Congressman Tim Burchett (R-TN-02) announced on Tuesday that he will cosponsor legislation to award a Congressional Gold Medal to the 13 U.S. military service members who were killed in Afghanistan last week.
Included in the 13 U.S. military members was Ryan Knauss, a U.S. Army Staff Sgt. from Representative Burchett’s district.
Knauss, a graduate of Gibbs High School, was the only member of the U.S. Army who died in the terrorist attack, according to a statement released by the Pentagon. One other victim served in the U.S. Navy, while eleven victims were U.S. Marines.
“Staff Sgt. Ryan Knauss and his fellow American servicemembers gave their lives outside Hamid Karzai International Airport helping people they didn’t know get to safety,” Rep. Burchett said. “This is what true heroism looks like and their sacrifices will never be forgotten.”
The U.S. troops were working around the clock to evacuate U.S. citizens and Afghan allies from the territory controlled by the Taliban.
“These heroic men and women are gone far too soon, and we must honor them for their bravery in helping U.S. citizens and Afghan allies safely evacuate Afghanistan,” said Rep. Lisa McClain (R-MI-16), the original sponsor of the legislation. “My heart aches for the families and loved ones of our servicemembers. We will always remember their service and pay tribute to their sacrifice.”
In total, more than 150 lawmakers, from both sides of the political aisle, in the House of Representatives signaled their support by cosponsoring the legislation.
“13 U.S. servicemembers, including Staff Sgt. Ryan Knauss from Tennessee, gave their lives last week while helping Americans and our Afghan allies. We must never forget their bravery and sacrifice. I am praying for both them and their families,” added Rep. Diana Harshbarger (R-TN-01).
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Cooper Moran is a reporter for The Star News Network. Follow Cooper on Twitter. Email tips to [email protected].
