Senate votes to award Congressional Gold Medal to Officer Eugene Goodman
Senate passes legislation to award the Congressional Gold Medal to Officer Eugene Goodman for his performance during the attack on Capitol Hill
Capitol Police Officer Eugene Goodman.
Photo: Brandon Bell-Pool / Getty Images
The Senate approved on Friday legislation to award a Congressional Gold Medal to Capitol Police Officer Eugene Goodman, who became a national hero for his actions in defense of the Senate during the siege of the Capitol on January 6, reported CNN .
The following video shows one of Officer Goodman’s actions in the Capitol during the attack, to protect the life of the senator Mitt Romney :
The leader of the majority of the Senate , Chuck Schumer , paid tribute to Goodman in the full Senate on Friday night and announced that he would ask the Sen ado to pass legislation to grant him the honor. The legislation passed by unanimous consent.
“In the weeks after the January 6 attack, the world learned of the incredible bravery of Officer Goodman on that fateful day,” said Schumer .
Senators rose to applaud Goodman, who was in the chamber as Schumer spoke.
“I think we can all agree that Eugene Goodman deserves the highest honor Congress can bestow, “said Schumer.
Senate Minority Leader, Mitch McConnell , said he was “pleased to join the Majority Leader’s request” and said that on January 6 “introduced our nation to a group of heroes whom we in Congress were already proud of. to call our colleagues and to whom we owe a great debt. ” He added: “If it weren’t for the quick thinking and bravery of Officer Eugene Goodman in particular, it is possible that the people in this chamber would not have escaped unscathed that day.”
Goodman, now the deputy sergeant at arms of the Senate, was first hailed as a hero after a video emerged of him leading the violent mob away from the Senate chamber, where the then Vice President Mike Pence had been conducting the ceremonial recount of ballots on January 6.
The unanimous approval of the senators marks a bright spot of bipartisanship amid the impeachment of the former president Donald Trump .
