Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-Arizona), who survived an assassination attempt in January 2011, will be stepping down from Congress this week.

Giffords was shot in the head with an automatic rifle at a Congressional event in her district on January 8, 2011. She said she was resigning to focus on her recovery.

Giffords represents Arizona's 8th Congressional district, where Native Americans make up about 2.1 percent of the population. During the 111th Congress, she was a co-sponsor of the White Mountain Apache Tribe water rights bill and the reauthorization of the Special Diabetes Program for Indians, both of which became law in 2010.

A special election will be held to fill the seat for the remainder of Giffords' term. The Arizona Republic said the primary will likely take place in April, with the general election set for June.

Giffords' existing district has been redrawn and renumbered as the 2nd Congressional District for the November 2012 election.

Get the Story:
Rep. Gabrielle Giffords resigning from Congress (The Washington Post 1/23)
For Giffords, House Comeback Is One Too Many (The New York Times 1/23)
Giffords had quick political rise; future unclear (The Arizona Republic 1/23)
Potential Giffords successors scramble (The Arizona Republic 1/23)

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Charges over attempted assassination of Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (1/10)