U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, D-Ariz, made a public appearance at a NASA function with her astronaut husband Monday evening, a spokesman said.

The Arizona congresswoman appeared alongside Mark Kelly as he received a Spaceflight Medal during an awards ceremony at Space Center Houston, the visitors center of the Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, The Chicago Tribune reported.

Personally, I was not surprised at all, Giffords' Spokesman C.J. Karamargin said. For us it is clear the Congresswoman's physical strength is improving as well as her cognitive and verbal abilities.

Giffords, who was released from the hospital June 15, continues to recover from a January gunshot wound to the head. Six people were killed and 13 others were wounded when a gunman opened fire in front of a Safeway grocery store in Tucson, Ariz., on January 8.

Earlier this month, Giffords made her first visit back to her hometown of Tucson, after spending six months undergoing intense rehabilitation at a center in Houston.

When she came to Tucson she was in great spirits and has improved tremendously, Karamargin said. She got together with staff [while in Tucson] and climbed a flight of 18 stairs at the home of a member of staff.

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