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Mr. FRANKS of Arizona. I thank the gentleman.
Madam Speaker, the tragedy this week in Arizona has been a reminder to all of us of the brevity and delicate nature of this earthly life. It is my prayer this morning that God would grant all of the victims named in this resolution, as well as the grieving families and loved ones who are mourning the loss of the six precious lives that were taken that day, the comfort, the peace, and the restoration that only He can give.
Madam Speaker, it happens that the only one of those victims that I knew well personally was our own Gabby Giffords. Madam Speaker, Gabby and I are from different parties. And on past and happier days, many in Arizona would often joke about the differences in our politics.
But I can testify to you this morning, Madam Speaker, that in the 4 years that I have known Gabby Giffords there has never been one unkind or acrimonious or even terse word passed between us.
Gabby Giffords is a precious, warm, caring, decent human being whose warmth and charm touched the hearts of all who know her. And the testimony of her life and work is proof that true tolerance is not in pretending that we have no differences; it is being kind and decent to each other in spite of those differences.
And it strikes me as more than a poignant coincidence that only days before the tragedy, we all listened to Gabby Giffords as she stood at this very podium and read the words of the Constitution's First Amendment, which protects the right of the people to peaceably assemble.
And then only days later, Madam Speaker, as she was exercising that right and faithfully doing her job as a Member of the United States Congress, one bereft of heart, human compassion, and respect for innocent human life mindlessly shattered her life and the lives of so many others around her.
Madam Speaker, the last words I had with Gabby Giffords were spoken not 10 feet from this podium when we exchanged simple but genuine and heartfelt words and best wishes for the new year and the new Congress. And, Madam Speaker, I will tell you that when I heard the news of this tragedy and the false report that Gabby had died, I felt such an overwhelming sense of grief in my soul to think that those were the last words that I would ever speak to her.
And it was a reminder to me, Madam Speaker, of the brevity and preciousness of human life and freedom and just how important it really is for each of us to seize every moment and to speak kind and loving words to each other while we still can.
So, Madam Speaker, it is my prayer that God would comfort the Giffords family and all of the victims of this horrible tragedy and hold them closely in His arms as only He can, and that He would some day very soon return a smiling Gabby Giffords to this Chamber and to all of us, as clear eyed and as whole as when she left us.
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