The family of the alleged shooter in the Arizona shooting expressed sadness on Tuesday over the "violent 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 it was a "very difficult time" and requested privacy. "There are no words that can possibly express how we feel. We wish there were, so we could make you feel better," read the statement, attributed to "The Loughner Family." The eight-sentence statement did not mention the young man accused in the shooting at a Tucson shopping mall that resulted in the deaths of six people, including a federal judge, and injuries to 14 others. Representative Gabrielle Giffords was left in critical condition after being shot, with a bullet passing through her brain. The family statement expressed confusion and a desire to change the tragic events of the shooting, expressing deep care and sympathy for the victims and their families. Giffords, a 40-year-old Democrat, was in critical condition at a Tucson hospital but is "holding her own," responding to simple commands and breathing without the aid of her ventilation tube, according to her doctor. Dr. Michael Lemole, head of neurosurgery at the University Medical Center, expressed optimism about her progress, stating that she looks better than expected and they are hopeful for her recovery. He emphasized that her recovery will be a gradual process, taking it week by week and month by month. President Barack Obama plans to travel to Arizona on Wednesday to attend a memorial service for those who were killed, including a 9-year-old girl. In Washington, the House of Representatives was set to vote on condemning the violent attack that almost took the life of one of their colleagues and sparked discussions about the heated politics of recent campaigns. The parents of the accused gunman, Loughner, are devastated, with Loughner being held until a preliminary hearing on January 24 for five federal charges, including the attempted assassination of Giffords. Two young men came out of the gunman's home in a middle-class Tucson neighborhood and distributed the family's statement to the media waiting outside, with a neighbor previously telling local media that Loughner's parents, Amy and Randy Loughner, were devastated. "Their child is not Amy and Randy, and it is important for people to recognize that. They are heartbroken. Wouldn't you feel the same if it were your child?" neighbor Wayne Smith, visibly emotional, told Phoenix's News Channel Three. A recent CBS News poll revealed that most Americans do not believe that heated political discourse played a role in the shootings that occurred in Arizona over the weekend. The survey revealed that 57 percent of participants believed that the violent political atmosphere was not connected to the shooting, while 32 percent thought it was. Republicans were the most likely to reject any connection, with 69 percent stating that harsh rhetoric was unrelated to the attack. Although the motive behind the attack was unclear, many politicians and analysts have suggested that a culture of intense language and division could have played a role. Former President Bill Clinton advised caution when speaking publicly, noting the significant impact of online platforms in creating an echo chamber of ideas. Lawmakers from both political parties have urged for more civility in politics, and a bipartisan prayer service will be held on Wednesday by members of Congress. Colleagues of Giffords in Congress paused their work following the shootings, leading many to reconsider their own safety. The vote to repeal Obama's healthcare reforms has been postponed by the Republican-led House, which Giffords and other Democrats supported. Loughner allegedly used a semi-automatic Glock pistol to shoot congresswoman Giffords while she was meeting constituents in a supermarket parking lot. Arizona Governor Jan Brewer expressed in a speech in Tucson that in a short amount of time, six loved ones were taken away and the community's sense of well-being was also lost. She mentioned that the impact of the tragedy on Tucson and Arizona as a whole cannot be fully quantified. Over 600 mourners attended a memorial service at St. Odilia Catholic Church for the shooting victims. In response to potential protests at the victims' funerals by a Kansas fundamentalist Christian church, Arizona state lawmakers passed a bill to prevent this from happening. Governor Brewer promptly signed the bill into law. The small church's members have become well-known for showing up at military funerals and stating that the soldiers were punished by God due to the country's acceptance of homosexuality. They also attended the funeral of Elizabeth Edwards, the wife of former presidential candidate John Edwards.