President Biden will award the Presidential Citizens Medal to 20 people for their “exemplary deeds of service,” including former Rep. Liz Cheney and Rep. Bennie G. Thompson, who played leading roles in the Jan. 6 committee investigation.
“President Biden believes these Americans are bonded by their common decency and commitment to serving others,” reads a White House press release. “The country is better because of their dedication and sacrifice.”
One noteworthy recipient of the award is Ms. Cheney, the Republican congresswoman who became an outspoken critic of President-elect Donald Trump.
She served as vice chair of the House committee that investigated the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol. She became an active campaign surrogate for Vice President Kamala Harris. She and her father, former Vice President Dick Cheney, said they would vote for Ms. Harris.
The press release said Ms. Cheney is being honored because she used her voice, reaching across the aisle to stand up for American ideals like freedom, dignity and decency.
Mr. Thompson, the Mississippi Democrat who chaired the Jan. 6 committee, will also be honored.
Other Democratic lawmakers on the list include former Sens. Chris Dodd of Connecticut, Ted Kaufman of Delaware, Bill Bradley of New Jersey and former Rep. Carolyn McCarthy of New York. Former Republican Sen. Nancy Landon Kassebaum of Kansas is also included on the list.
Other recipients include some advocates, including Mary L. Bonauto for her work to legalize same-sex marriage and arguing before the Supreme Court in the landmark case, Obergefell v. Hodges. Louis Lorenzo Redding is on the list posthumously for his fight against segregation.
Several veterans and service members are on the list, including Frank K. Butler Jr., a Navy SEAL who revolutionized battlefield trauma care. Diane Carlson Evans, a Vietnam War Army nurse, is on the list for founding the Vietnam Women’s Memorial Foundation.
Others on the list include Mitsuye Endo Tsutsumi, who will be honored posthumously. She was among Japanese Americans who were incarcerated and placed in camps during World War II and fought for the freedom of other Japanese Americans.
Mr. Biden is set to present the awards Thursday at the White House.
• Mallory Wilson can be reached at mwilson@washingtontimes.com.
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