Congress posthumously bestowed its highest honor, the Congressional Gold Medal, on 13 American troops killed in the Kabul airport bombing during the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan in August 2021. The ceremony in the Capitol Rotunda brought together lawmakers and grieving families, transcending partisan divides to pay tribute to these fallen soldiers.
House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., hosted the ceremony. He was joined by House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., who emphasized the exceptional character and sacrifice of the fallen service members. Johnson offered an apology to the families of the 13 fallen service members.
“Our nation owes a profound debt of gratitude to these service members and those here today who were with them in Kabul,” Johnson said. “We also owe them something deeper, and that is, an apology. The families who are here, I know many of you have yet to hear these words so I will say them, we are sorry. The United States government should have done everything to protect our troops.”
The House Foreign Affairs Committee released a new 350-page report, led by Rep. Michael McCaul, R-Texas, that criticized the Biden administration’s management of the withdrawal.
The White House rejected the report. National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby said on Monday, Sept. 9, that the report came two years after the committee’s first report. He noted that “this one says little or nothing new” about the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.
Gold Star families gathered outside the Capitol, demanding accountability from leadership involved in the operation.
Democrats, including Rep. Gregory Meeks, expressed concern over attempts to politicize the withdrawal and argue that the report minimizes the role of former President Trump.
