HE’S BACK

Watch the Powerful Moment Steve Scalise was Welcomed Back to Congress

Thursday was the House Majority Whip’s first appearance on the House floor since being shot at a congressional baseball practice in June.

Welcome back, Congressman Scalise.

The House Majority Whip Steve Scalise made a triumphant return to Capitol Hill Thursday morning. This was Scalise’s first appearance in Congress since he was shot during an attack on Republican members of Congress in June.

He was greeted by a standing ovation as he entered the House chamber. Speaker Paul Ryan then convened the session by letting the Majority Whip have the floor for as long as his heart desired.

Scalise thanked everyone who had helped and supported him during his recovery. He also took a moment to reflect on the past few months.

“Yes, it changed me, but not in the ways you might think. It’s only strengthened my faith in God. And it’s really crystalized what shows up as the goodness in people. I see that goodness in people,” Scalise told the House. “So while some people might focus on a tragic event and an evil act, to me, all I remember are the thousands of acts of kindness and love and warmth that came out of this, and kept me going through all of it.”

Scalise went on to describe the outpouring of support and well wishes he received while in the hospital, mentioning how they took the politics out of the situation.

“It’s so important that as we’re having those political battles, we don’t make them personal,” he reminded his colleagues.

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Hayley Jones

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