In the News

Alana Wilson gave blood Thursday for the first time in her life.

The shooting earlier this month of Rep. Steve Scalise was enough to spur the Republican National Committee staffer to put aside her fear and donate a pint of blood.

“It felt like it was an attack on our whole family here at the House of Representatives,” Wilson said minutes after participating in the American Red Cross blood drive in a House office building organized in honor of Scalise and others injured in the June 15 shooting. “It was upsetting. Obviously, everyone wants to do something that they can to help Congressman Scalise’s team and the Capitol Police officers as well as the staffers and Matt Mika, who were injured last week.”

“If this doesn’t get me to donate blood, I don’t know what will,” Wilson said.

Wilson was among the dozens of Capitol Hill staffers, members of Congress and others who showed up Thursday to give blood. Vice President Pence showed up at another capitol blood drive two days earlier, and the American Red Cross is setting up again Friday in a Senate office building.

The blood drive is one of several efforts in the nation’s capital to show support for Scalise, the House majority whip who was shot while practicing with Republican teammates for a charity baseball game on a field in a Virginia suburb.

A week earlier, spectators broke attendance records at the Congressional Baseball Game at Nationals Stadium where Scalise, a Republican from Louisiana, was supposed to play second base. Fans sported Louisiana State University gear. (Scalise is a LSU grad.)

Players wore LSU caps. Some fans toted signs including one that read, ”Let’s Geaux.’’ Others had on “Team Scalise” T-shirts.

Just this past Wednesday, the Congressional Women’s Softball Gamesoftball team also drew a record crowd. The teams led a moment of silence for Scalise and others injured. 

In the week since the shooting, lawmakers - Democrats and Republicans - stood on the floor to wish their colleague well and praise the quick actions of the police officers.

Rep. Mike Johnson, R-La., invoked Scalise’s name Thursday as he introduced a measure that would designate July 12 as a National Day of Civility. Johnson said he turned to Scalise for support earlier this year when he urged his freshman class to sign a civility pledge.

Johnson, who donated blood later that day, said he’s sure the outpouring of support will help in Scalise’s long road to recovery.

 “If anybody can (recover), he will,” said Johnson, who went to see Scalise at the hospital this week. “He’s got the strongest spirit of anybody I know. If I was advising the doctors I would say, ‘Whatever you think the recovery period is, cut it in half.' That’s what Scalise is going to do.” 

Scalise’s condition has steadliy improved since he was transported by helicopter to MedStar Washington Hospital Center where the director of trauma care said he was initially at an "imminent risk of death."

Hospital officials have said Scalise’s condition has improved from critical to serious to fair. They said Scalise, who has undergone several surgeries, will probably be in the hospital for a while, but he should be able to eventually return to work.

“I think that an excellent recovery is a good possibility,” Dr. Jack Sava, director of trauma care at the hospital, told reporters last Friday.

Members of the Louisiana delegation have visited Scalise at the hospital individually,  but plan to do something as a group to support their fellow Louisianan.

“We were really shaken by the shooting,’’ Johnson said. “It really hit close to home for us.’’

Lawmakers have also shown support for others injured during the shooting, including congressional aide Zachary Barth, Tyson Foods lobbyist Matt Mika, and Capitol Police special agents Crystal Griner and David Bailey. Barth's boss Rep. Roger Williams, R-Texas, injured his ankle in the scramble to escape the gunfire.

Scalise’s office and his wife, Jennifer, said they appreciate the support from the donors, along with all the well-wishes and prayers.

"We are incredibly grateful and humbled by the support shown by our congressional colleagues, and those around the country, for Whip Scalise, Special Agents Bailey and Griner, Zach Barth, and Matt Mika," said Lauren Fine, a spokeswoman for Scalise. “Thanks to everyone's efforts countless lives will be saved."

More than 100 members of Congress and staffers showed up in the Rayburn House Office Building for Thursday’s blood drive.

Donors were rewarded with snacks — from Gatorade to bags of Cheez-It — stamped with labels that read “Thank you. Team Scalise.’’

Chiugo Nwofor, an interim district manager for the American Red Cross, said the turnout was great.

“You had congressmen who came out, not only them, but with their staff," said Nwofor, as she helped shut down the make-shift blood drive station. “They were there for the cause. They showed up and showed out.’’

“It wasn’t about Republicans. It wasn’t about Democrats,” she said. “It was about saving lives.”

Each donor gave a pint of blood, which can save three lives, Nwofor said.

Rep. Jodey Arrington arrived too late Thursday afternoon to donate. But he still got to sport a sticker of a fleur-de-lis, a French symbol often associated with Louisiana, on his suit jacket.

The Texas freshman said Scalise helped him learn his way around the House.

“This is the least I can do,” said Arrington. “Everybody wants to do something. I’m praying for him. We’ve got a gift that we’re sending, but seems like practically this is probably the best thing we can do for him and, quite frankly, for others who have been hurt.”

Arrington said he’s not surprised by the support from his Democratic and Republican colleagues.

“If one of us goes down, if one of us is attacked, we all rally together as Americans first," he said.

Bruce Newman, a special assistant for Rep. Don Young, a Republican from Alaska, went Thursday to support Wilson, a former co-worker. He had already donated at Tuesday’s blood drive when he was only feet from Vice President Pence. Pence also donated blood.

“When something like this happens there’s not that much you can do individually, but donating blood here is something you can do in a concrete sort of way,” he said.

Wilson had bandages on her left arm where the American Red Cross had just drawn blood. She felt a little woozy so she munched on Team Scalise snacks. Still, she said, she's glad she and so many others donated blood.

“I think it just shows how close of a family everyone really is here on the hill," she said. “This is an important time to come together."