Updated Jan 6, 2023 - Politics & Policy

Biden awards medals to Jan. 6 first responders on 2nd anniversary of riot

US President Joe Biden (R) speaks on the second anniversary of the January 6, 2021 attack on the US Capitol, at the White House in Washington, DC.

US President Joe Biden speaks on the second anniversary of the January 6, 2021 attack on the US Capitol, during a ceremony in the East Room of the White House in Washington, DC, on January 6, 2023. Photo: Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images

President Biden on Friday awarded Presidential Citizens Medals to 12 individuals who "made exemplary contributions to our democracy" around the time of the Jan. 6 Capitol riot.

Driving the news: Biden bestowed the medals — one of the highest civilian honors — during a ceremony on the two-year anniversary of the Capitol riot. Recipients include members of the Capitol Police, Metropolitan Police, election workers, and state and local officials.

  • It marked the first time Biden has awarded the Citizens Medal.

What they're saying: "History will remember your names. It'll remember your courage. It'll remember your bravery. It'll remember your extraordinary commitments to your fellow Americans," Biden said Friday.

Details: The recipients “demonstrated courage and selflessness during a moment of peril for our nation,” a White House official previously told Axios.

Editor's note: This story has been updated with additional developments.

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