U.S. CAPITOL POLICE CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDAL

The Senate on Tuesday unanimously approved legislation awarding the Congressional Gold Medal — the legislative branch’s highest honor — to the U.S. Capitol Police and others who defended the Capitol against a violent mob of Trump supporters on Jan. 6.

Tuesday’s action closes out more than six months of quiet debate over how to best honor the officers who battled the rioters who were determined to disrupt the counting of electoral votes on Jan. 6.

While the Capitol was breached by hundreds of rioters, police and National Guard forces were able to clear the building within hours, allowing the final certification of the 2020 election to take place early on the morning of Jan. 7. No member of Congress was physically harmed.

The legislation passed Tuesday honors the United States Capitol Police and those who protected the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2020. It authorizes the striking of four medals, to be distributed to the Capitol Police and the D.C. police department, as well as to the Architect of the Capitol and the Smithsonian Institution, who are directed to put their medals on public display.

The Senate initially passed legislation awarding the medal to Capitol Police officer Eugene Goodman, who was captured on video luring rioters away from the Senate chamber, giving crucial time to secure lawmakers inside the chamber — and eventually escape. But the House — intent on honoring those whose heroism was not caught on video — pushed for a broader award honoring the Capitol Police force as a whole, as well as others who helped repel the attack.

Sen. Roy Blunt (R-Mo.) also spoke ahead of the bill’s passage, calling the medal a clear message to law enforcement officers that we’re united in our appreciation of all they do to keep us safe.

And Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) called the medal part of a larger process of remembrance and commemoration. She said that she expected that children would see the medals on display at the Smithsonian or at the Capitol.

To read the complete article, see:
Congressional Gold Medal is awarded to Capitol Police and others who battled rioters on Jan. 6 (https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/capitol-police-congressional-gold-medal/2021/08/03/d78ece1e-f470-11eb-9068-bf463c8c74de_story.html)

To read the earlier E-Sylum article, see:
LOOSE CHANGE: FEBRUARY 14, 2021 : Congressional Gold Medal For Officer Goodman (https://www.coinbooks.org/v24/esylum_v24n07a31.html)

	NBS (coinbooks.org) Web