WASHINGTON (AP) - House Speaker Paul Ryan said he visited Rep. Steve Scalise on Thursday morning and that “his spirits are up” as he recovers from the gunshot wound he suffered last week.
“He seemed like he’s doing real well,” said Ryan, R-Wis.
Ryan said Scalise craved updates on work as he recovers at MedStar Washington Hospital Center.
Scalise, R-La., is the No. 3 House Republican, the “whip” responsible for counting votes and getting lawmakers to cast votes. He was struck in the hip when a gunman opened fire at a baseball practice in Alexandria, Virginia. The hospital said his condition had improved to fair.
“I had a great meeting with Steve-O this morning and he’s bright, he’s alert,” Ryan said. “He just wanted to go through the agenda. He wanted to go through the latest whip (count). He wanted to go through what’s coming to the floor next week. He wanted a brief on work.”
Ryan said Scalise is “very thankful for the outpouring of support that he’s received from friends and colleagues and people from Louisiana.”
The managers of the Republican and Democratic congressional baseball teams paid tribute to Scalise in a traditional floor appearance to announce the results of the annual game. Democratic manager Mike Doyle of Pennsylvania said he and GOP coach Joe Barton of Texas were delivering the trophy - won by Democrats this year - to Scalise’s office and hoped to get clearance to visit him in the hospital.
“This is for him right now and we want him to know that the entire Congress thinks about him every day, prays for him and his family, and we hope to get him back on the House floor as soon as possible,” Doyle said.
A House panel announced modest increases in spending for lawmakers’ security, including improved training and equipment, as it unveiled legislation to pay for congressional operations.
Rep. Kevin Yoder, R-Kan., said the legislation includes “provisions that will ensure members can enhance their constituents’ safety at events in their districts.”
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