Former Sen. Bob Dole of Kansas was awarded the Congressional Medal of Freedom Wednesday in a ceremony at the Capitol, where leaders including President Trump praised his lifetime of service to the nation.
Mr. Trump called the 94-year-old Mr. Dole “a true American hero.”
“You are a patriot, a hero, a leader,” the president told Mr. Dole. “Thank you for your service.”
Mr. Dole, who served 35 years in the House and Senate from Kansas and was the Republican nominee for president in 1996, thanked his former colleagues and staffers for the honor.
“I want to thank all of those who said such kind words about me,” he quipped. “They probably weren’t true, but they were nice.”
Republicans and Democrats alike praised Mr. Dole’s integrity, humility and sense of humor. He served for a decade as Senate Majority Leader before leaving the Senate to campaign for the presidency, and played a large role in shaping the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer of New York noted to laughter that Mr. Dole was the person credited with the joke that the most dangerous place in Washington was between Mr. Schumer and a TV camera.
Mr. Dole is also the recipient of two Purple Hearts and a Bronze Star for his service in the Army in World War II, when he was severely wounded in Italy. He has been a familiar face at the World War II memorial on the Mall in Washington over the years to greet veterans visiting the capital via Honor Flights from around the country.
• Dave Boyer can be reached at dboyer@washingtontimes.com.
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