The House unanimously approved a resolution honoring two National Guard members shot near the White House. Spc. Sarah Beckstrom, 20, died on Thanksgiving Day; Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe, 24, is recovering from serious injuries. The alleged shooter is an Afghan refugee who arrived under Operation Allies Welcome in 2021. Lawmakers from both parties backed the symbolic measure and renewed calls for reviewing evacuee vetting.
House Unanimously Honors National Guard Members Shot Near White House — Alleged Attacker An Afghan Evacuee
A makeshift memorial of flags, flowers and other items on Nov. 29, 2025, outside the Farragut West Station, near where two National Guard members were shot in Washington.
The House of Representatives on Monday unanimously approved a resolution honoring two National Guard members who were shot just blocks from the White House late last month. The measure passed by voice vote, meaning members did not record individual roll-call positions.
Specialist Sarah Beckstrom, 20, and Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe, 24, were struck by gunfire in an incident federal authorities are investigating as a possible terror attack. Beckstrom later died of her injuries on Thanksgiving Day; Wolfe remains hospitalized and is recovering from serious wounds.
The suspected shooter is an Afghan refugee who arrived in the United States under Operation Allies Welcome during the military withdrawal from Kabul in 2021. The case has prompted renewed debate among some lawmakers and advocates about vetting procedures for evacuees.
ATF and Secret Service Police officers are seen after two National Guard soldiers were shot near the White House in Washington, Nov. 26, 2025.
"As members of the West Virginia National Guard on duty in the nation's capital, Spc. Beckstrom and Staff Sgt. Wolfe were targeted and violently assaulted with a barrage of gunfire for doing nothing less than performing their duty as a soldier and an airman," Rep. Rob Wittman (R-Va.) said. He added that both service members sustained severe gunshot wounds and that Beckstrom passed away surrounded by loved ones.
Democratic Rep. Jill Tokuda (D-Hawaii) praised Beckstrom's courage, saying her "life was far too short, but her example will endure." The resolution was led by West Virginia Republicans Reps. Carol Miller and Riley Moore and drew bipartisan support as lawmakers sought to honor the service members and express solidarity with their families.
Moore, speaking as a father, described attending Beckstrom's funeral in Grafton, West Virginia, as "heartbreaking," and Miller called the shooting "a targeted assault against United States service members."
Broader Impact
While the resolution is symbolic, it underscored rare bipartisan unity in Congress following the shooting. The attack has also revived calls from some lawmakers for stricter vetting of evacuees who arrived under humanitarian programs, even as investigators continue to examine the suspect's background and motive.
What Comes Next
Federal authorities are continuing their investigation into the shooting. Lawmakers and military officials have emphasized support for the wounded service member and the family of the deceased, and the House resolution serves as a formal recognition of their service and sacrifice.
