Hon. Gabrielle Giffords to be Honored at EMILY's List Event with "We Are EMILY" Award

Giffords to Attend Event In Washington, DC in Support of Pro-choice Democratic Women's Organization

WASHINGTON D.C. - EMILY’s List, the nation’s largest resource for women in politics, announced today that Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords will receive the organization’s annual “We Are EMILY” award, which recognizes women who have changed the face of political power and provided leadership and inspiration to the EMILY’s List community – more than one million members strong – and beyond.

Giffords will receive the award at a major event at the National Museum of Women in the Arts in Washington, D.C., on April 24th, 2012, at which the creation of a new award, named in her honor and celebrating women at the beginning of their political career, will be announced.

Giffords has been affiliated with EMILY’s List since her service in the Arizona State Legislature, where she was the youngest woman elected to the state Senate. EMILY’s List supported Giffords in her 2006, 2008, and 2010 congressional campaigns.

“As a public servant, Gabby’s drive, focus on results, and consistent civility to everyone are legendary,” said EMILY’s List President Stephanie Schriock. “Since the tragic events in Tucson, Gabby has continued to inspire us all with her determination and her commitment. Throughout the country, Gabby is hailed as a symbol of bravery, of hard work, and of decency and civic leadership. We’re thrilled to honor Gabby at our signature event this spring – she truly is EMILY, and we know she will inspire generations of women to pursue political leadership because of her example.”

Giffords was first elected to the Arizona House of Representatives in 2000. She was elected to the State Senate in 2002, where she served her constituents until 2005. Then, in 2006, Giffords was elected to Congress to represent Arizona’s 8th Congressional District. She won re-election in 2008 and 2010. While in Congress, she was a member of the House Armed Services Committee, where she was a champion for military families and veterans. She also sat on the House Science, Space and Technology Committee and was an advocate for aviation and space research.

EMILY’s List raised more than $38.5 million to support its mission of recruiting and supporting women candidates, helping them build strong campaigns, and mobilizing women voters to turn out and vote. With a community of more than 1,000,000 members across the country, EMILY’s List is one of the largest political action committees in the nation. Since its founding in 1985, EMILY’s List has worked to elect 87 pro-choice Democratic women to the U.S. House, 16 to the U.S. Senate, nine governors, and hundreds of women to the state legislatures, state constitutional offices, and other key local offices. In the 2009-2010 cycle, EMILY’s List had the largest number of members and donors in our 27 year history.