House Speaker Nancy Pelosi unveiled new legislation on Thursday that aims to honor the service of law enforcement officers who responded to the violent insurrection on Capitol Hill on Jan. 6. 

What You Need To Know

  • House Speaker Nancy Pelosi introduced legislation to honor the law enforcement officers who responded to the violent insurrection on Capitol Hill on Jan. 6

  • The officers will be bestowed with a Congressional Medal of Honor, the highest award that Congress can give

  • Pelosi’s announcement came amid the ongoing impeachment trial of former president Donald Trump, 

  • House impeachment managers on Wednesday showed never-before-seen video from inside the Capitol on the day of the insurrection

Pelosi said the officers will be bestowed with a Congressional Medal of Honor, the highest award that Congress can give, for those who became "martyrs for our democracy."

"The service of the Capitol Police force that day brings honor to our democracy, and their accepting this reward brings luster to this medal," Pelosi said Thursday, adding in part, "we must all remember their sacrifice."

The California lawmaker is asking colleagues to co-sponsor the legislation, but did not provide a timeline for doing so.

Pelosi also thanked the family of slain Capitol Police Officer Brian Sicknick, who died the day after the insurrection due to injuries he sustained while protecting the Capitol, for allowing lawmakers to pay their respects to the fallen hero as he lay in honor in the building he died protecting. 

The House Speaker then offered her condolences to the families of Officers Howard Liebengood and Jeffery Smith, both of whom separately took their own lives after responding to the violence on Capitol Hill. 

"We share their grief," Pelosi said of the families, adding that Congress wanted to "recognize the valor" of Liebengood and Smith’s actions on Jan. 6.

"We want to honor them in the best way that we possibly can and we will continue to do so beyond the medal, but in our hearts," she said. 

Pelosi’s announcement came amid the ongoing impeachment trial of former president Donald Trump, and the day after House managers showed never-before-seen video from inside the Capitol on the day of the insurrection. 

One of the more harrowing videos showed Capitol Police Officer Eugene Goodman confronting a mob of insurrectionists who had breached the Capitol building. The video showed Goodman confronting the crowd with his hand raised toward them to stop, and retreating up a staircase; up the stairs, he directed them away from the Senate door and the chamber. 

The new evidence presented Wednesday also included Capitol security videos that showed Republican Sen. Mitt Romney of Utah narrowly escaping the mob, thanks to a warning given to him by Officer Goodman.