Steve Scalise Makes Emotional Return to Congress After Shooting

House Majority Whip Steve Scalise (R-La.) got a loud bipartisan ovation Thursday as he made his way into the chamber — aided by a cane — for his first appearance in the Capitol since a gunman almost took his life in June.

House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) made a rare appearance presiding over a full House.

Scalise, who underwent multiple surgeries, basked in the emotion of the moment.

“You have no idea how great this feels to be back here at work in the people’s House,” he said. “As you can imagine, these last three-and-a-half months have been pretty challenging times for me and my family. But if you look at the outpouring of love, of warmth, of prayer, my gosh, Jennifer and I have been overwhelming with all of that outpouring.”

Getting emotional, Scalise talked about the moment immediately following the gunshot to the hip during a practice of the Republican congressional baseball team.

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“And it starts with God,” he said. “When I was laying out on that ball field, the first thing I did once I was down and I couldn’t move anymore, is I just started to pray. And I will tell you, it gave me an unbelievable sense of calm knowing that at that point, it was in God’s hands.”

Scalise and his colleagues were practicing in Alexandria, Virginia, for the annual congressional baseball game when deranged left-wing activist James Hodgkinson opened fire. He injured Scalise and five others before a Capital police officer shot him to death.

Scalise on Thursday reflected on the “true angels” and the “little miracles” that spared his life. Chief among them, he said, were Capitol police officers Crystal Griner and David Bailey. The two law enforcement professionals got a standing ovation from lawmakers in the chamber.

The officers were at the practice because members of the leadership of the House get security details. Scalise noted that they continued to engage the shooter even after they themselves were shot.

“David, you are my hero. You saved my life. Thank you, so much.”

“David, you are my hero,” Scalise said, pointing to the officer on the House floor. “You saved my life. Thank you, so much.”

Scalise said he likely would have died if Rep. Brad Wenstrup (R-Ohio), a doctor and former Army Ranger with experience treating combat victims, had not been on the field and prepared to apply a tourniquet.

The congressman said he was overwhelmed by prayers and well-wishes he received, not only from his own district in southern Louisiana but from strangers all over the country.

“Let me tell each and every one of you, and please convey it to your constituents — and I sure convey it to my constituents back home — that warmth and love gave us just incredible strength that you can’t imagine during some really, really difficult times,” he said.

Scalise said Rep. Cedric Richmond (D-La.) got to the hospital before anyone else, still in the uniform he was wearing from the Democratic team’s practice. In addition, he said, Democrats throughout the House demonstrated solidarity.

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“It really does show the warm side of Congress that very few people get to see,” he said.

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) joined in the bipartisan spirit of the moment as well.

“Thank God our prayers are answered,” she said.

She added, “We all came through this magnificently because of your strength.”

(photo credit, homepage image: Tammy Anthony Baker, Flickr; photo credit, article image: Gage Skidmore, Flickr)