U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi introduced legislation on Thursday to award congressional gold medals to the U.S. Capitol Police and Washington’s police force for protecting the Capitol on Jan. 6 against an assault by rioters.
“We have been reminded of the extraordinary valor of the United States Capitol Police, the men and women who risked and gave their lives to save ours, becoming martyrs for our democracy,” Pelosi said in a statement.
Pelosi has asked all lawmakers to co-sponsor the bill, Reuters reports. The legislation would create three congressional gold medals to be given to the U.S. Capitol Police and Washington’s Metropolitan Police Department as well as to the Smithsonian Institution for display and research purposes.