Brown, Colleagues Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Honor 13 American Heroes Killed in Afghanistan with Congressional Gold Medals

 

WASHINGTON, D.C. – September 15, 2021 – U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH) joined Senators Steve Daines (R-MT) and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) today to introduce a bipartisan bill to award the 13 American servicemembers who lost their lives during the terrorist attacks in Kabul, Afghanistan on August 26th  with Congressional Gold Medals.

“We should pass this legislation to honor the 13 brave servicemembers who died as heroes serving their country and working to save the lives of those fleeing imminent danger – including Berlin Heights native, and U.S. Navy Fleet Marine Force Hospital Corpsman, Max Soviak,” said Brown. “Their selflessness and heroism will be their legacy.”

Brown and his Senate colleagues are pushing for Congressional Gold Medals to be awarded to Sgt. Johanny Rosario Pichardo, Sgt. Nicole L. Gee, Staff Sgt. Darin T. Hoover, Cpl. Hunter Lopez, Cpl. Daegan W. Page, Cpl. Humberto A. Sanchez, Lance Cpl. David L. Espinoza, Lance Cpl. Jared M. Schmitz, Lance Cpl. Rylee J. McCollum, Lance Cpl. Dylan R. Merola, Lance Cpl. Kareem M. Nikoui, Navy Corpsman Maxton W. Soviak and Staff Sgt. Ryan C. Knauss.

Senators Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Rick Scott (R-FL), Ed Markey (D-MA), Mitt Romney (R-UT), Tim Kaine (D-VA), James Lankford (R-OK), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Ben Cardin (D-MD), Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Jim Risch (R-ID), Tina Smith (D-MN), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Roger Marshall (R-KS), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Todd Young (R-IN), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Bill Hagerty (R-TN), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Mike Crapo (R-ID), John Hoeven (R-ND), Alex Padilla (D-CA), John Barrasso (R-WY), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), John Thune (R-SD), Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and John Hickenlooper (D-CO) have also cosponsored the bill.

Congresswoman Lisa McClain (R-MI) introduced a companion bill in the U.S. House of Representatives.