Southern IL U.S. Rep. Mary Miller votes against bill honoring Capitol police officers
Editor’s note: This article was updated at 9 a.m. Thursday, June 17 to correct a description of how U.S. Capitol police officer Brian Sicknick died. He died of natural causes on Jan. 7.
A southern Illinois congresswoman voted against honoring police who protected the United States Capitol during the Jan. 6 insurrection.
U.S. Rep. Mary Miller, R-Oakland, was one of 21 House Republicans who voted against the bill to award Congressional Gold Medals to U.S. Capitol Police and other law enforcement officers, while 406 members of congress voted in favor of it.
Miller’s office did not return a request for comment Tuesday evening.
The bill awards the medal, the highest honor Congress can bestow, to the U.S. Capitol Police, the Metropolitan Police Department of the District of Columbia, the Smithsonian Institution and the Architect of the Capitol. The Smithsonian and Architect will display their medals on a plaque listing law enforcement agencies that helped protect the Capitol.
A violent mob forced its way into the Capitol building in January, sending members of Congress into hiding as the insurrectionists vandalized and looted the building.
Capitol police officer Brian Sicknick was injured during the attack but died of natural causes the following day. Capitol officer Howard Liebengood and D.C. officer Jeffrey Smith also died in the days after the insurrection by suicide. The bill honors them and other officers, including Capitol officer Eugene Goodman, who diverted rioters away from Senate chambers.
Shortly after being seated in January, Miller cited Adolf Hitler at a rally in front of the Capitol building ahead of the insurrection. She later apologized.
Southern Illinois Republican U.S. Reps. Mike Bost of Murphysboro and Rodney Davis of Taylorville voted for the bill.
This story was originally published June 16, 2021 at 5:00 AM.
