President Joe Biden awarded the prestigious Presidential Citizens Medal, the second highest civilian honor in the United States, to 20 individuals in a ceremony held in the East Room of the White House. Among the honorees were Liz Cheney and Bennie Thompson, leaders of the congressional investigation into the January 6 Capitol riot, a day that remains a defining moment in modern U.S. history.

Honoring Champions of Democracy and Equality

Liz Cheney, a Republican and former Wyoming congresswoman, and Bennie Thompson, a Democratic representative from Mississippi, led the House committee that investigated the Capitol insurrection.The final report concluded that former President Donald Trump was involved in a complex scheme aimed at reversing the outcome of the 2020 presidential election. During the ceremony, President Biden highlighted their commitment to democracy, stating, "Together, you embody the central truth: We're a great nation because we're a good people."

In addition to Cheney and Thompson, the medal was awarded to attorney Mary Bonauto and Evan Wolfson, both key figures in the movement for marriage equality. Their work paved the way for significant advancements in LGBTQ+ rights across the nation.

Honoring Heroes Across Diverse Fields

Other honorees included Frank Butler, recognized for setting new medical standards for treating war injuries, and Diane Carlson Evans, an Army nurse during the Vietnam War who founded the Vietnam Women’s Memorial Foundation. Eleanor Smeal, a trailblazer for women's rights, was also honored for her decades-long advocacy for gender equality and equal pay.

Former lawmakers such as Sen. Bill Bradley, Sen. Nancy Kassebaum, and Rep. Carolyn McCarthy were acknowledged for their legislative contributions, including championing gun safety and civil rights. Academics and activists like Bobby Sager, Thomas Vallely, Paula Wallace, and Frances Visco, who leads the National Breast Cancer Coalition, were also celebrated for their exemplary service.

Posthumous Honors

Four individuals were honored posthumously, including Joseph Galloway, a war correspondent who chronicled the Vietnam War in the acclaimed book We Were Soldiers Once … and Young. Civil rights attorney Louis Lorenzo Redding, former Delaware judge Collins Seitz, and Mitsuye Endo Tsutsumi, a Japanese-American who challenged her internment during World War II, were also recognized for their exemptional contributions to justice, civil-rights.

Continuing the Legacy of Service

President Biden emphasized the importance of ongoing efforts to uphold democracy and equality. "Let's remember, our work continues," he remarked, urging the nation to build upon the achievements of the honorees.

The Presidential Citizens Medal, established by President Richard Nixon in 1969, recognizes individuals who have performed exemplary deeds of service for their country or fellow citizens. It is second only to the Presidential Medal of Freedom in honor and prestige.