Hunter wants Congressional medal awarded to slain Benghazi SEALs

Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-Calif.) wants to award two former Navy SEALs who were killed during last year’s terrorist attack in Benghazi, Libya, the Congressional Gold Medal.

Hunter introduced legislation Thursday to grant the award, Congress’ highest civilian honor, to Glen Doherty and Tyrone Woods, two of the four Americans who were killed in Benghazi.

“Doherty and Woods saved lives, at the cost of their own. They are American heroes,” Hunter said in a statement.

“Since they were no longer in uniform, their actions won’t be recognized by the military awards that represent such extraordinary courage and selflessness under fire. The very least Congress can do is rightly honor their bravery and sacrifice.”

Doherty and Woods were private contractors who died defending the U.S. compound in Benghazi. U.S. Ambassador Chris Stevens and Sean Smith were also killed in the attack.

Woods’s father Charles Woods told the San Diego Union-Tribune that he hoped his son would posthumously receive the award.

“Ty never did these things for recognition, but he deserves it as an inspiration to other people,” he said. “He willingly jeopardized his own life in order to try and save them.”

Hunter’s bill has nine Republican cosponsors. For a Congressional Gold Medal to be awarded, two-thirds of the House and Senate must cosponsor the legislation. 

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