Rep. Tony Gonzales (R-Texas) introduced legislation late last month to honor military service members who took part in the U.S. strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities.
The Iranian Campaign Medal Act “authorizes the secretary of defense to establish and award a U.S. military decoration to service members who served in Iran in direct support of ‘Operation Midnight Hammer.’”
“No matter what the mission is, American servicemembers always rise to the challenge, and ‘Operation Midnight Hammer’ in Iran is no exception,” stated Gonzales, a U.S. Navy veteran. “There is no other military in the world that could have executed a precision strike on nuclear sites with such excellence, and the men and women who made it happen deserve full recognition for their efforts.”
Rep. Mike Simpson (R-Idaho), one of 12 original co-sponsors of the bill, all Republicans, stated that he is “proud to honor the courageous servicemembers who carried out the mission. The world is a safer place thanks to their efforts.”
Rep. Mark Alford (R-Mo.), another co-sponsor, said “it was not just the pilots. It was also the maintenance, planning, operational and support personnel whose unparalleled coordination made this mission a resounding success.”
“The Iranian campaign was the ultimate testament to President [Donald] Trump’s peace through strength agenda,” he stated.
Two more Republicans co-sponsored the bill on July 2.
