Steve Gleason, the former Washington State University star who became a symbol for a city and people battling a debilitating disease, has been nominated for the highest civilian honor awarded by Congress.
Gleason, who has Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease), was nominated by Washington and Louisiana lawmakers for his work as an ALS advocate.
Legislation to award the former New Orleans Saints player the Congressional Gold Medal was submitted by U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, a Republican from Louisiana and a doctor who helped sponsor the legislation, and Senator Patty Murray, a Democrat from Washington.