Gabrielle Giffords Honored By Navy, Littoral Combat Ship To Bear Her Name

WASHINGTON -- Gabrielle Giffords, the recently retired congresswoman from Arizona who was shot in an assassination attempt 13 months ago, returned to Washington Friday for double honors. The Navy named a ship after her and she saw President Barack Obama sign the last piece of legislation she authored into law.

In a ceremony at the Pentagon, Navy Secretary Ray Mabus unveiled an artist's rendering of the USS Gabrielle Giffords, a littoral combat ship. The craft is among the Navy's most versatile and can operate in shallower coastal waters than larger ships.

"God bless the USS Gabrielle Giffords and all who sail in her," Mabus said at the ceremony.

Giffords was shot in the head and grievously wounded in January 2011 as she met with constituents outside a supermarket in Tucson, Ariz. Twelve others also were wounded in the rampage that left six dead, including a federal judge, a Giffords aide and a 9-year-old girl. Christina Taylor Green had an interest in government and politics and wanted to hear Giffords speak.

At Friday's ceremony, Mabus announced that Christina Taylor's mother, Roxanna, is the ship's "sponsor." Green's initials will be welded into the ship's keel.

In the months since she was shot, Giffords, 41, has been treated in Houston as well as Arizona as she relearned how to walk and speak. Her progress had seemed remarkable, but she resigned from Congress last month to concentrate on her recovery. Giffords stepped down on the day the House passed her bill by a vote of 428-0.

The legislation Obama signed Friday increases the penalties for using ultra-light aircraft when smuggling drugs into the country. The small, single-seat planes are an increasingly favored tool that smugglers use to fly at night and then release their haul without detection.

Obama said he told Giffords that he expected to see more of her in the months and years to come.

"I'm confident that, while this legislation may have been her last act as a congresswoman, it will not be her last act of public service," Obama said in a statement released by the White House.

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Comments

[PRONESE]

06:27 AM on 02/17/2012

Comment Redacted.
R/ PRONESE

[nick 5228]

10:03 AM on 02/13/2012

Garbielle Giffords - elected representative that was wounded along with others in a tragic attack. She survived due to the diligence of the best health care provided by the US Taxpayers bar no expense. How about the other victims that were wounded and, more significantly, the ones that perished. Where are their accolades? I think their names should be honored more reverently than Gabrielle - they don't receive medical care for the rest of their lives FREE as well as a guaranteed pension of 85% for the rest of her life.

[wyb]

11:21 AM on 02/13/2012

The signal core message of a GOP stalwart is, "Let them die on the street".

[nick 5228]

06:23 PM on 02/13/2012

Wake up already - she got shot, wounded and survived. Others that were there DIED. How about our men and women overseas that are mortally wounded or suffer severe injuries - WHERE IS THEIR SHIP? Take this woman out of the spotlight already - how about a story regarding the recovery of the others? Did they pay their bills, make their mortgage, how is their family doing? And, oh yea, did they get their medical coverage paid for by the taxpayers? GOP or Democrat who really cares?

[theaustralian]

02:26 AM on 02/13/2012

the irony is the governor who is pro-gun rights is the one that got shot.

[Jon Whittaker]

01:39 AM on 02/13/2012

Gabrielle Giffords is truly a great American and has endured more suffering than I can comprehend, as well as those who were close to her and were also affected on that tragic day. To put her name on a craft designed for violence and destruction seems backwards to me.....

[HuffGeist]

06:36 PM on 03/03/2012

I can completely see you point about perpetuating violence in any form, but look at it as something that the military did to show honor to her, the other victims, and the event itself. Yes, it is sad in some ways that a machine that may ultimately be used for destructive purposes is given such a name, but it is done by people in the military who felt moved by her situation. It is a big honor to do such a thing in military circles and is not taken lightly. It looks like she appreciated the intention behind it, so I'm happy for her if this is the case.

[kalemakapii]

12:45 AM on 02/13/2012

If Newt were president, do you think he would name his Moon colony after Gabby?

[NealHib]

12:10 AM on 02/13/2012

She was targeted and shot, while in and because of, her service to her country. What is so hard to comprehend about that?

[nick 5228]

06:27 PM on 02/13/2012

Along with others some that DIED. Yea she recovered - but her care and medical bills were paid for compliments of the US Taxpayer. And now that she is no longer seeking public office she gets medical care and gold coverage for the rest of her life FREE along with a pension of 85%. It's a crime ANYONE was injured or killed but accolades for her are undeserved - they should go to the men and women overseas that are fighting for our country and when they die, are just a footnote on page nine.

[RC Hindle]

10:14 PM on 02/12/2012

Very cool. A class move.

[slash77]

07:44 PM on 02/12/2012

I guess I am not really certain why she has fully earned this honor?


I am not against what she has gone though, but.... there are so many others that have sacrificed much much more!

[jbarelli]

08:10 PM on 02/12/2012

This sort of honor isn't generally given just to honor an individual. It does that too, but more important is that it highlights the symbol of courage and dedication.

Representative Giffords is a brave and dedicated individual, but there are many of them, mostly unsung, all over our country and indeed, all over the world.

But she is also a symbol of courage and dedication. A shining example for others. That's why she gets a ship named after her.

[RC Hindle]

10:17 PM on 02/12/2012

I'm guessing you're republican. True. many have sacrificed more, but would you deny her this?

[paddy523]

07:43 PM on 02/12/2012

What's with the heavy mods and no fanning????

[wolfgang vonsnoden]

04:30 PM on 02/12/2012

He should have thrown in a Noble peace prize.

[rosiebag]

04:23 PM on 02/12/2012

Why stop there, how about a bridge, or a holiday.

[RC Hindle]

10:17 PM on 02/12/2012

Sounds good. Thanks for the idea.

[SaveWillowpark]

01:01 AM on 02/13/2012

Great Idea. You know, I think that one of the reasons she is a good person to hold up in honor is because she puts a face on the whole TBI issue that plagues so many of our returning soldiers. She will certainly be someone that they can look at and gain inspiration from.

[paddy523]

06:54 PM on 02/12/2012

I heard the Air Force is developing a stealth plane called the "Larry Craig", something about getting in tight spots in airport bathrooms!!

[RC Hindle]

10:20 PM on 02/12/2012

Classless.

[jbarelli]

08:16 PM on 02/12/2012

And why, exactly, do you feel entitled to show such disrespect to both a sitting Congressman and to the United States Navy?

Oh, yes. It's because that same Navy is out there, every day, risking life and limb to protect your right to treat them with disrespect. As to Representative Frank, he's been a dedicated public servant for many years, representing his district well enough to win reelection many times.

Or, we could just name an aircraft carrier for the guy who sold missiles to the Iranians. Oddly enough, the Iranians have been known to point those missiles at Navy ships.

[RC Hindle]

10:19 PM on 02/12/2012

Well put. It seems that some folks just can't stand to have a Dem be treated nice.

How about a little class, people?

[paddy523]

04:35 PM on 02/12/2012

Not to mention getting shot in the head by a lunatic while actively serving the people she was elected to represent!

[Go Navy and Marines]

07:10 PM on 02/12/2012

At least she's alive and kicking, which is more than you can say to the 1,000+ Marine families that lost loved ones just at Tarawa,...... and Iwo Jima was even worse!!

[Applecheeks]

05:24 PM on 02/12/2012

You're a true patriot.

[wyb]

11:09 AM on 02/12/2012

I like Gabbe and its great that she gets her name on a transom. I sure hope Republican US Senator George Aiken, Vermont has one. A famous unheeded quote of his regarding Vietnam in 1966, uttered on the Senate floor, was "Declare Victory and Get Out".

[BlackJAC]

10:56 AM on 02/12/2012

You gops can shake your tiny fists, stomp your tiny feet, and scream at the top of your tiny little lungs until you're all blue in the face, but the USS Gabrielle Giffords is happening.  If you don't like it, feel free to move to another nation, or finally get around to seceding like you're always threatening to do so you can finally have ships named for Jared Lee Loughner, Timothy McVeigh and Nathan Bedford Forrest.

[mrmikes]

07:01 PM on 02/12/2012

Thank you JAC. The meanies are out.