Biden honors Jan. 6 panel leaders with prestigious Civilian Medal

President Joe Biden has announced plan to award the Presidential Citizens Medal, the nation’s second-highest civilian honor, to 20 individuals, including Liz Cheney and Bennie Thompson, the lawmakers who led the congressional investigation into the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot.

The White House ceremony on Thursday will also recognize other Americans for their contributions to equality, public service, and justice.

“President Biden believes these Americans are bonded by their common decency and commitment to serving others,” said a White House statement. “The country is better because of their dedication and sacrifice.”

Cheney, a Republican from Wyoming, and Thompson, a Mississippi Democrat, chaired the House committee probing the Capitol insurrection, where supporters of Donald Trump stormed the Capitol in an attempt to overturn the 2020 election results. Cheney has faced significant backlash from Trump, who recently called her actions “inexcusable” and said, “Honestly, they should go to jail.”

Biden’s honorees include a diverse group of advocates and trailblazers, such as Mary Bonauto and Evan Wolfson, who fought for same-sex marriage, and Diane Carlson Evans, an Army nurse during the Vietnam War and founder of the Vietnam Women’s Memorial Foundation. Posthumous awards will honor figures like Joseph Galloway, a renowned war correspondent, and Mitsuye Endo Tsutsumi, who challenged the detention of Japanese Americans during World War II.

Trump, who will begin his second term on January 20, has vowed to pardon the January 6 rioters and continues to push baseless claims about the 2020 election. Biden, meanwhile, emphasizes the importance of honoring those who upheld democratic principles.

The Presidential Citizens Medal, created in 1969, recognizes exemplary service to the country or fellow citizens, second only to the Presidential Medal of Freedom.