The family of the accused gunman in the Arizona shooting spree expressed their sadness on Tuesday over the "heinous events," while the congresswoman who was shot in the head showed signs of improvement. In their first public statement, relatives of Jared Lee Loughner, 22, said that it was a "very difficult time" and requested privacy. The statement, attributed to "The Loughner Family," acknowledged that there were no words that could adequately express their emotions. The eight-sentence statement did not mention the young man charged in the shooting at a Tucson shopping mall that resulted in the deaths of six people, including a federal judge, and the injury of 14 others. The shooting resulted in Representative Gabrielle Giffords being in critical condition, however, she was able to breathe on her own despite a bullet passing through her brain. The family expressed their confusion and sorrow over the tragic events, stating that they wish they could change what happened and offering their deepest condolences to the victims and their families. Giffords, a 40-year-old Democrat, is in critical condition at a Tucson hospital but her doctor stated that she is "holding her own," responding to simple commands, and breathing without the aid of her ventilation tube. Dr. Michael Lemole, head of neurosurgery at the University Medical Center, expressed hopefulness about her condition, stating that she looks better than expected. He emphasized that her recovery will be a gradual process, with progress being monitored on a week to week, month to month basis. President Barack Obama is planning to travel to Arizona on Wednesday to attend a memorial service for those who died in a recent tragedy, including a 9-year-old girl. In Washington, the House of Representatives was set to vote on condemning the violent attack that targeted one of their own, sparking discussions about the aggressive nature of recent political campaigns. Jared Loughner, the accused gunman, is currently in custody and awaiting a preliminary hearing on January 24 for five federal charges, including the attempted assassination of Gabrielle Giffords. Two young men came out of Loughner's home in a middle-class neighborhood in Tucson and distributed a statement from his family to the gathered media. A neighbor had previously told local media that Loughner's parents, Amy and Randy Loughner, were devastated by the events. Neighbor Wayne Smith, with tears in his eyes, expressed that it is important for people to recognize that the son of Amy and Randy is not involved in the tragic events. He emphasized that they are deeply affected by the situation and asked others to imagine how they would feel if it were their own child. According to a recent CBS News poll, most Americans do not believe that the heated political discourse played a role in the Arizona shootings. The survey revealed that 57 percent of participants believed that the violent political atmosphere was not connected to the shooting incident, while 32 percent thought it was. Republicans were the most adamant in denying any link, with 69 percent rejecting the idea. Despite the unclear motive for the attack, some politicians and analysts have suggested that a culture of intense rhetoric and ideological division could have played a role. Former President Bill Clinton warned about the impact of language in the digital age, emphasizing the echo-chamber effect of the Internet. Lawmakers from both political parties are urging for more politeness in politics, and they will gather for a bipartisan prayer service on Wednesday. Colleagues of Giffords in Congress paused their work after the shootings to review their security. The vote to repeal Obama's healthcare reform has been postponed by the Republican-led House, a reform that Giffords and other Democrats supported. Loughner allegedly shot at the congresswoman and constituents with a semi-automatic Glock pistol in a supermarket parking lot. "In a moment, he stole six loved ones from us and shattered our peace of mind," expressed Arizona Governor Jan Brewer during a speech in Tucson. She emphasized the immeasurable loss that Tucson and all of Arizona experienced in that tragic moment. Over 600 mourners came together at a memorial service held at St. Odilia Catholic Church in Tucson to honor the shooting victims. In response to the threat of picketing at the victims' funerals by a Kansas fundamentalist Christian church, Arizona state lawmakers passed a bill to prevent such actions on Tuesday. Governor Brewer promptly signed the legislation into law. The small church's members have become well-known for showing up at military funerals and stating that God is punishing the troops due to the country's acceptance of homosexuality. They also attended the funeral of Elizabeth Edwards, the wife of former presidential candidate John Edwards.