Washington, D.C. – Speaker Nancy Pelosi joined Congressional Leadership and other Members of Congress to participate in a Congressional Gold Medal Ceremony honoring the United States Capitol Police, the Washington D.C Metropolitan Police and Those Who Protected the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021.  Below are the Speaker’s remarks:

 

Speaker Pelosi.  Good morning.  As Speaker of the House, it is my privilege to welcome you to the United States Capitol as we award the Congressional Gold Medal to the heroes of January 6, 2021.  In doing so we honor their extraordinary service and sacrifice for courageously answering the call to defend our democracy in one of the nation's darkest hours.  Now at this time, please stand as you are able for the presentation of the colors, the National Anthem and the prayer.

 

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Speaker Pelosi.  Let us say a special thank you to the Capitol Police Ceremonial Unit and the Metropolitan Police Honor Guard for the presentation and retiring of the colors.  We gather here – exactly 23 months ago, our nation suffered the most staggering assault on democracy since the Civil War.  January 6th was a day of horror and heartbreak, yet is also a moment of extraordinary heroism.  Staring down deadly violence and despicable bigotry, our law enforcement officers bravely stood in the breach, ensuring that democracy survived on that dark day.  So on behalf of the United States Congress and the American people, it is my honor to present the Congressional Gold Medal to the United States Capitol Police, the Metropolitan Police and every hero of January 6th from every [agency] that responded that day.  May this Medal – the highest honor that Congress can bestow – serve as a token of our nation's deepest gratitude and respect.  Not as full, but as a token.  And in accepting this Medal, you bring luster to this award just as you bring luster to the Congress and the Constitution of the United States.  Will our Leaders please join in this presentation?

 

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Speaker Pelosi.  It is an emotional day for all of us, but you can just imagine what it is for our Capitol Police, our Metropolitan Police, the families who are here.  Listening to the music of the Army Band – U.S. Army Band, ‘Pershing's Own’ – was so beautiful.  Let us salute them again for the beautiful –

 

[Applause]

 

It’s all lovely, but I’m so glad you went to the fourth verse:

 

‘O beautiful for [patriot] dream

That sees beyond the years …

Undimmed by human tears!’

 

That has always been my favorite line, because it is who we are as a country.  May we always be patriots who see beyond the years.  Thank you for being so beautiful in your presentation.  

 

Here we are, again, under this beautiful Dome as has been referenced by our colleagues in the Leadership.  This beautiful Dome, magnificent Dome, of the United States Capitol, which let us recall was built during the Civil War.  At the time, the iron and steel used for the construction were said by some to be needed for the war effort.  But President Lincoln said to halt the work on the Dome would be – wouldn't be right, and he said no.  And so in face of brutal violence at the time, the work went on.  The work went on, because Lincoln knew that we needed a national symbol: a beacon of patriotism, determination and resilience.  Isn't it magnificent?  May we be worthy to work under it.  

 

[Applause]

 

More than a century and a half later, these high ideals were once again on display right here on this sacred ground beneath the Dome.  On January 6th, we all witnessed the gleeful desecration of our Temple of Democracy and a violent insurrection against our Republic.  Our Congressional community knows profound terror of that day firsthand.

 

Members of Congress fled for their lives.  Staff barricaded behind office doors.  Support staff, who run this Capitol Hill, hid under furniture.  The second – the sound of blood-curdling screams, the smell of gas and smoke, all remain raw.  Yet that day, Capitol Police, the Metropolitan Police and additional agencies bravely threw themselves between us and violence.  And I thank the National Guard for continuing that protection, ending the day and continuing that protection.  With great patriotism –

 

[Applause]

 

Again, harkening back to Lincoln and great patriotism, determination and resilience, they answered the call to serve, putting their lives on the line to protect the Capitol, the Congress and the Constitution.  Your valor on that dark day is the stuff of legend.  And like the Dome, they fought to defend a source of strength and hope.  And we thank you for that.  

 

United in grief and gratitude, today we award them the Congressional Gold Medal: forever etching their heroism into our history.  In doing so, we thank those heroes for their service and sacrifice – especially more than 140 members of our protection, left with lasting scars and many more suffering from indelible trauma.  And may we always remember the fallen, the martyrs, the martyrs for democracy, including U.S. Capitol Police Officer Brian Sicknick, whose parents are here today.  Officer – U.S. Capitol Police Officer Howie Liebengood.  U.S. Capitol Police Officer Jeffrey Smith.  And U.S. Capitol Police Officer Billy Evans, killed in the line of duty later, on Good Friday.  Let us acknowledge and thank them.  

 

[Applause]

 

I also want to acknowledge those members of the police force in the District of Columbia, as well as the Capitol Police, who had the courage to tell, in testimony, what they witnessed that day.  And let me acknowledge the Mayor of Washington.  Thank you, Mayor, for being with us and the Metropolitan Police.

 

[Applause]

 

In his Gettysburg Address, which was in November, November [19th], Lincoln stood on the ground consecrated by the blood of patriots and spoke to the duty to defend democracy.  Let us recall his words: ‘It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us … that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain – that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom, and that government of the people, by the people and for the people, shall not perish from the earth.’  Shall not perish from the earth.  No matter what the assault, as we saw on January 6th.  

 

Thank you to our heroes for being with us today.  And thank all of you for joining us as we canonize these heroes in the pantheon of patriots.  ‘O beautiful for [patriot dream].’

 

May God bless them and their families.  May God bless you and your families.  May God bless the United States of America.  Thank you all for being with us.

 

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