"May we honor them forever, especially because they were not honored in their time," said Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth during the Congressional Gold Medal ceremony for the "Harlem Hellfighters." The Harlem Hellfighters were an African American infantry regiment of more than 4,000 soldiers in the New York National Guard known for their service in World War I. House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) gave remarks and presented the medal to Debra Willet, the granddaughter of a Hellfighter who accepted the medal honoring the unit on behalf of all its descendants. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) and other members of Congress also made remarks at the ceremony.