Biden signs a bill awarding Congressional Gold Medal to officers who responded to Capitol riot.

Politics|Biden signs a measure awarding Congressional Gold Medal to officers who responded to Capitol riot.

• Aug. 5, 2021, 5:49 p.m. ET

President Biden connected Thursday signed a measure awarding the Congressional Gold Medal, the body’s highest look of nationalist appreciation, to a radical of instrumentality enforcement officers who responded to the Jan. 6 onslaught connected the Capitol.

Mr. Biden, who was joined by Vice President Kamala Harris, signed the authorities during a Rose Garden ceremonial that was attended by much than a twelve officers. “It breaks my heart,” helium said. “It breaks the bosom of the federation to retrieve that you were assaulted by thousands of convulsive insurrectionists astatine the Capitol of the United States of America.”

Congress passed the measure this week amid reports of the suicides of 2 officers who had been astatine the Capitol connected the time of the riot, bringing to 4 the known fig of officers who person killed themselves successful its aftermath. Dozens of different officers are inactive recovering from the intelligence and carnal trauma they suffered astatine the hands of the mob.

“On Jan. 6, Congress got a firsthand reminder of a world that galore American citizens look each day,” Senator Mitch McConnell, Republican of Kentucky and the number leader, said successful a connection connected Thursday. “That the brave men and women of instrumentality enforcement truly are a bladed bluish enactment lasting betwixt bid and chaos.”

Last week, 4 constabulary officers who defended the Capitol that time testified astir their experiences successful excruciating detail earlier a peculiar committee investigating the riot, describing the brutal violence, racism and hostility they suffered arsenic a throng of aggravated rioters, acting successful the sanction of President Donald J. Trump, beat, crushed and shocked them.

Under the legislation, 4 Congressional Gold Medals volition beryllium issued to grant the officers: 1 each to beryllium displayed astatine the office of the Capitol Police and the Metropolitan Police Department, 1 astatine the Smithsonian and 1 astatine the Capitol. A plaque astatine the Capitol volition database each the instrumentality enforcement agencies that helped support the building.

Around 140 constabulary officers were injured during the attack, and 15 were hospitalized. Officer Brian D. Sicknick of the Capitol Police died of a changeable aft clashing with the mob.

The Senate voted successful February to grant a Congressional Gold Medal to Officer Eugene Goodman, who led rioters distant from the Senate chamber and directed Senator Mitt Romney, Republican of Utah, distant from the mob.

In June, the House expanded the measurement to use to each members of the Capitol Police and the Metropolitan Police Department who were progressive successful the Jan. 6 response. That authorities passed overwhelmingly, though 21 far-right Republicans voted against it.