Senate Passes Young Bill to Honor 13 American Heroes Killed in Afghanistan

WASHINGTON — The Senate unanimously approved Senator Todd Young’s (R-Ind.) bill to award Congressional Gold Medals to the 13 American service members who lost their lives during the terrorist attacks in Kabul, Afghanistan, on August 26, 2021. The bill passed the House in October and now awaits President Biden’s signature.

“America honors the bravery and selfless service of the 13 service members who made the ultimate sacrifice in Afghanistan, including Indiana’s own Corporal Humberto ‘Bert’ Sanchez,” said Senator Young. “Bert gave his life protecting strangers thousands of miles from home. He was the best, not just of the Marine Corps, but of this country. It is fitting that we award these heroes the Congressional Gold Medal.”

Recipients of the commendation include Cpl. Humberto A. Sanchez, of Logansport, Ind., along with Sgt. Johanny Rosario Pichardo, Sgt. Nicole L. Gee, Staff Sgt. Darin T. Hoover, Cpl. Hunter Lopez, Cpl. Daegan W. Page, Lance Cpl. David L. Espinoza, Lance Cpl. Jared M. Schmitz, Lance Cpl. Rylee J. McCollum, Lance Cpl. Dylan R. Merola, Lance Cpl. Kareem M. Nikoui, Navy Corpsman Maxton W. Soviak, and Staff Sgt. Ryan C. Knauss.

Senator Young joined Senators Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Rick Scott (R-Fla.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Mitt Romney (R-Utah), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), James Lankford (R-Okla.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Jim Risch (R-Idaho), Tina Smith (D-Minn.),  Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Roger Marshall (R-Kan.), Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.), Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), John Hoeven (R-N.D.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), and Mark Warner (D-Va.) to introduce the bill.

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