A bill to establish a select-committee investigating the January 6 attack on Congress passed the House on Wednesday on a vote of 222-190.
There were 34 Republican votes in the House to create a bipartisan commission in May, but Republicans filibustered that bill in the Senate. Only two House Republicans (Adam Kinzinger of Illinois and Liz Cheney of Wyoming) voted Wednesday for the select-committee over which Speaker Pelosi will have a final say.
Cheney explained her “yes” vote in the following statement:
“The attack on January 6th was an unprecedented assault on Congress and the functioning of our democratic process. That day, almost all of us recognized immediately the gravity of what had occurred. Since January 6th, the courage of my party’s leaders has faded. But the threat to our Republic has not. On an almost daily basis, Donald Trump repeats the same statements that provoked violence before. His attacks on our Constitution are accelerating. Our responsibility is to confront these threats, not appease and deflect.
“Earlier this month, along with 34 other House Republicans, I supported the establishment of a bipartisan independent commission to investigate the attack of January 6th. As I’ve said before, that would have been the best way to address the dangerous assault on the institutions of our democracy. Although that bill passed the House, it was defeated in the Senate. It is right to be wary of an overtly partisan inquiry. But Congress is obligated to conduct a full investigation of the most serious attack on our Capitol since 1814. Our nation, and the families of the brave law enforcement officers who were injured defending us or died following the attack, deserve answers. I believe this select committee is our only remaining option. I will vote to support it.
“This investigation can only succeed if it is sober, professional, and non-partisan. The threat to our democracy is far too grave for grandstanding or political maneuvering. The Committee should issue and enforce subpoenas promptly, hire skilled counsel, and do its job thoroughly and expeditiously. The American people need and deserve a full accounting. We must ensure that what happened on January 6, 2021 never happens again.”
