Simplify the following text for a Grade 13 native English-speaking person.
Original: McKinley recognized the achievements of the rescue in a letter dated January 17 , 1899 to the United States Congress , in which he asked Congress to award the three officers Congressional Gold Medals of Honor `` commemorative of their heroic struggles in aid of suffering fellow-men . ''
Simplified: McKinley later talked about the rescue in a letter dated January 17 , 1899 to the United States Congress , in which he asked Congress to award the officers Congressional Gold Medals of Honor , and to pay the civilians for their help :