In light of the 2011 Tucson shooting of Representative Gabrielle Giffords and others , the Washington Third Way think tank sent a letter to Congressional leadership proposing members of Congress abandon a 96-year-long tradition of sitting with their party and instead sit together in a show of national unity . Senator Mark Udall of Colorado picked up Third Way 's proposal and sent a letter to Congressional members urging them to sit together regardless of party , breaking with tradition . Sixty members of the House and Senate signaled their support for the plan , and members of both houses sat with members of the opposite party . Groups included Arizona 's House delegation of five Republicans and two Democrats ( with an empty chair for Giffords ) , past presidential candidates John Kerry and John McCain , and campaign leaders John Cornyn and Patty Murray . Legislators wore black-and-white ribbons in honor of the victims of the shooting
2011 Tucson shooting
2011 Tucson shooting
2011 State of the Union Address