Lawmakers push for Capitol Police officer to receive Congressional Gold Medal

Three lawmakers are asking Congress to give one Capitol Police officer the Congressional Gold Medal for the bravery he displayed during the Capitol riots.

Democratic Reps. Charlie Crist of Florida and Emanuel Cleaver of Missouri, as well as Republican South Carolina Rep. Nancy Mace, introduced a bill on Thursday proposing that officer Eugene Goodman be given the honor.

Goodman can be seen facing down a mob of rioters on his own and leading them away from the Senate chambers where members of Congress were sheltering in a viral video from a HuffPost reporter.

“The actions of Officer Goodman were heroic and represent the best of law enforcement,” Mace said in a statement. “When he was the only thing standing between Members of Congress and the violent mob, he quickly and selflessly redirected their fury upon himself so those Members could escape.”

The bill must pass with a two-thirds majority of both the House and the Senate. The first recipient of the award was President George Washington. Others who have received it include Rosa Parks, Mother Teresa, Charles Schultz, and Colin Powell.

“He’s a hero!” Crist said. “The United States Capitol was under attack by armed, violent extremists, and this man, Officer Eugene Goodman, was the one thing standing between the mob and the United States Senate. I shudder to think what might have happened had it not been for Officer Goodman’s fast thinking and commitment to his duty and his country.”

Cleaver added, “In moments of crisis, there are always individuals who rise to the occasion and put themselves in harm’s way in defense of others. On January 6, 2021, one of those individuals was Officer Eugene Goodman. If not for the quick, decisive, and heroic actions from Officer Goodman, the tragedy of last week’s insurrection could have multiplied in magnitude to levels never before seen in American history.”