Effort underway to award Gen. James Mattis with Congressional Gold Medal

Steve Gleason may not be only Eastern Washington native to receive the Congressional Gold Medal

Rep. Dan Newhouse has introduced a bill in Congress to award Gen. James Mattis with the medal. Newhouse originally pledged to do so last fall at a Washington Policy Center dinner in Spokane, where Mattis was the keynote speaker.

Mattis was born in Pullman and graduated from Central Washington University before joining the United States Marine Corps. He served as U.S. Secretary of Defense for two years under President Donald Trump.

Newhouse’s bill, which already has nine cosponsors among Washington state’s delegation, argues the general deserves the honor “in recognition of his distinguished military career, his steadfast moral character and patriotism, and his unyielding devotion to the protection of this nation.”