our reverence for our democracy's most precious, most franl ilgift, its power -- fragile gift, its power to resolve without violence our questions. in a much darker time than ours, from the edge of a great war,

president lincoln addressed these words to the men and women whom even in the war's depths he refused to see as anything other than his fellow americans, he said this, we are not enemies but friends. we must not be enemies, though passion may have strained, it must not break our bonds of affection. there are in every society and in every culture and every nation those who reflect that cede -- creed, but if we love our country, if we honor our oath to country, constitution and to our nation of laws, we must live by those words. there is perhaps nothing we can do that will prevent the mindless violence committed by the few. but we can and must appeal to

the best instincts of the many, to the families of the fallen we extend our sympathy. to the survivors we extend our prayers for a full and speedy recovery. and to our colleague, to our beloved colleague, gabby, we extend our love, our hopes for her early return to the chamber and our ranks. all of us in this time have come together, reached out to one another, comforted one another and lifted one another up. may that sentiment not pass quickly from this body or from this country. i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman's time has expired.

the gentleman from arizona, mr. flake. mr. flake: madam speaker, i want to thank speaker boehner and the leadership on both sides of the aisle for bringing this resolution to the floor. this is indeed congress at its best. none of us will ever forget the feeling we had when we heard the news of the shooting last saturday, one of the victims of which was our dear friend and colleague, gabrielle giffords. a few hours after the news broke, i was in attendance at the press conference in tucson at the medical center, amid the turmoil and the anguish of the occasion there were audible expressions of joy and relief in that room and around the country when the doctor announced that gabby could listen and respond. gabby's progress over the past few days has been measured in much the same manner. the squeeze of a hand, the raising of two fingers, a thumbs up sign. each gesture letting us know that she hears, that she is listening and responding. these traits, listening and responding, have defined

gabrielle giffords' career as a legislater. let me give but one example born of another tragedy just 10 months ago. long-time arizonan known to provide assistance to those he found in need was murdered on his ranch near arizona's southern border. farmers and ranchers in arizona were understandably alarmed. gabby listened and responded over and over she contacted and visited those affected, reassuring them that help was on its way. she convened monthly conference calls for the farming and ranching communities involving the border patrol, immigrations and customs enforcement and justice department and other federal agencies, each month broadening the circle to include more stakeholders. we learned of her efforts in delegation meetings here in washington where she enlisted additional support last august. much as a result of gabby's persistent efforts, the congress acted, providing unprecedented resources to improve security in the area. gabby listened, she responded

and in the end congress responded as well. we are responding here today by giving thanks for the service of federal judge john roll and gave zimmerman for the public service they have rendered. we are responding today by recognizing the heroic life-saving efforts of people like daniel hernandez who delivered aid to congressman giffords, those who tackled the gunman, to dorwin stoddard, who shielded his wife from the gunfire, selflessly giving his own life that she might live. we are responding today by joining john and roxanne green in mourning the loss of their 9-year-old daughter christina, as well as the friends and families of dorothy murray and phyllis schneck. we in the arizona delegation are proud of the wonderful state that we together with more than six million of our friends and neighbors call home. arizona is defined not by the actions of a lone, crazed gunman, but by the heroism and bravery of those who left us on

saturday. and those like our friend and colleague gabrielle giffords who will continue to lead us in the future. i reserve the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman reserves the balance of his time. the gentleman from arizona, mr. pastor. mr. pastor: i yield three minutes to the leader of the caucus, mr. larson. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from connecticut is recognized for three minutes. mr. larson: i thank the gentleman from arizona, thank you, madam speaker. shake peer -- shakespeare tells us in "othello, that when aigo whispers mistruths in the ear of othello, something beautiful dies. something beautiful died in tucson, arizona, this past saturday. people who came to an event to

hear their congresswoman speak, one little girl, 9 years old, all beautiful, all celebrating the great beauty and manlesty of our democrat -- majesty of our democracy passed on that day. who knows what mistruths were bouncing around in the head of the assassin, who could know that? but something beautiful died. democracy died just a little that day. but beauty has a way of coming back. it resides in people like

gabrielle giffords. she epitomizes all that is good and rich about serving in the united states congress. from her very demeanor, to her graciousness, to the way she carried herself in committee with her legislation and how she held forth with her constituents in an accountable manner that has become so much a fabric of our democracy, our congress on the corner. she truly is a beautiful person and that beauty had others responding that day with acts of remember wism that have already been recounted on -- heroism that have already been recounted on this floor, and that beauty

lies in state with her husband by her side and with the fervent prayers of a nation and hope, knowing and feeling confident that she will return from this awful incident and be back here with us, gracing us with her beauty and dignity and vision and purpose. one of her last remarks was, in speaking to mr. troy grayson, director of harvard institute of politics, was to say, i would love to talk about what we can do to promote criticism, centrism and modderism. i think we need to figure out how to tone down our rhetoric and the partisanship that exists here. with that i yield back the

balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman's time has expired. the gentleman from arizona, there -- mr. flake. mr. flake: i yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from arizona, mr. franks. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from arizona is recognized for such time as he may consume. mr. franks: and i thank the gentleman. madam speaker, the tragedy this week in arizona has been a reminder to all of us of the brevity and delicate nature of this earthly life. it is my prayer this morning that god would grant all of the victims named in this resolution as well as the grieving families and loved ones who are mourning the loss of the six precious lives that were taken that day the comfort, the peace and the restoration that only he can give. madam speaker, it happens that the only one of those victims that i knew well personally was our own gabby giffords.

madam speaker, gabby and i are from different parties and on past and happier days, many in arizona would often joke about the differences in our politics. but i can testify to you this morning, madam speaker, that in the four years that i have known gabby giffords, there has never been one unkind or even ters word passed between us. gabby giffords is a precious, warm, caring, decent human being whose warmth and charm touched the hearts of all who know her. and the testimony of her life and work is proof that true tolerance is not in pretending that we have no differences. it is being kind and decent to each other in spite of those differences. and it strikes me as more than a poignant coincidence that only days before the tragedy we all

listened to gabby giffords as she stood at this very podium and read the words of the constitution's first amendment which protects the right of the people to peaceably assemble. and then only days later, madam speaker, as she was exercising that right and faithfully doing her job as a member of the united states congress, one berest of heart human compassion and respect for innocent human life mindlessly shattered her life and the lives of so many others around her. . madam speaker, the last words i had with gabby giffords were spoken not 10 feet from this podium when we exchanged simple with you genuine and heartfelt words and best wishes for the new year and the new congress. madam speaker, i will tell you that when i heard the news of this tragedy and the false

report that gabby had died, i felt such an overwhelming sense of grief in my soul to think that those were the last words i would ever speak to her. and it was a reminder to me, madam speaker, of the brevity and preshness of human life and freedom and just how important it really is for each of us to seize every moment and to speak kind and loving words to each other while we still can. so, madam speaker, it is my prayer that god would come -- would comfort the giffords family and all of the victims of this horrible tragedy and hold them closely in his arms as only he can and that he would someday very soon return a smiling gabby giffords to this chamber and to all of us. as clear eyed and as whole as when she left us. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields back. the gentleman from arizona, mr. pastor.

mr. pastor: madam speaker, i ask unanimous consent to revise and extend. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. mr. pastor: i yield myself such time as i may consume. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. pastor: i would also join my colleague from arizona, jeff flake, in thanking the leadership and bringing this resolution here this morning. i also want to recognize that representative giffords staff is in the gallery with us this morning. so we want to wish them the best. madam speaker, it is with great sadness i rise today to pay tribute to six innocent and precious arizonans who, while participating in a public event, designated to strengthen act of violence last saturday. i also want to pay tribute to those 14 arizonans, including our dedicated and beloved colleague, and my personal

friend, gabby giffords, who were wounded. these americans all dedicated to use their sunday morning to participate in a public event to make their government better. recovering at different paces and with unique and different needs, the city of tucson, stai arizona assist and welcome these brave heroes back to our communities once they have reef covered. gabby continues to fight, literally fight, every minute, for her life. and we are all reaching toward our god in prayer, contemptation,nd all arizonans. phyllis schneck was described by her new jersey hometown paper as a lifelong conservative. yet she was there to seek gabby because she admired her.

this is a perfect example of someone who wanted to step beyond the current vitriol in modern day politics and bring us together. dorothy morris was married to a former marine corps p who was also wounded and recovering. we all know the patriotism and love of country every spouse of a marine zimmerman was one of u a dedicated staff member to gabby. it is said he literally lived to serve his community. sadly he perished but heghat he helping the people of his town. christina taylor green was just start her political career. she had just been elected to her school student council and wanted to come see at the highest level. she wanted to see a pro so she came to see gabby.

she was a special little girl who kept reaching for the stars and politics, dance, dorwan stoddard died shielding his wife who was also wounded but expected following their regular saturday outing, dorwan brought his wife to gabby because report s