Thu Jan 02 23:37:42 UTC 2025: **Biden Awards Presidential Citizens Medals, Honoring January 6th Committee Members**

WASHINGTON D.C. – Outgoing President Joe Biden awarded the Presidential Citizens Medal, the nation’s second-highest civilian honor, to twenty recipients, notably including House Select Committee members Bennie Thompson (D-MS) and Liz Cheney (R-WY), who investigated the January 6th, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol. The ceremony, held at the White House, also recognized individuals for contributions to LGBTQ+ rights, battlefield medicine, and civil rights.

President Biden emphasized the importance of civic duty, stating, “The most important title in America is not president but citizen.” Thompson was praised for his lifelong dedication to upholding the Constitution, while Cheney received extended applause for prioritizing the American people over party politics. Cheney’s role on the committee has made her a target of criticism from President-elect Donald Trump and his supporters.

The January 6th attack, fueled by Trump’s false claims of election fraud, resulted in over 1,500 arrests and convictions. The House Select Committee’s final report, released before its dissolution, implicated Trump in a conspiracy to overturn the 2020 election results. Cheney, one of only two Republicans on the committee, has since become a vocal critic of Trump, even endorsing his opponent in the 2024 election. Conversely, Trump has called for the committee members’ arrest.

This awarding of medals comes days before the fourth anniversary of the Capitol attack and just weeks before Trump’s inauguration for a second term. The ceremony highlights the continuing political divisions surrounding the events of January 6th and the ongoing debate over its significance.

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