House panel agrees on forming Jan. 6 riot commission
Group would consist of 5 Democrats and 5 Republicans and have subpoena power.
WASHINGTON — The top Democratic and Republican members of the House Homeland Security Committee have reached an agreement on legislation to form a bipartisan commission to investigate the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol. The measure had stalled amid partisan differences.
Under the terms of the agreement announced Friday, the commission would have an equal number of Democrats and Republicans, five from each party. It would have subpoena power and be charged with issuing a final report by Dec. 31, along with recommendations to prevent future attacks.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said the legislation could be considered by the House “as soon as next week,” along with a spending bill to pay for security improvements to the Capitol. Lawmakers are considering how to toughen security after hundreds of President Trump’s supporters pushed past police on Jan. 6, broke in through windows and doors, and sent lawmakers fleeing. The commission bill also needs Senate approval.
For months, Republican and Democratic lawmakers have been at odds over the commission with GOP leaders — including Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell — saying the investigation should focus not just on the Jan. 6 insurrection, but also on violence after the death of George Floyd.
It’s unclear how many Republicans will vote for the commission. House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy said after the announcement that he had not read the details yet and did not signal whether he would support it.
The insurrection is an increasingly fraught subject in the House GOP conference. Although almost every Republican member condemned the violent mob that day, and many criticized Trump for his role in egging them on, a growing number have downplayed the attack as time has passed. At a hearing investigating the siege this week, several members denied that there was an insurrection at all.
The House impeached Trump one week after the insurrection for telling his supporters to “fight like hell” in a speech just before the attack. The Senate acquitted him in February.
Like the 9/11 Commission that investigated the terrorist attacks on the U.S. 20 years ago, the commission would be granted authority to issue subpoenas to secure information for its investigation, but it requires the agreement of both the chairman and vice chairman, or through a majority vote.
“It is imperative that we seek the truth of what happened on Jan. 6 with an independent, bipartisan 9/11type commission to examine and report upon the facts, causes and security relating to the terrorist mob attack,” Pelosi said.
House Homeland Security Chairman Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.), said lawmakers “owe it to the Capitol Police” to conduct a thorough investigation.
“Inaction — or just moving on — is simply not an option,” Thompson said. “The creation of this commission is our way of taking responsibility for protecting the U.S. Capitol.”
Thompson negotiated the bill with Republican John Katko of New York. Katko was one of 10 House Republicans who voted to impeach Trump in January.