Updated | WASHINGTON – Representative Gabrielle Giffords, a Democrat from Arizona whose unlikely recovery from a shooting last year stirred her colleagues and the nation, said Sunday that she would resign from Congress to focus on improving her health.  In a video released on Sunday afternoon, Ms. Giffords, in a halting voice, explained: “I don’t remember much from that horrible day, but I will never forget the trust you placed in me to be your voice. Thank you for your prayers and for giving me time to recover. I have more work to do on my recovery, so to do what is best for Arizona I will step down this week.”  But Ms. Giffords hinted at a potential return to elective office. “I will return, and we will work together for Arizona and this great country,” she said.  On Jan. 8, 2011, Ms. Giffords was shot by Jared Lee Loughner, a 22-year-old college dropout, at a Congress on Your Corner meet-and-greet event outside a grocery store in Tucson, Ariz. A 9-year-old girl named Christina Green and a federal judge, John Roll, were among those killed. Mr. Loughner has been charged with numerous federal counts, among them the attempted assassination of a member of Congress.  Ms. Giffords’s decision to step down throws the race for her seat representing Arizona’s Eighth District into chaos. She barely fought off her Republican challenger in 2010, but was expected to be a shoo-in for re-election had she decided to run this year. The remainder of her term will be filled by the winner of a special election on a date to be determined by Gov. Jan Brewer.  Under Arizona law, a governor has 72 hours from the day the vacancy is declared to name the dates for special elections; the primary must take place 80 to 90 days from date of the vacancy followed by a general election 50 to 60 days after that.  Democrats, fearing the loss of the seat, had hoped that Ms. Giffords’s husband, the retired astronaut Mark Kelly, would run in her place. Friends of the couple said on Sunday that they thought that was not likely, and that Mr. Kelly would be more inclined to spend his time helping his wife with her recovery.  According to her office, Ms. Giffords will attempt to “finish her Congress on Your Corner” event in the supermarket parking lot in Tucson where she was shot. It will be a private event that will include some of the people who attended last year. Ms. Giffords, who will officially resign later this week, will also attend President Obama’s State of the Union address on Tuesday night in the House chamber.  In August, Ms. Giffords, who was first elected in 2006, made a surprise return to the Capitol to cast a vote to raise the nation’s debt ceiling. Her visit raised the specter of a possible return.  John A. Boehner, who became House speaker only days before the shooting, said in a statement on Sunday: “I salute Representative Giffords for her service, and for the courage and perseverance she has shown in the face of tragedy. She will be missed.”  In a statement, Representative Nancy Pelosi, the minority leader, who visited Ms. Giffords in the hospital shortly after the shooting and was there when she first opened her eyes, said: “I join all my colleagues in Congress in thanking Gabby for the honor of calling her colleague and wishing Gabby and Mark great success and happiness. She will be missed in the House of Representatives, but her legacy in the Congress and her leadership for our nation will certainly continue.”  Adam Nagourney and Sarah Maslin Nir contributed reporting.
The announcement by the Arizona Democrat comes about a year after a shooting attack that left 6 people dead and 13 wounded - including Ms.Giffords.