Gabrielle Giffords Returns to the House to Vote
U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, whose vote for the debt-ceiling compromise bill Monday was the first vote she cast since she was shot in January, has released a statement:
“I have closely followed the debate over our debt ceiling and have been deeply disappointed at what’s going on in Washington,” Giffords, D-Arizona, said. “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.”
Her statement noted that she didn’t vote for a debt-limit increase in December 2009 and February 2010. It said that Monday’s vote was different, arguing that the strength of the U.S. economy was hanging in the balance.