Story highlights Mark Kelly calls on members of Congress to hold town hallsHe echoed comments by his wife, former Rep. Gabby GiffordsWashington (CNN) Gun-control advocate and former astronaut Mark Kelly said Friday that Republicans should meet with their constituents even in the face of uproar or unspecified security concerns. In an appearance on CNN's "OutFront" with Erin Burnett, Kelly responded to Texas Rep. Louie Gohmert, who cited the shooting of Kelly's wife, former Democratic Rep. Gabby Giffords, as a reason not to hold a town hall. "If he doesn't want to do town halls, he should just say he doesn't want to face his constituents," Kelly said. Giffords, who survived being shot in the head while meeting with constituents in her Arizona district in 2011, responded to Gohmert herself on Thursday, saying: "I was shot on a Saturday morning. "To the politicians who have abandoned their civic obligations, I say this: Have some courage," Giffords said in a statement.

Source: CNN February 25, 2017 00:45 UTC