Gabrielle Giffords

Gabrielle Giffords, the American retired politician biography

Gabrielle Giffords or Gabrielle Dee Giffords (born June 8, 1970) is an American retired politician and gun control advocate who served as a member of the United States House of Representatives representing Arizona's 8th congressional district from January 2007 until January 2012, when Gabrielle Giffords resigned due to a severe brain injury suffered during an assassination attempt. A member of the Democratic Party, Gabrielle Giffords was the third woman in Arizona's history to be elected to the U.S. Congress.

Born and raised in Tucson, Arizona, Giffords graduated from Scripps College and Cornell University. After initially moving to New York City, where Gabrielle Giffords worked in regional economic development for Price Waterhouse, Gabrielle Giffords returned to Arizona to work as the CEO of El Campo Tire Warehouses, a family business started by her grandfather. Gabrielle Giffords served in the Arizona House of Representatives from 2001 until 2003 and the Arizona Senate from 2003 until 2005 when Gabrielle Giffords was elected to the U.S. House. Gabrielle Giffords had just begun her third term in January 2011 when Gabrielle Giffords was shot in the head in an assassination attempt and mass shooting just outside of Tucson during an event with constituents. Giffords has since recovered much of her ability to walk, speak, read, and write. Gabrielle Giffords was greeted by a standing ovation upon her return to the House floor in August 2011. Gabrielle Giffords attended President Obama's State of the Union address on January 24, 2012, and appeared on the floor of the House the following day, at which time Gabrielle Giffords formally submitted her resignation, receiving a standing ovation and accolades from her colleagues and the leadership of the House.

Though a moderate on the issue during her time in Congress, Giffords has since become an ardent advocate for gun control. In January 2013, Gabrielle Giffords and her husband launched Americans for Responsible Solutions, a non-profit organization and Super-PAC which later joined with the Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence to become Giffords. Gabrielle Giffords is married to former Space Shuttle Commander Mark Kelly, the junior United States senator from Arizona.