[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 87 (Wednesday, May 19, 2021)]
[House]
[Pages H2563-H2571]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  1245
   PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF H.R. 3233, NATIONAL COMMISSION TO 
 INVESTIGATE THE JANUARY 6 ATTACK ON THE UNITED STATES CAPITOL COMPLEX 
 ACT; AND PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF H.R. 3237, EMERGENCY SECURITY 
    SUPPLEMENTAL TO RESPOND TO JANUARY 6TH APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2021

  Mr. McGOVERN. Madam Speaker, by direction of the Committee on Rules, 
I call up House Resolution 409 and ask for its immediate consideration.
  The Clerk read the resolution, as follows:

                              H. Res. 409

       Resolved, That upon adoption of this resolution it shall be 
     in order to consider in the House the bill (H.R. 3233) to 
     establish the National Commission to Investigate the January 
     6 Attack on the United States Capitol Complex, and for other 
     purposes. All points of order against consideration of the 
     bill are waived. The bill shall be considered as read. All 
     points of order against provisions in the bill are waived. 
     The previous question shall be considered as ordered on the 
     bill and on any amendment thereto to final passage without 
     intervening motion except: (1) one hour of debate equally 
     divided and controlled by the chair and ranking minority 
     member of the Committee on Homeland Security or their 
     respective designees; and (2) one motion to recommit.
       Sec. 2.  Upon adoption of this resolution it shall be in 
     order to consider in the House the bill (H.R. 3237) making 
     emergency supplemental appropriations for the fiscal year 
     ending September 30, 2021, and for other purposes. All points 
     of order against consideration of the bill are waived. The 
     bill shall be considered as read. All points of order against 
     provisions in the bill are waived. The previous question 
     shall be considered as ordered on the bill and on any 
     amendment thereto to final passage without intervening motion 
     except: (1) one hour of debate equally divided and controlled 
     by the chair and ranking minority member of the Committee on 
     Appropriations or their respective designees; and (2) one 
     motion to recommit.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman from Massachusetts is 
recognized for 1 hour.
  Mr. McGOVERN. Madam Speaker, for the purpose of debate only, I yield 
the customary 30 minutes to the gentleman from Oklahoma (Mr. Cole), my 
friend, pending which I yield myself such time as I may consume. During 
consideration of this resolution, all time yielded is for the purpose 
of debate only.


                             General Leave

  Mr. McGOVERN. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
be given 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Massachusetts?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. McGOVERN. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Yesterday, the Committee on Rules met and reported a rule, House 
Resolution 409. The rule provides for consideration of H.R. 3233 to 
establish a National Commission to Investigate the January 6 Attack on 
the United States Capitol Complex Act, under a closed rule.
  The rule provides 1 hour of debate equally divided and controlled by 
the chair and ranking minority member of the Committee on Homeland 
Security or their designees and provides one motion to recommit.
  The rule also provides for consideration of H.R. 3237, the Emergency 
Security Supplemental to Respond to January 6 Appropriations Act, 2021, 
under a closed rule.
  The rule provides 1 hour of debate equally divided and controlled by 
the chair and ranking minority member of the Committee on Oversight and 
Reform or their designees, and provides for one motion to recommit.
  Madam Speaker, it has been 133 days since an angry mob of 
insurrectionists tried to stop the certification of a free and fair 
election in America. The question before us today is this: What are we 
going to do about it?
  Some of my colleagues on the other side want to sweep this dark 
chapter under the rug. Just last week, one Republican said the events 
of January 6 resembled a ``normal tourist visit.''
  Madam Speaker, I was here presiding over the House on January 6. 
People died that day. Police officers were beaten and bloodied. 
America's Capitol, the symbol of our freedom and the

[[Page H2564]]

citadel of our democracy, was desecrated by a mob that wanted to 
invalidate an election. There was nothing normal about it.
  It is not normal for a mob to break into this complex to try and hang 
the Vice President of the United States and harm other elected 
officials.
  It is not normal for insurrectionists to try to stop the 
certification of an American election, one that judge after judge after 
judge said was free and fair. And it is not normal for Congress to 
respond by doing nothing. That is why we are considering the underlying 
legislation contained in this rule. It will establish a bipartisan 9/
11-style commission to investigate what happened, a commission led not 
by politicians, but by experts.
  Now let me say this plainly: A vote for this commission is a vote to 
make sure this never happens again. And I want to recognize the 
incredible work of the chairman and ranking member of the Committee on 
Homeland Security in navigating this truly bipartisan deal. It is one 
that will keep the focus where it should be, solely on the events of 
January 6. And I look forward to the Commission's report at the end of 
the year. But the truth is, we cannot wait until then to fix what we 
already know needs fixing.
  We need to upgrade the physical safety of this and other Federal 
buildings. We need to increase security in district offices, repay the 
National Guard for their service in the aftermath of the insurrection, 
and provide support to the overworked Capitol Police force that keep us 
all safe day after day.
  Madam Speaker, this is how you respond responsibly to what happened 4 
months ago, not with deflection or mistruths, but by taking action to 
protect not only this complex and those who work, serve, and visit 
here, but to also protect our very democracy, and making sure we never 
become a country that lets any angry mob decide who the next President 
will be.
  Madam Speaker, only the voters can do that. We need to put the facts 
on Record here, to tell the truth and not spread lies. And the truth is 
that some on the other side are afraid to do anything around here 
because they are afraid, afraid of the truth, afraid because their 
leadership doesn't want to offend the ex-President and his big lie. 
That is all I could think of when I read the minority leader's deeply 
troubling statement opposing the January 6 commission.
  Now, even though it is bipartisan, even though his own ranking member 
negotiated the deal, even though we gave him virtually everything he 
asked for during the negotiations, a Republican aide said it best when 
they were quoted in the press yesterday saying this: ``I think Kevin 
was hoping that the Democrats would never agree to our requests; That 
way the commission would be partisan and we can all vote ``no'' and say 
it is a sham operation, because he knows Trump is going to lose his 
mind.'' Lose his mind over a bipartisan commission.
  Madam Speaker, this moment is a choice, a choice between the truth or 
siding with the originator of the big lie. To my friends on the other 
side, I am asking you to lead with the courage of your convictions. 
Vote your conscience. Support this bipartisan commission, not just 
because it is the right thing to do, but support it out of respect, out 
of respect for your colleagues, for your staff and the support staff 
here, for the Capitol Police, but, most importantly, respect for this 
institution.
  Now, I have cast some tough votes in my career, but casting a vote to 
establish a bipartisan commission to establish an insurrection is not 
one of them. I appeal to my colleagues to do the right thing, to lead 
with courage, and support this legislation.
  Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. COLE. Madam Speaker, I thank my good friend, the distinguished 
gentleman from Massachusetts, Chairman McGovern, for yielding me the 
customary 30 minutes, and I yield myself such time as I may consume.

  Madam Speaker, today's rule covers two items. The first item I will 
discuss is H.R. 3237, a supplemental appropriations bill intended to 
provide security funding for the Capitol complex, including funding for 
the U.S. Capitol Police, the National Guard, and other agencies that 
responded to the January 6 attack on the Capitol complex, as well as to 
provide funds to address the coronavirus throughout a variety of 
agencies Congress directly controls.
  Although the process leading to this bill started out with bipartisan 
negotiations, unfortunately, no deal was reached. Instead of 
negotiating with Republicans on our counterproposal, as is typical in 
these discussions, Democrats walked away, once again, choosing to go it 
alone with the bipartisan bill before us today.
  Madam Speaker, it is truly disappointing that Democrats were 
unwilling to continue to work towards an agreement with Republicans on 
a matter of this magnitude, and given that the Senate is in no hurry to 
take up this legislation, a few additional weeks of discussion could 
and likely would have led to a bipartisan product instead of a product 
destined for the legislative graveyard.
  In the wake of the January 6 attack, I would hope that the majority 
would join with Republicans and choose to speak with one voice. 
Instead, like so many items in this Congress, the majority has insisted 
on its way or the highway. And today, they are doing it so again with 
this partisan bill.
  House Republicans and even some Senate Democrats have concerns with 
this package. The bill creates a rapid response force with the D.C. 
National Guard. Any rapid response force intended to provide backup for 
the United States Capitol Police and to protect the Capitol complex 
should be under the control of, and housed within Congress.
  As a number of my colleagues mentioned during the debate in the 
Committee on Rules yesterday, housing these capabilities within the 
D.C. National Guard introduces the exact same concerns my friends on 
the other side raised in the aftermath of January 6, that Congress 
would be reliant on the executive branch to deploy this rapid response 
force.
  Madam Speaker, I have deep concerns about putting this rapid response 
force under the control of any other entity, whether that is the 
government or the District of Columbia or the executive branch. I also 
have grave concerns about assigning this role to the military since 
this is undoubtedly a law enforcement function.
  Further bipartisan and bicameral negotiations would have helped us to 
tailor the package to allay some of the serious concerns Members have, 
and at the same time would direct funds to where they are needed most.
  Madam Speaker, I do know that what the House passes this week will 
not be the final word. And I am hopeful that in the not-too-distant 
future, the House will take up a different version of this package, one 
that has been negotiated with Republicans and that can pass the Senate, 
and I look forward to supporting that package before the President 
signs it into law.
  Madam Speaker, our second item for today is H.R. 3233, a bill which 
establishes a national commission to investigate the January 6 attack 
on the United States Capitol complex.
  I thank Ranking Member   John Katko and Chairman Bennie Thompson of 
the Committee on Homeland Security for their hard work in putting this 
legislation together. They took an unworkable and hyper-partisan 
proposal from the Speaker and turned it into a far better bill. I 
commend these two gentlemen for their desire to find bipartisan 
agreement.
  However, I continue to have concerns with the legislation, concerns 
that could have been addressed if several of the amendments proposed at 
our Committee on Rules hearing would have been made in order.

                              {time}  1300

  On an issue this serious, the full House deserves the opportunity to 
debate and discuss areas of disagreement to see if we can find common 
ground. One of these areas of continued disagreement is that of scope, 
which remains too narrow in the proposal.
  As the culture of our national politics has coarsened over the past 
several years, there has been a resulting broader wave of political 
violence in this country. This includes events like the 2017 domestic 
terror attack that targeted Republican Members of Congress at a 
baseball practice, and which would have been catastrophically worse but 
for the bravery of the U.S. Capitol Police officers who were present 
that day.

[[Page H2565]]

  It includes the April 2 attack that killed U.S. Capitol Police 
Officer Billy Evans.
  It includes the wave of violence, rioting, and property destruction 
that swept across the country last summer.
  The commission should have specific flexibility to examine these 
events in their appropriate context.
  I am also concerned about current language in the bill related to the 
ongoing work of law enforcement to bring the perpetrators of January 6 
to justice. There are multiple investigations already underway. Several 
committees in both the House and the Senate have held, and will 
continue to hold, hearings on the topic.
  The Architect of the Capitol is reviewing security vulnerabilities in 
the Capitol complex. As of yesterday, more than 450 people have been 
arrested in connection with the events of January 6, with at least 100 
more arrests to come. All of these individuals will be prosecuted to 
the fullest extent of the law, as well they should.
  Given each of these ongoing investigations and proceedings, I fear 
that adding yet another investigation from this proposed commission 
would only muddy the waters and make achieving due process and reaching 
justice all that much harder.
  For that reason, I supported an amendment offered in the Rules 
Committee that would ensure that the ongoing and critically important 
work of law enforcement would continue unimpeded by this commission. 
For reasons I do not fully understand, this amendment was blocked.
  Moreover, in my personal opinion, the commission would benefit from 
any revelations emerging from the investigations currently underway.
  In addition, I note that it was 14 months between the events of 9/11 
and the creation of the 9/11 commission. During that time, many facts 
emerged that informed the investigation of the commission. The same 
could be true here. As such, it makes sense to take more time prior to 
commencing an undertaking like this commission.
  Though I have reservations about the bill, I have no reservations at 
all about the job Ranking Member Katko and Chairman Thompson have done. 
I am hopeful that this bill will be improved further as it proceeds 
through the legislative process.
  Madam Speaker, I urge opposition to this rule, and I reserve the 
balance of my time.
  Mr. McGOVERN. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  I also agree with the gentleman that Chairman Thompson and Ranking 
Member Katko deserve an enormous amount of credit. They negotiated a 
truly bipartisan deal.
  I have taken note of the letter that Minority Leader McCarthy sent to 
Speaker Pelosi of all the things he wanted in this deal, and he got 
virtually every one of them, all in this bipartisan deal. Now, all of a 
sudden, it is not good enough.
  All of the concerns that my good friend raised are addressed in this 
bill. The commission could look at anything and investigate anything 
related to the violence that occurred here on January 6.
  I mean, what happened here, isn't that a big enough deal to merit an 
investigation?
  I don't get it.
  In the bill, by the way, is language that is quite clear about how 
this commission will not interfere with any other ongoing 
investigations. In fact, very similar to the 9/11 commission, it will 
be informed by other investigations and complement other 
investigations.
  So, again, I urge my colleagues, Democrats and Republicans, to vote 
for this commission, out of respect for the people who work here, out 
of respect for this institution, out of respect for our democracy.
  Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from the District 
of Columbia (Ms. Norton).
  Ms. NORTON. Madam Speaker, as the Congresswoman from the District of 
Columbia, where the January 6 insurrection occurred, I was one of the 
first Members of Congress to call for and introduce legislation to 
create a 9/11-style commission to investigate the attack and to ensure 
that it never happens again. I strongly support the commission bill.
  The supplemental security appropriations bill provides $66.7 million 
to eliminate the long-running deficit in the Federally-funded D.C. 
Emergency Planning and Security Fund. That fund pays for the unique 
public safety and security costs D.C. incurs as the Nation's capital, 
and is designed to cover the District's costs up front, so that D.C. 
does not have to expend local funds for Federal purposes and seek an 
appropriation to be reimbursed after the fact.
  Over the last several years, our Republican colleagues have opposed 
fully funding the D.C. Fund. The January 6 insurrection shows Congress 
must never shortchange security in the Nation's Capitol again.
  I also appreciate that the appropriations bill would mirror two of my 
bills.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The time of the gentlewoman has expired.
  Mr. McGOVERN. Madam Speaker, I yield an additional 30 seconds to the 
gentlewoman from the District of Columbia.
  Ms. NORTON. I also appreciate that the appropriations bill would 
mirror two of my bills, prohibiting the use of funds in the bill to 
install permanent aboveground fencing at the Capitol complex, and 
requiring Capitol Police officers to wear body cameras.
  In February, I introduced legislation to prohibit funds for permanent 
fencing at the Capitol complex, and in March the House passed my bill 
to require Federal police officers to wear body cameras as part of the 
George Floyd Justice in Policing Act of 2021.
  Mr. COLE. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Madam Speaker, if we defeat the previous question, I will offer an 
amendment to the rule to bring up House Resolution 153, a resolution 
condemning the recent hate crimes committed against Asian Americans and 
Pacific Islanders.
  Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to include the text of my 
amendment in the Record, along with extraneous material, immediately 
prior to the vote on the previous question.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Oklahoma?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. COLE. Madam Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentlewoman from 
California (Mrs. Steel), my good friend, the author of the resolution, 
to further explain the amendment.
  Mrs. STEEL. Madam Speaker, I rise in opposition to the previous 
question.
  If the previous question is defeated, Republicans will amend this 
rule to immediately consider House Resolution 153, the condemning 
recent hate crimes committed against Asian Americans and Pacific 
Islanders.
  This bipartisan bill was the very first bill I introduced in 
Congress.
  I am here today to condemn the recent discrimination and violence the 
AAPI community has experienced. I spoke on this issue yesterday, and I 
am proud to be standing here again today.
  I was born in Korea and raised in Japan. I am living my American 
Dream and I am a proud American. I am honored every day to represent my 
community in Congress. Unfortunately, hate crime against the Asian-
American community is not new. And as an American who loves this 
country dearly, this issue is very personal to me.
  Hate crimes committed against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders 
have been on the rise since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Between 
March and December of last year, nearly 3,000 firsthand accounts of 
Asian-American and Pacific Islander hate crimes were recorded in the 
United States. The reporting has now been updated by the group Stop 
AAPI Hate, and between March 2020 and March 2021, more than 6,000 hate 
crimes or hate incidents were reported. This includes physical assault, 
verbal assault, and online bullying of Asian Americans.
  My home State of California makes up more than 40 percent of these 
incidents and crimes. It is heartbreaking to read the news stories of 
these crimes, and my heart goes out to all those who have been victims 
of this violence. That is why the first bill I introduced in Congress 
in February was H. Res. 153. It is the only bipartisan legislation in 
the House of its kind, and I am proud that it has been cosponsored by 
several of my Democratic colleagues, including Congressmembers

[[Page H2566]]

Katie Porter, Lou Correa, Alan Lowenthal, and   Mike Levin.
  This resolution is very simple. It condemns all expressions of anti-
Asian and Pacific Islander intolerance, and calls on Federal, State, 
and local officials to work together to investigate and improve 
reporting of these crimes.
  Yesterday, I spoke about how I was disappointed that this truly 
bipartisan resolution was not a part of this fixed conversation, and 
was not being considered on the floor. But, today, we have another 
opportunity to show solidarity with our AAPI community and vote on my 
bipartisan resolution.
  Discrimination and hate against any community are against the 
fundamental values of American cultural. Discrimination and hate have 
no place in this great country. Madam Speaker, I am proud that my 
resolution has support from both sides of the aisle, unlike the other 
bills on the floor today. I hope we can work together to put an end to 
this hate. I am asking my colleagues to vote ``no'' on the previous 
question so that I can bring my bipartisan bill condemning hate crimes 
against AAPI on the floor.

  Mr. McGOVERN. Madam Speaker, I reference the text of S. 937 and H. 
Res. 275, a bill and a resolution we are considering this week. S. 937 
was passed yesterday, and right after this debate, we are going to 
adopt H. Res. 275. They are two pieces of legislation condemning hate 
crimes against Asian Americans in this country.
  Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from New Jersey 
(Ms. Sherrill).
  Ms. SHERRILL. Madam Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 
3233, which creates a bipartisan independent commission to investigate 
the attacks on the Capitol on January 6.
  Why do we need this commission?
  We need this commission because the American people must understand 
exactly what happened so we can all forge a more resilient democracy.
  We need this commission because, on January 6, I was lying on the 
floor to avoid possible shooters in this very Chamber, holding a gas 
mask in one hand and a phone in the other as I called my husband in 
case I didn't make it home.
  We need this commission because, despite our own experiences, despite 
video footage, despite testimony by police, it has been suggested that 
this was simply a normal tourist event. Well, we have a lot of tourism 
where I am from. People visit our beautiful shore and historic sights, 
and no tourist event I have ever seen looks like that day.
  As The New York Times reported: The pure savagery of the mob was 
breathtaking, as cataloged by injuries inflicted. One police officer 
lost an eye; another, the tip of his finger. Still another was shocked 
so many times with a taser gun that he had a heart attack.
  Madam Speaker, we need this commission.
  Mr. COLE. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

                              {time}  1315

  Mr. McGOVERN. Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from 
Arizona (Mr. Gallego).
  Mr. GALLEGO. Madam Speaker, when I joined the Marine Corps, the most 
sacred part of my oath was to defend the Constitution of the United 
States against all enemies, foreign and domestic. I took that oath 
again when I was sworn into office as a Member of Congress. I never 
thought I would have to defend this oath against domestic enemies on 
the floor of Congress--but on January 6, I did.
  Democracy is fragile. We have seen it across the world: When leaders 
cower in the face of an attack on democracy, it can be lost. Let's be 
clear: Democracy itself was violently attacked on January 6. If we 
don't stand up for it, it will happen again. If we don't tell the truth 
about what happened on January 6, it will happen again. If we don't 
have swift and harsh accountability for everyone involved in January 6, 
it will happen again.
  If all of us don't stand up to traitors and cowards in defense of our 
Constitution, January 6 will happen again. That is why all of us have 
an obligation today to defend our democracy and support the creation of 
a national commission to investigate the January 6 attack, because it 
can never be allowed to happen again.
  Mr. COLE. Madam Speaker, I continue to reserve the balance of my 
time.
  Mr. McGOVERN. Madam Speaker, I include in the Record a statement from 
the family of United States Capitol Officer Howie Liebengood, who died 
by suicide. His death was a direct result of the trauma and strain from 
the January 6 attack.
  Madam Speaker, in the statement, the family of Officer Liebengood 
states: ``We believe a thorough, nonpartisan investigation into the 
root causes of and the response to the January 6 riot is essential for 
our Nation to move forward. Howie's death was an immediate outgrowth of 
those events.''

Liebengood Family Statement on the January 6th Commission and Security 
                              Supplemental


  Family of fallen USCP Officer Howie Liebengood calls on Congress to 
                    pass both pieces of legislation

       Washington, DC--Today, the Office of Congresswoman Jennifer 
     Wexton (D-VA) released the following statement from the 
     family of United States Capitol Police Officer Howie 
     Liebengood regarding the National Commission to Investigate 
     the January 6 Attack on the United States Capitol Complex Act 
     and the Emergency Security Supplemental to Respond to January 
     6th Appropriations Act.
       ``We believe a thorough, non-partisan investigation into 
     the root causes of and the response to the January 6th riot 
     is essential for our nation to move forward. Howie's death 
     was an immediate outgrowth of those events. Every officer who 
     worked that day, as well as their families, should have a 
     better understanding of what happened. Uncovering the facts 
     will help our nation heal and may lessen the lingering 
     emotional bitterness that has divided our country. We implore 
     Congress to work as one and establish the proposed 
     Commission.
       ``Additionally, improved mental health for USCP officers 
     has been one of our goals for the past four months. Through 
     the tireless efforts of Congresswoman Wexton, we are honored 
     a wellness program bearing Howie's name has been proposed in 
     the security supplemental along with more resources for the 
     program. We welcome and support the new funding and staffing 
     initiatives that will help prevent future tragedies among the 
     USCP.''
       Howie C. Liebengood grew up and lived in Vienna, Virginia 
     and was Congresswoman Wexton's constituent. He was raised in 
     the Capitol Hill community, where his father, Howard S. 
     Liebengood, served for decades as a Hill staffer and later 
     the Senate Sergeant at Arms. Howie received a Bachelor's 
     Degree at Purdue University, a Master 's Degree at the 
     University of Memphis, and started a career as a race car 
     driver in the 1990s. Howie joined the Capitol Police in 2005 
     and served as an officer for 15 years He was assigned to the 
     Senate division and often worked at the Delaware entrance of 
     the Russell Senate Office Building. Howie took his life on 
     January 9, and his death was a direct result of the trauma 
     and strain from the January 6th attack on the Capitol and the 
     around-the-clock shifts in the subsequent days. He is 
     survived by his wife, Dr. Serena McClam Liebengood, his 
     siblings, John Liebengood and Anne Winters, and many family 
     and friends who loved him dearly.
       Following Howie's death, Dr. Liebengood and Howie's family 
     have been advocating [iqconnect.house.gov] to have Howie's 
     death designated ``in the line of duty;'' to support much 
     needed USCP reforms; and to promote positive change around 
     mental health issues for his fellow law enforcement officers, 
     both with the Capitol Police and with law enforcement 
     agencies generally.
  Mr. McGOVERN. Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from 
Tennessee (Mr. Cohen).
  Mr. COHEN. Madam Speaker, there is hardly anything this Congress can 
do that will be more important than having a bipartisan commission to 
look at the insurrection that occurred in this Capitol on January 6. 
There was an attempt to overturn our Constitution and to displace the 
electoral college and the peaceful transition of power that makes our 
country unique and special among the countries of the world.
  This wouldn't have happened but for the President at the time telling 
people to come to Washington on January 6--no other date but the day of 
the electoral college--to fight like hell or you won't have a 
government anymore and telling them he would walk with them to the 
Capitol and told them where to go.
  This cannot happen again. If we don't have this commission and reveal 
the truth, it will happen again. There is only one reason you wouldn't 
vote for this, Madam Speaker: if you can't handle the truth. Get the 
truth out.
  Mr. COLE. Madam Speaker, I continue to reserve the balance of my 
time.
  Mr. McGOVERN. Madam Speaker, I include in the Record a May 19 letter

[[Page H2567]]

from the Bipartisan Policy Center in support of H.R. 3233, the National 
Commission to Investigate the January 6 Attack on the United States 
Capitol Complex Act.
  In the letter, the cochairs of the 9/11 Commission, Governor Tom Kean 
and Representative Lee Hamilton state: ``A full accounting of the 
events of January 6 and the identification of measures to strengthen 
the Congress can help our country heal.''

                           [From BPC Action]

                 BPC Action Urges Support for H.R. 3233

       H.R. 3233, the ``National Commission to Investigate the 
     January 6 Attack on the United States Capitol Complex Act,'' 
     is a crucial step for the country to get the truth of those 
     shocking events and agree on how to ensure they never occur 
     again. The Bipartisan Policy Center is encouraged that the 
     agreement reflects the principles of 9-11 Commission chairs 
     Gov. Tom Kean and Rep. Lee Hamilton, who stated, ``A full 
     accounting of the events of January 6th and the 
     identification of measures to strengthen the Congress can 
     help our country heal.''
       A single narrative of the facts of that day and actionable 
     recommendations for preventing them from recurring are the 
     predicate for ensuring our democracy is respected and 
     protected. This bipartisan, independent commission is 
     structured so experts will be empowered to objectively assess 
     the evidence and chart a path forward.
       In this midst of opportunity for growth and healing, it is 
     crucial that we reflect on our history: the strength of the 
     9/11 commission was that it was bipartisan and unified by the 
     imperative of national security. Twenty years later, we are 
     reminded of the security challenges this nation faces, and we 
     must come together in the same way we did following 9/11.
       We applaud the House and Senate committees and law 
     enforcement investigations that have laid groundwork for an 
     independent commission to begin its work--and House and 
     Senate leaders, especially Chairman Bennie Thompson and 
     Ranking Member John Katko, for creating a process that has a 
     real chance for success. We urge Congress to support H.R. 
     3233.
                                  ____


                            [From Issue One]

 Joint Statement from Governor Tom Kean and Congressman Lee Hamilton, 
           Chairman and Vice Chairman of the 9/11 Commission

       ``We very strongly urge House Members to support H.R. 3233, 
     the bipartisan National Commission to Investigate the January 
     6 Attack on the United States Capitol Complex. That bill 
     would create a 9/11 style commission to investigate the 
     January 6th assault on the U.S. Capitol. That was a dark day 
     in American history, one of the darkest.
       ``As Chairman and Vice Chairman of the 9/11 Commission, 
     unity of purpose was key to the effectiveness of the group. 
     We put country above party, without bias, the events before, 
     during and after the attack. We sought to understand our 
     vulnerabilities in order to prevent future attacks or future 
     acts of terrorism.
       ``Today, democracy faces a new threat. The January 6 attack 
     on the U.S. Capitol was one of the darkest days in the 
     history of our country. Americans deserve an objective and an 
     accurate account of what happened. As we did in the wake of 
     September 11, it's time to set aside partisan politics and 
     come together as Americans in common pursuit of truth and 
     justice.''

  Mr. McGOVERN. Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from 
Mississippi (Mr. Thompson), who is the distinguished chairman of the 
Committee on Homeland Security.
  Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H. 
Res. 409, which allows for the debate on H.R. 3233, the National 
Commission to Investigate the January 6 Attack on the United States 
Capitol Complex Act. After months of negotiations, last week I was 
pleased to introduce this measure with the gentleman from New York (Mr. 
Katko).
  Back in 2007, I was proud to be the lead sponsor of legislation to 
implement the unfulfilled recommendations of the 9/11 Commission. I can 
say with certainty, at that time, I could never have imagined that I 
would be standing here today, almost 15 years later, advocating for the 
establishment of a 9/11-style commission to investigate a violent 
domestic attack on the United States Capitol.
  On January 6, the world watched Americans storm the Capitol and 
engage in violence to try to intimidate and prevent Congress from 
carrying out its constitutional duty to certify a Presidential 
election, a solemn process central to the peaceful transfer of power in 
our democracy.
  Like the 9/11 terrorist attacks, the events of January 6 have cast a 
long shadow on our country. Like the 9/11 terrorist attacks, it has 
raised fundamental questions about information-sharing, coordination, 
preparedness, and response at all levels of government.
  When the defenses around the citadel of our democracy fail as 
profoundly as they did on January 6, then attention must be paid. At 
least one Capitol Police Officer died because of the cause of the 
violence that day. Others died too, and injuries were extensive also--
not the least of which is the body blow of Americans' confidence that 
the reforms undertaken after 9/11 would deliver better information-
sharing and coordination to keep us secure.
  H.R. 3233 authorizes the establishment of a 10-member commission that 
mirrors the 9/11 Commission, the gold standard for bipartisan 
commissions. The January 6 Commission would be required to investigate 
and report on all the facts and causes of the attack including relevant 
influencing factors that may have contributed to the attack.
  Given how politically charged the events of January 6 have become, we 
need to come together in a patriotic, bipartisan way and approve this 
independent body, just as we did when we approved the creation of the 
9/11 Commission. The 9/11 Commission acted not out of partisanship, but 
out of patriotism. We need that same sense of duty today. Apathy is not 
a security strategy, and neither are ignorance or willful disregard.
  After such a shocking attack, nothing short of a full accounting of 
what took place will put us on the path to improving our homeland 
security.
  Mr. COLE. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Madam Speaker, I want to thank my good friend, the distinguished 
chairman of the Homeland Security Committee, for his excellent work on 
this bill; and I want to thank his ranking member and negotiating 
partner. I think they, frankly, moved us in the right direction toward 
agreement.
  We continue to have concerns. It is a long, legislative process. 
Obviously, we will have to pass something through the Senate as well. 
So it is my hope we can build upon their work and continue to move 
forward.
  We are not prepared at this time to provide huge support for this 
bill. We think it can continue to improve. But that doesn't take 
anything away from my appreciation and admiration for the gentleman 
from Mississippi for his good work. We will continue to try and work 
with him and others and get to a place we can all come to agree.
  Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. McGOVERN. Madam Speaker, let's be clear that opposition to this 
commission is not about substance or policy; it really is about 
politics, plain and simple. At least, my Republican colleagues in the 
Senate side are willing to admit that. Senator Thune said that there is 
concern among Republicans that the findings could be ``weaponized 
politically and drug into next year''.
  I get that his members want to ``be moving forward and not looking 
backward,'' but this was an attack on the United States Capitol, and 
all the people who work here. It was an attack on our democracy.
  Madam Speaker, I include in the Record a CNN article entitled 
``Republicans fear January 6 probe could undercut 2022 midterm 
message.''

                        [From CNN, May 19, 2021]

  Republicans Fear January 6 Probe Could Undercut 2022 Midterm Message

                             (By Manu Raju)

       Senior Republicans are making clear they have little 
     interest in moving forward with a sweeping January 6 
     investigation in part because a detailed probe could become 
     politically damaging and amount to a distraction for their 
     party just as control of Congress is at stake in next year's 
     midterm elections.
       Publicly and privately, Republicans are making that case, 
     with Senate GOP Whip John Thune noting that there's concern 
     among some GOP members that the findings of the probe ``could 
     be weaponized politically and drug into next year.'' ``I want 
     our midterm message to be on the kinds of things that the 
     American people are dealing with: That's jobs and wages and 
     the economy and national security, safe streets and strong 
     borders--not relitigating the 2020 elections,'' Thune told 
     CNN. ``A lot of our members, and I think this is true of a 
     lot of House Republicans, want to be moving forward and not 
     looking backward. Anything that gets us rehashing the 2020 
     elections I think is a day lost on being able to draw a 
     contrast between us the Democrats' very radical left-wing 
     agenda.''
       Thune's comments came moments after Senate GOP Leader Mitch 
     McConnell announced his opposition on the floor, contending 
     it would duplicate ongoing probes

[[Page H2568]]

     and contending the deal--which was reached between a House 
     Republican and House Democrat--is designed to find a 
     conclusion that would be in ``Democrats' hands.'' The 
     commission would be structured so 10 members--chosen equally 
     between the leaders from both political parties--could report 
     by year's end on what happened on January 6, as well as the 
     ``influencing factors'' behind it.
       It's clear that such an investigation would also look at 
     then-President Donald Trump's role in promoting the January 6 
     ``Stop the Steal'' rally, his lies that the election was 
     stolen and his efforts to subvert the will of voters. 
     Moreover, it could put an uncomfortable focus on some 
     conservative GOP senators and House members who sought to 
     overturn the election results in Congress, while keeping the 
     issue front-and-center as the investigation plays out over 
     the next year.
       And there are ample questions about whether House GOP 
     Leader Kevin McCarthy would be forced to testify to explain 
     what Trump was saying on January 6 given the two spoke during 
     a heated phone call that day.
       ``It would be a distraction,'' one senior GOP source told 
     CNN, arguing any investigation should also look at left-wing 
     extremism as well.
       Similar concerns were voiced through the Senate Republican 
     Conference on Wednesday, coming hours after a group of 
     members huddled privately with McCarthy earlier in the 
     morning.
       Sen. John Cornyn, a Texas Republican and member of 
     leadership, said that in addition to his concern about a 
     commission's work overlapping with criminal probes, he 
     accused House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of pushing the 
     investigation to help Democrats' chances at keeping control 
     of Congress.
       ``Well, part of the concern is that's the plan,'' Cornyn 
     said. ``That's Pelosi's plan.'' If the probe dragged out 
     until the next year, he added: ``That would be the Democrats' 
     dream. . . . I generally don't try to help Democrats.''
       While the bill is expected to pass the House on Wednesday, 
     it's an open question whether it will pass the Senate, where 
     60 votes would be needed to break a GOP filibuster.
       Thune, the chief GOP vote counter, said they haven't taken 
     the caucus' temperature yet on the plan.
       ``I would say that there's a skepticism about what's 
     happening in the House right now and whether or not what 
     comes out is a proposal that will be fair.''
       Sen. Gary Peters, who chairs the Democratic Senatorial 
     Campaign Committee, said there's a reason why Republicans are 
     battling the commission.
       ``They're afraid of the truth because it puts them on the 
     wrong side of what is right,'' Peters, a Michigan Democrat, 
     said Wednesday.
       Asked if he is concerned the probe could last into the 
     midterm season when the GOP wants to focus on jobs, 
     Republican Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina said: ``There's 
     a lot of stuff we need to focus on.''
       ``Why shift our attention away from that, when we already 
     have an infrastructure in place to address a lot of the 
     things that the commission seems to be stood up to address,'' 
     Tillis asked. ``Seems redundant.''
  Mr. McGOVERN. Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from 
New Jersey (Mr. Pascrell).
  Mr. PASCRELL. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of truth and 
justice. The chairman and the ranking member are two honorable men. We 
all can see this, Madam Speaker, and I am happy about that.
  That attack was born of lies. This year marks the 20th anniversary of 
the worst external terrorist attack in our modern history. The gravest 
attack ever on American democracy came 133 days ago. That attack was 
born of lies. It was born about the voting, about elections, and about 
our democracy. These lies divided our country. They spread across our 
land like a plague.
  On December 11, I warned on this floor of elected officials across 
this Nation amplifying big lies. On January 6, the world saw the 
result. Like the 9/11 Commission it is modeled after, this commission 
must hold allegiance only to the truth. A full investigation of this 
attack must reflect on how the spark of insurrection was ignited and 
who fanned the flames. It is our sacred duty, Madam Speaker.
  Mr. COLE. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. McGOVERN. Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from 
New York (Mr. Espaillat).
  Mr. ESPAILLAT. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of the rule and the 
underlying bills. January 6 was an unprecedented event that exposed the 
real threat to the beating heart of our democracy: our Capitol and all 
of us who work in it.
  Shortly after the insurrection, I expressed the need to form a 9/11-
style commission, not only to get to the bottom of this and who was 
responsible for it, but also to ensure that it never happens again. 
This is exactly what these bills do, Madam Speaker.
  The security of our Capitol and our democracy is not a partisan 
issue. However, the other side of the aisle has attempted to turn this 
into a sideshow, Madam Speaker, into a circus. I submit to you that the 
attempted murder of our Vice President, the attempted murder of our 
Speaker, and the attempted murder of any one of us is not a sideshow, 
it is not a circus, it is a real threat to everyone across this great 
land.
  Taken together, these two critical bills will help us finally recover 
from the January 6 insurrection. We must ensure that these sacred Halls 
will never again be overrun by racist thugs against our democracy.
  Mr. COLE. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. McGOVERN. Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from 
Rhode Island (Mr. Cicilline).
  Mr. CICILLINE. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of the rule and the 
establishment of a national commission to study the events of January 
6, 2021. The January 6 insurrection was a violent and bloody attack on 
our democracy. Domestic terrorists stormed this building. They did so 
in order to stop the peaceful transition of power and to keep Donald 
Trump in office, even after he lost the 2020 election fair and square.
  We have never seen this type of attack before in this country. I pray 
we never will again. That is why we need to establish a national 
commission to understand how this happened, to gather all the facts 
surrounding these events, and, most importantly, to ensure it never 
happens again.
  I want to thank Chairman Thompson and Ranking Member Katko for 
working across the aisle to establish this bipartisan commission. The 
people who took part in this insurrection caused great damage to this 
building, dozens of people were injured, and five people lost their 
lives. But despite the horror of that day, our democracy endured.
  This commission will allow us to understand how this happened and how 
we prevent it and gather all the facts. The search for truth matters. 
Protecting our democracy matters. This should be a bipartisan vote to 
strongly support the work of this commission.
  Mr. COLE. Madam Speaker, I continue to reserve the balance of my 
time.
  Mr. McGOVERN. Madam Speaker, I am having trouble trying to figure out 
exactly what the problem that some of my Republican colleagues may have 
with this bill. Maybe, based on the lack of speakers, they are having 
trouble figuring it out too.
  Madam Speaker, I yield 2\1/2\ minutes to the gentlewoman from 
Pennsylvania (Ms. Scanlon), who is a distinguished member of the Rules 
Committee.
  Ms. SCANLON. Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of the rule and 
underlying bills before us today.
  It has been over 4 months since the attack on the Capitol, an attack 
which disrupted a joint session of Congress and threatened one of the 
most essential pillars of our American Government: the peaceful and 
democratic transfer of power. That lawless assault threatened not just 
the foundations of our government, but also the lives of those who 
served their fellow citizens here. That assault shattered the illusion 
of security and sanctity of this building, the United States Capitol.
  We remain eternally grateful for the bravery and patriotism of the 
members of the U.S. Capitol and D.C. Metropolitan Police who heroically 
defended this building, its occupants, and our democracy.
  But it is long past time to launch an independent, bipartisan 
examination of what occurred on January 6, why it occurred, and how to 
prevent it from ever happening again. We need a commission with the 
power and authority to collect evidence and make recommendations across 
multiple agencies, committees, and branches of government impacted by 
the attack.
  Almost as soon as the tear gas and broken glass had been cleared in 
the wee hours of January 7, we began hearing calls for unity. But what 
has remained illusive is a shared set of facts behind which the Nation 
can unify and forge a path to healing and accountability for the events 
of January 6. That path starts with these bills.
  We cannot repair the damage to our government and the rule of law so 
long

[[Page H2569]]

as we have national leaders or those who seek to be propagating lies 
about why our government was attacked and the gravity of the events of 
January 6. Those falsehoods are incredibly dangerous, and so long as 
they remain unchallenged by a bipartisan, independent commission, we 
are never going to get past the dark part of our history.
  In addition to creating this bipartisan commission, we also need to 
pass the emergency supplemental appropriations bill to fund the many 
additional expenses which were created by the Capitol attack, including 
overtime, staffing, training for law enforcement, reimbursing the 
National Guard, and so much more.
  I strongly urge my colleagues to vote for this rule.

                              {time}  1330

  Mr. COLE. Mr. Speaker, I continue to reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from 
Texas (Ms. Jackson Lee).
  Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman very much for 
yielding.
  I was here on 9/11, and I could see the billowing smoke as we ran for 
our lives as the planes were hitting the Pentagon and the aftermath.
  I was here on January 6 when screaming voices came and glass began to 
break, as the video has shown us, the video of the beatings. My tribute 
to all the officers--we have heard the story of Officer Fanone.
  All we want is truth, and all we want is for the big lie to be 
undone.
  It is important to support H.R. 3233, the National Commission to 
Investigate the January 6 Attack on the United States Capitol Complex, 
and the underlying emergency supplemental that General Honore and his 
committee so aptly did.
  I thank Chairman Thompson and Ranking Member Katko for their hard 
work. Be reminded of the fact that it was the former President still 
lingering, lashing around instead of allowing the transfer of peaceful 
government to go. He is now pushing big lies.
  I wanted the Vice President to live. I wanted the Speaker to live. I 
wanted Members to live. I wanted Black officers not to be under the 
threat of racist overtones. So this commission will listen to it all.
  I ask my colleagues to get rid of the big lie, stand by the 
Constitution, the flag, and justice and equality for all. Pass H.R. 
3233, the National Commission to Investigate the January 6 Attack on 
the United States Capitol Complex Act.
  Mr. Speaker, as Chair of the Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime, 
Homeland Security, and Terrorism, and a senior member of the Homeland 
Security, and Budget Committees, I rise in strong support of the rule 
governing debate of H.R. 3237, the Emergency Security Supplemental to 
Respond to January 6th Appropriations Act of 2021, and H.R. 3233, the 
National Commission to Investigate the January 6 Attack on the United 
States Capitol Complex.
  H.R. 3237 provides $1.9 billion in funding to respond to the 
insurrection at the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021, when thousands of 
domestic terrorists inspired by the 45th President stormed the U.S. 
Capitol in a violent, crazed, and desperate effort to disrupt the Joint 
Meeting of Congress prescribed by the Constitution to tally the votes 
of presidential electors and announce the results to the nation and the 
world.
  H.R. 3233, the National Commission to Investigate the January 6 
Attack on the Capitol Complex Act, which establishes a national 
commission charged with investigating and reporting upon the facts and 
causes of the January 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol as well as the 
influencing factors that may have provoked the attack on our democracy.
  Specifically, the January 6 Commission's mandate includes:
  1. examining and evaluating evidence developed by relevant Federal, 
State, and local governments, in a manner that is respectful of ongoing 
investigations, regarding the facts and circumstances of the attack;
  2. building upon other investigations regarding the attack and 
targeted violence and domestic terrorism related to such attack; and
  3. reporting to the President and Congress regarding its findings, 
conclusions, and recommendations for corrective measures taken to 
prevent future acts of targeted violence and domestic terrorism and 
improves the security posture of the United States Capitol Complex in a 
manner that preserves the accessibility of the Capitol Complex for all 
Americans, and strengthen the security and resilience of nation and 
American democratic institutions against domestic terrorism.
  Like September 11, 2001, we cannot and must not ever forget the 
existential threat faced by our democracy on January 6, 2021, when 
thousands of domestic terrorists inspired by the 45th President stormed 
the U.S. Capitol in a violent, crazed, and desperate effort to disrupt 
the Joint Meeting of Congress prescribed by the Constitution to tally 
the votes of presidential electors and announce the results to the 
nation and the world.
  Mr. Speaker, the morning of September 11, 2001 is, and will always 
be, a day like no other.
  It is a day all living Americans will remember because not since 
Pearl Harbor had there been such a dastardly and deadly attack on 
American soil.
  On that day, we were united in our shock and anger and sadness and in 
our resolve to defend our country and protect the freedoms that has 
made America the greatest country in the history of the world.
  I experienced the same gamut of emotions on January 6: grief, hope, 
resolve, and fierce commitment to protect our country.
  Mr. Speaker, the assault on the U.S. Capitol by domestic terrorists 
and insurrectionists rightly takes its place as one of the darkest 
moments in our nation's history since the Civil War.
  Mr. Speaker, the January 6 insurrection caused tragic loss of life 
and injuries, while leaving behind widespread physical damage to the 
Capitol Complex and emotional trauma for Members, Congressional 
employees, and the Capitol Police.
  It bears repeating often that the Congress and the nation owe undying 
gratitude to the men and women who answered the call of constitutional 
duty and heroically won the day on that bloody and deadly afternoon.
  That is why I introduced H. Res. 169, a resolution commending the 
officers of the United States Capitol Police Department, the 
Metropolitan Police Department of Washington, DC, and other law 
enforcement personnel for their selfless and heroic service in defense 
of American democracy in responding to the assault on the United States 
Capitol by domestic terrorists on January 6, 2021.
  H. Res. 169 notes that the January 6, 2021 siege of the Capitol 
assault resulted in one of the worst days of injuries for law 
enforcement in the United States since the September 11, 2001, 
terrorist attacks but that the officers of the United States Capitol 
Police Department, the Metropolitan Police Department of Washington, 
DC, and other uniformed law enforcement officers stood their ground in 
defense of American democracy while being attacked metal pipes, 
discharged chemical irritants, and other weapons.
  The resolution conveys the thanks and appreciation of a grateful 
nation to them for their selfless and heroic service, encourages all 
educational and media institutions throughout the United States to 
teach and celebrate the story of their heroism and patriotism; and 
calls upon all Americans to read, celebrate, and revere the 
Constitution of the United States, fidelity to which is the surest best 
means of forming a more perfect union, establishing justice, ensuring 
domestic tranquility, providing for the common defense, promoting the 
general welfare, and securing the blessing of liberty to them and their 
posterity.
  Mr. Speaker, the domestic terrorists and seditionists who attacked 
the Capitol Building on January 6, 2021 were not, as some of their 
ardent defenders and apologists across the aisle have stated falsely, 
on a ``normal tour visit''; nor was their effort to lay siege to the 
Capitol and disrupt the processes of government an act of persons who 
love their country.
  And it is absurd to suggest that it was a celebration of the United 
States and what it stands for when the leading edge of terrorists 
desecrated the Capitol by offensively parading the treasonous 
Confederate flag through the building and when, because of their 
insurrection, several members of law enforcement made the supreme 
sacrifice and scores more were seriously injured.
  Mr. Speaker, I would like to take a few moments to explain why the 
intended purpose of the January 6 insurrection--to disrupt the Joint 
Meeting of Congress to tally the votes of presidential electors and 
announce the results to the nation and the world--was the greatest 
threat to the American Experiment since the Civil War when the 
proslavery forces would rather make war than let the nation survive and 
the pro-freedom forces would accept war rather than let the nation 
perish.
  The Framers understood and declared to the world that democratic 
governors derived their powers from the knowing and voluntary consent 
of the governed as expressed in free, fair, and unfettered elections 
unmarred by the influence or sabotage of any foreign country or entity 
not a member of the political community.
  The most important feature of a democracy is that it is the voters 
who alone can confer the legitimate consent and authorization necessary 
to govern upon the governors who are then duty-bound to represent the 
voters' interests, and only their interests.

[[Page H2570]]

  Mr. Speaker, the fundamental democratic compact between the governed 
and the governors is that the latter's authority and continuance in 
office comes exclusively from the governed and allegiance is owed 
exclusively to the governed.
  This agreement can only be reached through free and fair elections, a 
breach of which threatens the vitality and viability of the social 
contract upon which democratic self-rule of, by, and for the people 
depends.
  Mr. Speaker, President Lincoln called the United States the ``last 
best hope of man on earth'' and stated at Gettysburg the importance of 
finishing the work we are in to ensure that ``government of the people, 
for the people, by the people does not perish from the earth.''
  By our actions in voting to establish and empower a National 
Commission to Investigate the January 6 Attack on the Capitol Complex, 
we are taking an indispensable step in ensuring the preservation of our 
democracy, which has been the envy of the world for more than 240 
years.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge all Members to join me in voting for the rule and 
the underlying legislation, H.R. 3237, the Emergency Security 
Supplemental to Respond to January 6th Appropriations Act of 2021, and 
H.R. 3233, the National Commission to Investigate the January 6 Attack 
on the United States Capitol Complex.
  Mr. COLE. Mr. Speaker, I continue to reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, may I inquire how much time is remaining 
for us on both sides.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Cicilline). The gentleman from 
Massachusetts has 6\1/2\ minutes remaining. The gentleman from Oklahoma 
has 17\1/2\ minutes remaining.
  Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, I encourage all Members here today to read 
today's Washington Post editorial questioning Leader McCarthy's 
political courage in opposing this bill and calling for him to testify 
under oath about his eyewitness experience of the violence and former 
President Trump's apparent indifference to it.
  The editorial also criticizes his false equivalence of Black Lives 
Matter protests to the Capitol invasion and his minimization of the 
insurrection's significance, which only encourages the lies on which it 
is based.
  I include that article in the Record.

                [From the Washington Post, May 18, 2021]

    Opinion: Kevin McCarthy Plumbs New Depths of Political Cowardice

                    (Opinion by the Editorial Board)

       Democratic and Republican negotiators agreed last week to 
     create a high-level, expert commission with subpoena power to 
     conduct an examination of the Jan. 6 Capitol invasion, one of 
     the lowest moments in U.S. history. But House Minority Leader 
     Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) on Tuesday threw his negotiators 
     under the bus, condemning the compromise and vowing to oppose 
     the bill creating the commission when it comes to a House 
     vote Wednesday.
       Many Republicans do not want an impartial panel to remind 
     the public of their party's role in the event. A fair inquiry 
     would examine how GOP lawmakers fed the election lies that 
     inspired the mob, and how they built Jan. 6, which should 
     have featured a pro forma counting of electoral votes, into a 
     showdown over the 2020 presidential election. Republican 
     lawmakers who signed a spurious lawsuit seeking to overturn 
     the results bear some guilt; those who went on to object to 
     the counting of electoral votes from several swing states 
     bear even more.
       An honest proceeding would also require Mr. McCarthy to 
     testify under oath about his eyewitness experience of the 
     violence--and to then-President Donald Trump's apparent 
     indifference. Mr. McCarthy has resisted offering the public a 
     frank accounting of his interactions with Mr. Trump, 
     including on a phone call during which Mr. McCarthy 
     reportedly begged Mr. Trump to stop the mob. Mr. McCarthy has 
     concluded that whatever political benefits he receives from 
     embracing Mr. Trump are worth the price of his integrity.
       If there are to be hearings, Mr. McCarthy argued, they 
     should examine not only the Capitol invasion but other 
     politically motivated violence, such as the riots surrounding 
     the Black Lives Matter protests last summer. The point is to 
     draw a false equivalence between a historically unique attack 
     on the nation's seat of government, in which Mr. Trump and 
     other Republicans are directly implicated, and crimes that 
     left-leaning activists committed--crimes that did not occur 
     in the halls of Congress, that did not aim to interrupt the 
     peaceful transition of power, that did not reflect a plot to 
     overturn a presidential election.
       Mr. McCarthy knows Democrats will never endorse a panel 
     designed to mislead the nation about Jan. 6, so his proposal 
     for a broader mandate is a ruse: He simply does not want any 
     investigation at all. House Democrats should nevertheless 
     advance the compromise plan on Wednesday. Then the public 
     will see whether there are 10 Senate Republicans willing to 
     approve the deal. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-
     Ky.) on Tuesday did not rule out supporting it, raising minor 
     concerns about its structure that should be negotiable. But 
     if Senate Republicans capitulate to the calculations driving 
     Mr. McCarthy, House and Senate committees should use their 
     subpoena power to conduct their own investigations, even if 
     that means Democrats lead the inquiries without Republican 
     cooperation.

  Mr. McGOVERN. Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from 
Maryland (Mr. Raskin), a distinguished member of the Rules Committee.
  Mr. RASKIN. Madam Speaker, the January 6 insurrection against our 
Congress, our Constitution, and our election was one of the worst 
political crimes in American history.
  It interrupted the peaceful transfer of power. It injured, wounded, 
hospitalized more than 140 law enforcement officials who were punched, 
kicked, maced, spat upon, and speared by Confederate battle flags, 
Donald Trump flags, American flags. They had eyes gouged. One lost 
several fingers.
  They turned the Capitol of the United States and this Chamber into a 
crime scene.
  The independent January 6 commission legislation brought forth by 
Chairman Thompson, a Democrat, and Congressman Katko, a Republican, is 
bipartisan in composition: five Republicans and five Democrats, equal 
subpoena power. It is nonpartisan in design and in function.
  Its whole purpose is to determine the events and the causes of those 
events on January 6 so we can prepare effectively to stop it from ever 
happening again to the people of America.
  The key precedent was the 9/11 Commission, which was critical for 
mobilizing public attention to the dangers of al-Qaida and other 
foreign terror networks and helping us to rectify inadequacies in our 
security infrastructure and to prepare to defend our democracy.
  Today, the number one security threat facing the American people is 
domestic violent extremism, and we saw what domestic violent extremism 
can do when it broke into our House on January 6.
  According to the Secretary of Homeland Security, Alejandro Mayorkas: 
``Domestic violent extremism poses the most lethal and persistent 
terrorism-related threat to our country today.''
  Abraham Lincoln made a beautiful speech that I recommend to all of my 
colleagues before they vote on this legislation today, the Lyceum 
Address, where he said all the armies of Europe, all the armies of 
Africa and Asia, could never conquer American democracy. But if there 
is a mortal threat to us, it will come from within, from dissension 
within, and threats to the constitutional order from within.
  We must pay attention to what happened on January 6, and we must 
honor those brave men and women who fought for hours against medieval-
style waves of violence raining down upon them on that day. And we must 
do honor to future generations of Americans to find out exactly what 
happened and why, and how to stop it in the future.
  Let's pass this legislation today.
  Mr. COLE. Madam Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
  Madam Speaker, I oppose the rule. The majority is proposing two 
significant pieces of legislation today. Unfortunately, concerns remain 
with both of them.
  H.R. 3237, the supplemental appropriations package intended to 
provide funds for the security of the Capitol complex is, unfortunately 
and unnecessarily, a partisan bill.
  It was the subject of bipartisan negotiations, and there is no reason 
we could not have gotten to a bipartisan result had the majority wanted 
to do so. Instead, we are left with a partisan package that does not 
meet the needs of the institution and, frankly, has no chance of 
becoming law in its current form.
  I would urge my friends particularly to look at the section relating 
to the rapid response force. That is something where I think, honestly, 
with a little bit more reflection, we could find some common ground.
  I think it is a mistake to put a force like that under the control of 
either the District of Columbia or the executive branch. I think we 
need direct control of that ourselves. I know some of my colleagues on 
the other side feel strongly that way, too. It simply

[[Page H2571]]

makes sense that if we are having a crisis here, we ought to make the 
decision if we need an extra force.
  I think if we keep working at it, we are going to find some common 
ground there, and I hope that we do.
  H.R. 3233 establishes a commission to investigate the January 6 
attack on the Capitol complex. Here, too, I want to acknowledge that 
real progress was made in the course of negotiations, and I want to 
commend particularly Chairman Thompson and Ranking Member Katko for 
having brought us closer to agreement.
  However, on our side, many of us continue to have reservations about 
this bill and the parameters of the commission itself. After all, the 
events of January 6 did not occur in a vacuum. If we truly hope to find 
answers for the American people, then we must take into account 
everything, all the other political violence that has taken place in 
recent years.
  I would just ask my friends to go back--and I know they have--and 
look at the 9/11 Commission, which did exactly that. It didn't just 
look at 9/11. It looked at the attack on the USS Cole. It went back to 
the attack on the African Embassies that we experienced.
  There is room here, I think, for context and additional discussion. 
We also have concerns structurally with some of the staffing provisions 
and other items that I have mentioned that we hopefully would look at. 
We would like to continue to work on that.
  I think we could have made good progress had any of the amendments 
that were offered in the Rules Committee been made in order. My friends 
chose not to do that. That is their privilege to do so, but I think it 
probably obstructed what could have been a larger bipartisan vote for 
this particular piece of legislation.
  But, again, we will see going forward. What we do here isn't the 
final arbiter. This is one stage in the process. The United States 
Senate is the next stop. Hopefully, there will be some changes made 
there. Then, it will have to come back here. We should look at both of 
these matters as stops in a journey, or parts of a journey, not as the 
final decision on any of them.
  Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote ``no'' on the previous 
question and ``no'' on the rule, and I yield back the balance of my 
time.
  Mr. McGOVERN. Madam Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
  Madam Speaker, I am deeply disappointed that any of my Republican 
colleagues would oppose the creation of this commission. There is a lot 
of talk all the time about the need for bipartisanship, and that is 
what we have here. This is true bipartisanship.
  The distinguished minority leader sent a letter to Speaker Pelosi 
asking for an equal 5:5 ratio in appointments by Democrats and 
Republicans on this commission. He got it.
  He asked for coequal subpoena power. He got it.
  He asked for no inclusion of findings or other predetermined 
conclusions which ultimately should be rendered by the commission 
itself. He got it.
  Now, maybe the gentleman didn't think he would, but Chairman Thompson 
and Ranking Member Katko, who was appointed by the minority leader to 
negotiate on behalf of the Republicans, came to a deal, a genuinely 
bipartisan deal to look into the horrific acts of what happened in this 
Chamber on January 6.
  I was here that day. They were not ordinary tourists who came in 
here. My colleagues on the Republican side who are here today, there 
are pictures of them helping to barricade the doors. They know exactly 
what happened on January 6.
  Those people who attacked the Capitol were not here to make a 
political point. They were here to desecrate this building and hurt 
people.
  We, as Members of Congress, signed up for this job. But I want 
Members to vote for this commission, not because of us, but because of 
the people who work here, our staff, the support staff, the Capitol 
Police, the people who work in our cafeterias, the people who maintain 
this building. They were traumatized by what happened here.
  Our response to all of this is: Well, let's move on. Let's not do 
this, in spite of a truly bipartisan negotiation and a bipartisan 
commission.
  This is so disappointing. I mean, don't talk to us about 
bipartisanship, and then when you get it, you turn your back on it.
  Madam Speaker, I am sick and tired of those who want to hover around 
mistruths and lies and spread conspiracy theories. What happened 133 
days ago can never be normalized. We all have to speak the truth, and 
we must act to prevent it from ever happening again. That starts with 
not only passing this rule but passing this bipartisan bill to 
establish a bipartisan commission to produce a report for the American 
people so that we know clearly and credibly as to what happened and 
that we can take additional actions to make sure it never happens 
again.
  As I said in my opening, vote for this out of respect for this 
institution, out of respect for our democracy, out of respect for the 
truth, out of respect for the people who work for you, who come here 
every day and work for you. We owe it to them and to this country to 
move forward.
  The material previously referred to by Mr. Cole is as follows:

                   Amendment to House Resolution 409

       At the end of the resolution, add the following:
       Sec. 3. Immediately upon adoption of this resolution, the 
     House shall proceed to the consideration in the House of the 
     resolution (H. Res. 153) condemning recent hate crimes 
     committed against Asian-American and Pacific Islanders. The 
     resolution shall be considered as read. The previous question 
     shall be considered as ordered on the resolution and preamble 
     to adoption without intervening motion or demand for division 
     of the question except one hour of debate equally divided and 
     controlled by the chair and ranking minority member of the 
     Committee on the Judiciary.
       Sec. 4. Clause 1(c) of rule XIX shall not apply to the 
     consideration of H. Res. 153.
  Mr. McGOVERN. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time, and 
I move the previous question on the resolution.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Ms. Jackson Lee). The question is on 
ordering the previous question.
  The question was taken; and the Speaker pro tempore announced that 
the ayes appeared to have it.
  Mr. COLE. Madam Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to section 3(s) of House Resolution 
8, the yeas and nays are ordered.
  Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further proceedings on this question 
are postponed.

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