Roskam Remarks on Resolution Condemning Attack of Rep. Giffords

From the office of Congressman Peter Roskam (R,ILL)…

Rep. Peter Roskam: “…I think as we all reflect on the gift that we’ve been given, we have a great example in Gabrielle Giffords of somebody who understands the nature of democracy, and a real willingness to serve. And we wish her the very best and pray for her complete recovery.”

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Peter Roskam (R-IL), the Chief Deputy Whip of the House Republican Majority, made the following remarks on the House floor this morning regarding House Resolution 32:

Thank you Madam Speaker, and I thank the Leader for yielding.

One of the untold stories of the House of Representatives is the connections that members have with one another that really never show up, except among ourselves. I had a unique connection with Gabrielle Giffords—I still do—and that is: we were both invited, when we came in this class of 2006,we were both invited to participate, one on one, or two together, in this series of interviews that was hosted by National Public Radio, the show, All Things Considered.

Now, I had not met Gabrielle before that and we started this dialogue back and forth, and really enjoyed that. I found that she had this very refreshing and winsome approach, as we all know, to how she handles herself, how she conducts herself.

So, it’s really no surprise to me that we’re hearing hopeful news about her medical condition, based on a disposition of perseverance. And I thought that the conversations that I was involved with her brought a brightness to public life, and brought something that is, as I heard from constituents that would listen to her, they would say to me, “I can see how you would like serving with people like that.” And that is sort of the lost lead I think in some ways of the House of Representatives. We were heart sick on Saturday when we heard that news.

I know many of my constituents who are to their knees in prayer for Gabrielle, and for the victims of that shooting. So, I think as we all reflect on the gift that we’ve been given, we have a great example in Gabrielle Giffords of somebody who understands the nature of democracy, and a real willingness to serve.

And we wish her the very best and pray for her complete recovery.


Copyright Publius Forum 2001