House votes to give Capitol Police Congressional Gold Medals for heroism during Capitol riot

Andrew Trunsky, DCNF

The House voted to award Congressional Gold Medals to law enforcement agencies that protected the Capitol during the deadly riot on Jan. 6.

The bill, led by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, would award three medals: one for Capitol Police, one to Washington, D.C.’s Metro Police Department and one honoring additional members of law enforcement who responded to the riot. It passed in an overwhelming 413-12 vote, with a dozen Republicans voting against it.

The bill also honors the three Capitol Police officers who lost their lives in the riot’s aftermath. Officer Brian Sicknick died as a result of injuries brought on by rioters, and Officers Howard Liebengood and Jeffrey Smith committed suicide in the days after the attack.

The legislation also highlights the heroism of Officer Eugene Goodman, who diverted rioters away from the Senate chamber and whose actions may have saved the life of Utah Republican Sen. Mitt Romney.

The riot occurred as Congress met to certify President Joe Biden’s electoral victory over former President Donald Trump, and followed months of Trump and Republican allies falsely alleging that the 2020 election was “rigged.”

“January 6th was a day of horror and heartbreak,” Pelosi said on the House floor Tuesday. “But because of these courageous men and women, it was also a moment of extraordinary heroism.”

“That day the United States Capitol Police force put themselves between us and the violence, they risked their safety and their lives for others with the utmost selflessness, and they did so because they were patriots,” she added.

The Senate unanimously awarded Goodman a medal in February in response to his heroic actions.

The 12 Republicans to vote against the bill were Reps. Thomas Massie of Kentucky, Andy Harris of Maryland, Lance Gooden, Louie Gohmert and Michael Cloud of Texas, Bob Good of Virginia, Matt Gaetz and Greg Steube of Florida, Andy Biggs of Arizona, Marjorie Taylor Greene and Andrew Clyde of Georgia and John Rose of Tennessee.

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