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Gabrielle Giffords Will Leave Congress This Week

Updated: 2:53 p.m.

Rep. Gabrielle Giffords announced today that she will resign from Congress, telling supporters in a video, “I have more work to do on my recovery.”

The three-term Arizona Democrat, who was shot during a constituent event in Tucson last January, said: “Arizona is my home, always will be. A lot has happened over the past year. We cannot change that. But I know on the issues we fought for we can change things for the better.”

According to a statement from her office, Giffords will attend Tuesday’s State of the Union address before officially stepping down by the end of the week. She also plans to meet privately with constituents who were at the shooting. Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer (R) will set a special election date to fill the vacancy.

Although Giffords is ending her Congressional career, she said, “I will return, and we will work together for Arizona and this great country.” Other supporters pledged to support Giffords as well. In a statement, EMILY’s List Executive Director Stephanie Schriock said the organization “will always be behind her, wherever her path takes her.”

“We will honor Gabby every day by working to make sure that strong, determined, bright young women of integrity and joy know that they can be leaders at every level of government, right up to the highest — and that they feel the strength of the EMILY’s List community behind them, as Gabby has,” Schriock said.

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) called Giffords “a true bright star” today.

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