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The Arizona Democratic Congresswoman, Gabrielle Giffords, who was shot by a gunman while holding a public event Saturday, is known for being a fiscally conservative Blue Dog who is focused on immigration issues, alternative energy policy and relations with Latin America. She is married to astronaut Captain Mark E. Kelly.

The following bio information is taken from Congressional Quarterly.

Giffords, 40, represents the 8th District of Tucson which is located in the southeast and northern suburbs of the city. Her district shares a100-mile border with Mexico.

She sits on the Armed Services, Foreign Affairs, and Science & Technology committee, chairing both the Energy & Environment and Space & Aeronautics subcommittees.

Her husband is the scheduled commander of the 134th Nasa shuttle flight, which is the last planned shuttle mission using the space shuttle Endeavour, set to launch April 1, 2011. He is a three-time veteran of shuttle missions.

He will meet his twin brother, Scott Kelly, in space at the International Space Station (ISS), which he is commanding.

Gifford grew up in Tucson and earned her bachelor degree from Scripps College in1993 and then her masters degree from Cornell University in regional planning in 1997.

Prior to becoming a congresswoman, Gifford was a property management owner.