American politician shot in the head

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'I am honoured to be at work tonight': Gabrielle Giffords faces the nation in her first live appearance on House floor

Gabrielle Giffords made her first live television appearance on the House floor tonight, attending a vote on the debt stand-off compromise.

Ms Giffords shock return to the House is the first time she has been seen in front of the cameras since she was shot in the head earlier this year.

Fellow lawmakers crowded around Ms Giffords to shake her hand when she appeared on the House floor to attend the crucial 11th-hour vote.


Brave: Arizona congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords and Nasa astronaut husband Mark Kelly walk into the chamber to be met with a rousing reception


Well wishes: U.S. Gabrielle Giffords, centre, waves during her first time on the House floor since being shot in the head earlier this year


Applause: Giffords' appearance brought a human touch to an otherwise tense evening


Emotional: Ms Giffords is embraced by colleagues on the floor of the House of Representatives

Swamped by colleagues and close friends she hugged and kissed fellow lawmakers as those in the chamber applauded.

Arizona Democrat Giffords, who was shot in the head in January while meeting with constituents in her district.

On her Twitter account, the brave congress woman wrote: 'The #Capitol looks beautiful and I am honoured to be at work tonight.'

She voted 'yes' on the bill, which commanded more applause as a green 'Y' appeared next to her name on the House’s back wall.

With close-cropped hair and wearing a blue blouse, Giffords waved and mouthed 'thank you' to acknowledge the applause.

After the votes were counted House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi called Giffords the 'personification of courage.'

She added: 'Thank you, Gabby.'

Ms Giffords appearance came after a dramatic night in the chamber, with the House eventually passing a compromise bill to raise America's debt ceiling.

Only last month Ms Giffords' chief of staff said the 41-year-old was unlikely to return to work soon - if at all.

Her chief of staff, Pia Carusone said: 'She's living. She's alive. But if she were to plateau today, and this was as far as she gets, it would not be nearly the quality of life she had before.'

In the months after the shooting by a lone gunman in Tucson, Arizona, there was speculation Ms Giffords may run for the U.S. Senate seat soon-to-be-vacated by retiring Republican Jon Kyl.

Ms Giffords was well enough to attend two trips to Florida in May to see her husband, Nasa astronaut Mark Kelly, blast off on the Endeavour shuttle's last ever mission.

However she was kept away from the public.

Ms Giffords was shot in the back of the head at point-blank range in an attempted assassination on January 8 in Tucson, Arizona, which left six people dead and 12 wounded.

Jared Lee Loughner, of Tucson, was captured at the scene and has been charged in the shootings.

After her husband returned safely to earth in June he immediately flew to Texas for an emotional reunion with his wife.

They had only been apart for 18 days, but Ms Giffords said the reunion had all the sweetness of a first date.

She woke early, dressed in jeans and a pretty black top - and was still putting on lipstick when Mr Kelly, wearing his blue post-flight suit, bounded down the hospital corridor to meet her.

A nurse said the couple seemed like 'newlyweds' as they hugged, kissed and held hands in Ms Giffords's room at the rehabilitation centre.

The astronaut said he was so excited he said he forgot his luggage when the car left the airstrip, and they had to turn round to collect it.

His wife's spokesman, C.J. Karamargin, said they held hands for two hours. He said: 'It was actually a very touching moment. They are smiling ear-to-ear and haven't let go of each other's hands.'

According to a nurse, Kristy Poteet, Ms Giffords had been excited all day. In the morning she saw a photo of the shuttle on the front page of a newspaper and clutched it to her heart.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2021359/I-honoured-work-tonight-Gabrielle-Giffords-makes-dramatic-appearance-House-floor.html