PHOENIX (AP) — Former U.S. Rep. Gabby Giffords returned to the House floor Thursday on the 15th anniversary of the assassination attempt that cut short her promising political career and shocked a nation that has only seen political violence worsen in the years since.

Giffords held hands with her husband, Sen. Mark Kelly, as House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries lauded her congressional service and her advocacy for tougher gun control measures. She received a standing ovation from a few dozen lawmakers in the chamber, most of them fellow Democrats.

Today, I joined @RepJeffries and many of my former colleagues on the House floor as they introduced a joint resolution honoring the six innocent lives stolen 15 years ago today.
I’ll always fight for Christina-Taylor, Gabe, John, Phyllis, Dorothy, Dorwan—and Congress should too. pic.twitter.com/pmlMBoboAX
— Gabrielle Giffords (@GabbyGiffords) January 8, 2026

Giffords left Congress after the shooting to focus on her recovery, cutting short a political career that many in Arizona believe would have included a run for governor or U.S. Senate.

She went on to create, along with Kelly, a political group—now known as GIFFORDS—that lobbies for tougher gun laws and works to elect state and federal lawmakers who will support them.

Kelly was elected to the Senate in 2020 and was a finalist to be Vice President Kamala Harris’ running mate in the 2024 presidential election.

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