Spanberger Statement on U.S. House Passing Legislation to Establish Bipartisan Commission Focused on the January 6 U.S. Capitol Attack

WASHINGTON, D.C.  – U.S. Representative Abigail Spanberger today released the following statement after voting with a bipartisan majority of the U.S. House of Representatives to establish a 9/11 Commission-style panel to investigate the attempted insurrection on January 6. This commission would use a bipartisan group of law enforcement, civil rights, civil liberties, privacy, intelligence, and cybersecurity experts to both examine the origins of the attack on the U.S. Capitol Complex and prevent future threats.

“A full investigation of this attempt to block the constitutional duty of Congress and overturn the will of the American people is more than warranted. On January 6, I was trapped in the gallery of the House Chamber with colleagues and members of the media whose evacuation route had been blocked — and I witnessed courageous, selfless law enforcement officers fend off a violent attack on our democracy. This attack resulted in more than 140 injuries to U.S. Capitol Police and Metropolitan Police Department officers, and this destruction was fueled by consistent lies about the outcome of the 2020 presidential election,” said Spanberger. “Today, I joined a bipartisan group of my colleagues in recognizing the need for a January 6 commission. This panel would have the opportunity to provide an objective picture of the events of January 6 to the public — and this bipartisan commission would also have the latitude to issue authoritative recommendations on preventing future assaults. At a moment when there are still ongoing threats to the Capitol complex, Members of Congress, Capitol employees, and Capitol Police, we cannot afford to simply move on or accept inaction.”

The bipartisan National Commission to Investigate the January 6 Attack on the United States Capitol Complex Act is led in the U.S. House by U.S. Representatives Bennie Thompson (D-MS-02), Chairman of the U.S. House Homeland Security Committee, and John Katko (R-NY-24), the Ranking Republican on the U.S. House Homeland Security Committee. 

Current government officers or employees would be prohibited from appointment to the commission.

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