Senate votes to award Capitol Police Officer Eugene Goodman with Congressional Gold Medal

• The Senate voted to award Capitol Police Officer Eugene Goodman with the Congressional Gold Medal.
• Goodman was recognized for leading Capitol rioters away from the Senate chamber on January 6.
• Sen. Schumer said "we can all agree" that Goodman "deserves the highest honor a Congress can bestow."

Capitol police officer Eugene Goodman was honored with a standing ovation from the Senate at the conclusion of Friday's impeachment trial session. The Senate also voted to award Goodman with the Congressional Gold Medal Friday for his efforts during the Capitol siege.

Goodman has been hailed as a hero for single-handedly diverting a crowd of rioters who breached the US Capitol away from the Senate chamber as lawmakers voted to certify President Joe Biden's victory in the 2020 election.

Video footage presented during former President Trump's impeachment trial also showed Goodman leading Sen. Mitt Romney away from the insurrectionists after passing by him in the Capitol halls.

At the conclusion of Trump's impeachment trial on Friday, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer asked the Senate to pass a bill to award him the Congressional Gold Medal.

"In the weeks after the attack on January the 6th, the world learned about the incredible, incredible bravery of Officer Goodman on that fateful day," Schumer said. "Here in this trial, we saw new video - powerful video - showing calmness under pressure, his courage in the line of duty, his foresight in the midst of chaos, and his willingness to make himself a target of the mob's rage so that others might reach safety."

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"Officer Goodman, thank you," Schumer said as senators in the chamber stood and applauded Goodman and other Capitol police officers who were in the building on January 6. "I think we can all agree that Officer Goodman deserves the highest honor a Congress can bestow."

Reporters in the chamber saw Goodman briefly put his hand in his heart during the ovation for him and proceeded to applaud during the ovation for other officers.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell echoed Schumer's sentiments, honoring the Capitol police for their efforts and bravery.

"In the face of lawlessness, the officers of the US Capitol lived out, in the fullest sense, of their oaths," McConnell said. "If not for the quick thinking and bravery of Officer Eugene Goodman in particular, people in this chamber may not have escaped that day unharmed."

"Officer Goodman's actions reflect a deep personal commitment to duty and brought even greater distinction upon all of his brave brothers and sisters in uniform," he continued. "I'm proud the Senate is taking this step forward in recognizing his heroism with the highest honor we can bestow."