On a warm July morning 157 years ago, Sen. Henry Wilson’s resolution rang through the halls of Congress, introducing the Medal of Honor as a permanent military decoration. A year later, a young U.S. Army volunteer named Jacob Parrott infiltrated enemy lines, hijacking a locomotive in an attempt to destroy Confederate infrastructure. The train ran out of fuel, and Parrott was captured and tortured for information.

He escaped and was later awarded our nation’s first Medal of Honor presented by President Abraham Lincoln. Since then, over 3,000 U.S. servicemen and women have distinguished themselves with extraordinary acts of valor on the battlefield. Following in Lt. Parrott’s footsteps, they have all been recognized with our military’s highest decoration, the Medal of Honor.

On Oct. 30, Master Sgt. Matthew O. Williams became the most recent soldier to receive this honor. Williams enlisted in the Army in 2005, because, like many others, he was driven to serve his country. He was later accepted into the Army Special Forces as a weapons sergeant in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. On April 6, 2008, he was part of an assault element aiming to capture or kill high-value targets in the Nuristan province of Afghanistan.

His unit began making its way up mountainous terrain, when suddenly gunfire and explosions raced through the air. Some of his fellow soldiers were killed, and he knew they were pinned down. Williams returned suppressing fire and navigated unfamiliar terrain, ultimately exposing himself to the enemy to rescue members of his team. He saved the lives of four critically injured U.S. soldiers and prevented the attack from escalating further.

It may not seem like Parrott and Williams have a lot in common, but one thing they share is a burning passion for service and love of freedom. As Washington gets swept up in the chaos of politics and partisan bickering, it’s stories like these that inspired both of us lawmakers to introduce bipartisan legislation honoring these heroes. We must never lose sight of the sacrifice our military gives, allowing us to govern in this great democracy.

Without their sacrifice, we would not be able to enjoy the freedoms we have come to treasure. The National Medal of Honor Museum Act gives the outstanding individuals who received the medal a monument on display in our nation’s capital. These men and women have helped shape our country’s history and deserve to be recognized alongside the influential Americans we honor in Washington.

Here in Texas, we celebrate patriotism, American ideals, and our nation’s heroes. Earlier this fall, the National Medal of Honor Museum Foundation chose Arlington as the location for the new museum, and this legislation makes it official. With 70 Medal of Honor recipients from the region, along with the 1.8 million veterans and active-duty military in Texas, we cannot think of a better location to commemorate these individuals. We hope this museum will unite Americans with the common ideals the medal represents and inspire our neighbors to give back to their communities.

The acts of valor and love of country by these brave men and women of all racial and ethnic backgrounds are representative of our diverse nation. It is our duty to return the salute and honor them, both in our nation’s capital and in our home state of Texas.

Marc Veasey is a Democratic member of the U.S. House representing Fort Worth. Ron Wright is a Republican member of the U.S. House representing Arlington. They wrote this column for The Dallas Morning News.