Awarding Three Congressional Medals to United States Capitol Police and Those Who Protected the U.S. Capitol on January 2021

Floor Speech

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Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor the police who are to receive Congressional Gold Medals: The U.S. Capitol Police, the Metropolitan Police Department of the District of Columbia, and the other law enforcement agencies that participated in protecting the Capitol on January 6, 2021.

The insurrection that day halted the final leg of congressional business declaring Joe Biden President of the United States. Yet, Congress was able to continue with its business that evening and early the next morning because of the help of the law enforcement officers we honor here today.

Then-President Donald Trump urged the crowd to the Capitol and delayed using his authority to deploy the D.C. National Guard in the country's moment of crisis. As a result, I have reintroduced a bill that would give the mayor of the District of Columbia control over the D.C. National Guard, and I am hopeful that this bill will be brought to the floor during this Congress.

It cannot be forgotten that the damage done would have been worse were it not for the Metropolitan Police Department, our local police, funded by D.C. taxpayers, who were was responsible for indispensable intervention when most Federal police forces did not appear, saving lives at the Capitol on January 6. I appreciate this recognition for the work of our local police force. An important way to reward them would be to ensure that the people they protect in the Nation's capital are given full and equal rights by passing the D.C. statehood bill.

Congratulations again to the Metropolitan Police Department of the District of Columbia, the U.S. Capitol Police, and the other law enforcement agencies on these congressional gold medals, which are well deserved for the protection they provided to our democracy on January 6.

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