President Joe Biden awards the nation’s highest civilian honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, to gymnast Simone Biles throughout a ceremony within the East Room of the White Home in Washington, Thursday, July 7, 2022. Biles is probably the most embellished U.S. gymnast in historical past, profitable 32 Olympic and World Championship medals, and is an advocate on points together with athletes’ psychological well being, youngsters in foster care and sexual assault victims. Susan Walsh, AP
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden on Thursday introduced the nation’s highest civilian honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, to 17 folks, together with gymnast Simone Biles, the late John McCain, the Arizona Republican whom Biden served with within the Senate, and gun-control advocate Gabby Giffords.
“At the moment, she provides to her medal rely,” Biden stated as he launched Biles, a former foster little one whose 32 Olympic and World Championship medals make her probably the most embellished U.S. gymnast in historical past.
“I don’t know the way you’re going to search out room,” for an additional medal, Biden joked. The 25-year-old is an advocate for athletes’ psychological well being, foster care youngsters and sexual assault victims. She’s additionally the youngest particular person to ever obtain the medal, Biden stated.
The Democratic president, who took workplace at a crucial level through the coronavirus pandemic, additionally honored Sandra Lindsay, the Queens, New York, nurse who was the primary particular person to be vaccinated towards COVID-19 exterior of scientific trials throughout a reside tv look in December 2020.
It was the primary time Biden had awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom. His recipient listing included each dwelling and deceased honorees, a few of them representing numerous phases of the president’s life, from the Catholic nuns who taught him as a boy rising up in Claymont, Delaware, to Republican lawmakers he served with within the Senate to a school professor like his spouse, Jill, to advocates of tightening entry to firearms.
Biden launched Giffords as “one of the crucial brave folks I've ever recognized.”
The previous Arizona congresswoman based the group named Giffords to marketing campaign for an finish to gun violence and restrictions on entry to weapons. The Democrat nearly died after she was shot within the head in January 2011 throughout a constituent occasion in Tucson.
Biden famous that he not too long ago signed probably the most sweeping gun-control laws in many years — although he and others would really like much more restrictions — and credited Giffords and households like her personal whose lives have been altered by gun violence for serving to to make it occur.
“She’s the embodiment of a single signature American trait: by no means, ever surrender,” Biden stated.
Biden additionally acknowledged former Republican Sens. Alan Simpson of Wyoming and John McCain of Arizona, recalling a much less partisan period of Washington through which members of various events would argue over points through the day after which meet over dinner at night time.
McCain died of mind most cancers in 2018. He spent greater than 5 years in captivity in Vietnam whereas serving within the U.S. Navy. He later represented Arizona within the Home and Senate, and was the 2008 Republican presidential nominee, competing towards Democrats Barack Obama and Biden.
Biden stated he didn’t respect the political competitors, however “I by no means stopped admiring John ... I knew his honor, his braveness and dedication.”
The 17 folks receiving honors “have overcome important obstacles to realize spectacular accomplishments within the arts and sciences, devoted their lives to advocating for probably the most susceptible amongst us, and acted with bravery to drive change of their communities, and internationally, whereas blazing trails for generations to come back,” the White Home stated.
Biden himself is aware of what it’s prefer to obtain the medal. Then-President Obama honored Biden’s many years of public service by awarding him a Presidential Medal of Freedom “with distinction” throughout a ceremony shortly earlier than they left workplace in January 2017.
Biden closed the ceremony by declaring, “That is America.”
The opposite 13 medal recipients are:
— Sister Simone Campbell, a member of the Sister of Social Service and a former government director of NETWORK, a Catholic social justice group.
— Julieta Garcia, a former president of the College of Texas at Brownsville. Garcia was the primary Latina to grow to be a university president, the White Home stated.
— Fred Grey, one of many first Black members of the Alabama Legislature after Reconstruction. He was a distinguished civil rights legal professional who represented Rosa Parks, the NAACP and Martin Luther King Jr. and, at age 91, continues to apply regulation.
— Steve Jobs, the co-founder, chief government and chair of Apple Inc. He died in 2011.
— Father Alexander Karloutsos, the assistant to Archbishop Demetrios of America. Karloutsos has recommended a number of U.S. presidents, the White Home stated. Biden stated he's “one in every of my expensive buddies.”
— Khizr Khan, an immigrant from Pakistan, Khan’s Military officer son was killed in Iraq. Khan gained nationwide prominence, and have become a goal of Donald Trump’s wrath, after talking on the 2016 Democratic Nationwide Conference.
— Diane Nash, a founding member of the Scholar Nonviolent Coordinating Committee who organized among the most necessary twentieth century civil rights campaigns and labored with King.
— Megan Rapinoe. The Olympic gold medalist and two-time Ladies’s World Cup soccer champion captains the OL Reign within the Nationwide Ladies’s Soccer League. She is a distinguished advocate for gender pay equality, racial justice and LGBTQI+ rights. Biden stated she is the primary soccer play to obtain the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
— Simpson, who served within the Senate with Biden and has been a distinguished advocate for marketing campaign finance reform, accountable governance and marriage equality. Biden referred to as Simpson the “actual deal” and joked that “he by no means takes himself too critically nor takes me critically.”
— Richard Trumka, who had been president of the 12.5 million-member AFL-CIO for greater than a decade on the time of his August 2021 dying. He was a previous president of the United Mine Employees.
— Wilma Vaught. A brigadier normal, Vaught is among the most embellished ladies in U.S. navy historical past, breaking gender obstacles as she has risen by the ranks. When Vaught retired in 1985, she was one in every of solely seven feminine generals within the Armed Forces.
— Denzel Washington, a double Oscar-winning actor, director and producer. He additionally has a Tony award, two Golden Globes and the Cecil B. DeMille Lifetime Achievement Award. He's a longtime spokesperson for the Boys & Women Golf equipment of America. Washington couldn't attend Thursday’s ceremony after testing optimistic for COVID-19, the White Home stated. Biden stated Washington will obtain his medal “when he’s in a position to get right here.”
— Raúl Yzaguirre. A civil rights advocate, Yzaguirre was president and CEO of the Nationwide Council of La Raza for 30 years.