[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]
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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.
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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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