WASHINGTON— The House voted this week to award Capitol police, Metropolitan police and other law enforcement agencies with the Congressional Gold Medal, for protecting lawmakers, staffers and visitors from insurrectionists on Jan. 6.
About 140 police officers were injured during the attack, including 15 who were hospitalized, when rioters broke into the building, vandalized offices and interrupted the counting of Electoral College votes, USA TODAY's Bart Jansen reported. Three of those officers later died.
"The sacrifice of heroes," the bill reads, "including Capitol Police Officers Brian Sicknick and Howard Liebengood, Metropolitan Police Department Officer Jeffrey Smith, and those who sustained injuries, and the courage of Capitol Police Officer Eugene Goodman, exemplify the patriotism and the commitment of Capitol Police officers, and those of other law enforcement agencies, to risk their lives in service of our country."
Just 12 representatives voted against the award March 17.
Among them, was Maryland First District Rep. Andy Harris.
Harris called the legislation a “publicity stunt” loaded with “partisan charged language" in a statement released Thursday:
“The men and women on the thin blue line, including the brave men and women of the United States Capitol Police, should never be used as props for politically charged publicity stunts like this bill. I truly commend the Capitol Police for their actions on January 6th, and am very grateful for their service in keeping us safe each day. But I cannot support partisan charged language found in this bill, and if the Speaker and House Democrats really cared about those on the thin blue line, they would not have attempted to handcuff law enforcement with the Defund the Police bill they unashamedly passed two weeks ago.”
House Bill 1085 describes the rioters as “a mob of insurrectionists” that “forced its way into the U.S. Capitol building and congressional office buildings and engaged in acts of vandalism, looting, and violently attacked Capitol Police officers."
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It goes on to outline the medal and a plaque should be displayed at the Smithsonian Institution.
Heather Mizeur, a Democratic candidate for Congress in Harris' district, also released a statement the following day.
"Maybe this shouldn’t surprise us since he refused to acknowledge the outcome of the presidential election..." said the former state delegate of Montgomery County from 2007 to 2015. "But by any measure, this is an extremist position that disgraces our district. Many of those Capitol Police officers are Marylanders."
All seven of Maryland’s Democratic congressmen voted in favor.
The Senate must still vote on this House bill. The body already unanimously approved a Congressional Gold Medal for Goodman, as previously reported by USA TODAY, although the House hasn’t yet acted on that legislation.
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