More than 40 members of the U.S. House and Senate have thrown their support behind a Presidential Medal of Freedom nomination for Joe Paterno.
Back in September, U.S. Rep. Glenn ‘G.T.’ Thompson, R-Howard, joined with Pennsylvania U.S. Sens. Bob Casey and Pat Toomey to nominate the football coach. It marked the renewal of a pitch that Thompson and 17 other lawmakers had made to President Barack Obama about a year earlier.
Then, on Friday, Thompson’s office announced that a total of 47 House and Senate members have now joined the effort. A new letter advocating the distinction for Paterno was sent to the White House on Friday, according to a news release.
The nation’s highest civilian honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom is awarded at the discretion of the sitting president. Advocates for the nomination for Paterno have cited his ‘substantial contributions to collegiate athletics, higher education and American society,’ as the news release notes.
The complete text of Friday’s letter is available online (PDF download). Links to earlier coverage are posted below.
Earlier coverage
