A gunman opened fire on the Republican baseball team's practice before Thursday's annual charity baseball game, critically wounding Scalise, R-La., and injuring three other people as horrified legislators and staffers scrambled for cover amid a barrage of bullets.
"The Congressman will require additional operations, and will be in the hospital for some time." the Medstar Washington Hospital Center said in a statement, adding that Scalise has "improved in the last 24 hours".
"It was never off my mind when I ran out there. the reason I was going to second base was Steve Scalise, my colleague, was fighting for his life in the hospital right now".
The shooter, identified as James T. Hodgkinson, a 66-year-old home inspector from IL, was shot and killed by Capitol Police officers who were in Scalise's security detail.
Hodgkinson, who had lashed out on social media against Trump and Republicans, was shot and killed by police officers including members of Scalise's security detail who responded.
Hodgkinson, of Belleville, Illinois, took to the Eugene Simpson Stadium Park in Alexandria at around 7 a.m. with a rifle, opening fire on dozens of GOP members as they practiced for Thursday's game, several Congress members have said.
Former New York Yankees manager Joe Torre presented the game ball to Capitol Police special agent David Bailey, who came out on the field on crutches after being injured in Wednesday's shooting, to throw out the first pitch to huge applause.
"Both were purchased by the shooter from federal firearms licensees", the Capitol Police said in a statement.
The lawmakers took the field with many wearing hats to honour Scalise.
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"I visited Steve, his wife, and his family in the hospital as he continues to fight for his recovery".
Lucee Laursen of La Crosse, Wisconsin, interning in the capital for a nonprofit, said, "It's showing that we might have differences in political spheres but we come together for a good cause". Scalise said such rules were "radical", and threatened the jobs of Louisiana's oil and gas workers.
In comparison, previous year more than 9,000 people attended the charity event, which raised more than $500,000, according to Congressional Baseball Game for Charity.
"Steve has a way of doing that without upsetting people", said Congressman Garret Graves. The popular annual face-off, which raises money for charity, is scheduled to go forward as planned Thursday evening at Nationals Park in Washington. "And that's what we have to make sure that we, as Americans, say 'enough is enough.' If politics and policy differences are what divide us, there are ways to solve those.do it at the ballot box".
The event raised questions about the security of members of Congress.
"I think these events humanize the other side, whatever the other side means to you", she said. "They were in the middle of the ball park", he said. Richmond, who plays for the Democratic team, said he had visited the hospital multiple times.
Scalise was shot Wednesday morning as a gunman sprayed bullets into a Republican congressional baseball practice.
On Thursday House proceedings were to resume as usual, and lawmakers were returning to the Capitol in search of some semblance of normalcy.
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