Austin News

U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, issued a statement following the posthumous awarding of the Congressional Gold Medal to Marine Lance Cpl. David Lee Espinoza from Laredo, Texas. Espinoza was killed by a suicide bomber in Kabul, Afghanistan on August 26, 2021, during U.S. troop evacuation operations.

“Marine Lance Cpl. David Lee Espinoza, at only 20 years old, made the ultimate sacrifice for our nation, putting the safety and security of Americans ahead of his own,” said Cruz. “I am proud to stand alongside my colleagues from Texas—and the nation—in recognizing Laredo’s own Lance Cpl. Espinoza and the 12 other heroes who gave their lives in service to our country. His bravery, and that of the other men and women who died that day, truly deserves this commendation.”