JUST IN: House Committee Reaches Deal on 9/11-Style Bipartisan Commission to Investigate Capitol Riot

The House of Representatives has just announced a bipartisan agreement to create a 9/11 style commission to investigate the January 6th attack on the Capitol. 

Homeland Security Committee Chair Bennie Thompson (D-MS) announced an agreement with Republican Ranking Member John Katko (R-NY) to introduce legislation to form an “independent commission to investigate the January 6 domestic terrorism attack on the United States Capitol and recommend changes to further protect the Capitol, citadel of our democracy.”

News of the bipartisan investigation comes just days after a raucous House Oversight Committee hearing that featured Rep. Stephen Lynch and former Acting Defense Secretary Christopher Miller exchanging insults with one another, and several House Republicans dismissing the insurrection led by Trump supporters as “normal” actions of “proud patriotic citizens.”

“There has been a growing consensus that the January 6th attack is of a complexity and national significance that what we need an independent commission to investigate. I am pleased that after many months of intensive discussion, Ranking Member Katko and I were able to reach a bipartisan agreement,” sad Chairman Thompson said in the statement.

Former President Donald Trump was impeached for a second time for allegedly fomenting the riots that occurred on that fateful day, though he was not convicted in an almost entirely partisan vote. Since then Trump has continued to baselessly claim he lost the 2020 general election through widespread systemic fraud, though there is no material evidence that supports that claim.

Read the full release below:

COMMITTEE ON HOMELAND SECURITY
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Chairman Thompson Announces Bipartisan Agreement with Ranking Member Katko to Create Commission to Investigate the January 6 Attack on the Capitol

May 14, 2021 (WASHINGTON) — Today, Committee on Homeland Security Chairman Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS) announced that he has reached an agreement with Ranking Member John Katko (R-NY) to introduce legislation to form a bipartisan, independent Commission to investigate the January 6 domestic terrorism attack on the United States Capitol and recommend changes to further protect the Capitol, the citadel of our democracy. The legislation, entitled the National Commission to Investigate the January Attack on the United States Capitol Complex Act (H.R. 3233), will be introduced by Reps. Thompson and Katko today and is expected to be considered in the House as soon as next week.

Commission details:
• The Commission will be charged with studying the facts and circumstances surrounding the facts and circumstances of the January 6th attack on the Capitol as well as the influencing factors that may have provoked the attack on our democracy.

• Like the 9/11 Commission, the measure establishes a 10-person bipartisan commission with five commissioners, including the Chair, appointed by the Speaker of the House and Majority Leader of the Senate and five commissioners, including the Vice Chair, be appointed by the Minority Leaders of the House and Senate.

• Commissioners must have significant expertise in the areas of law enforcement, civil rights, civil liberties, privacy, intelligence, and cybersecurity. Current government officers or employees are prohibited from appointment.

• Like the 9/11 Commission, the Commission will be granted authority to issue subpoenas to secure information to carry out its investigation but requires agreement between the Chair and the Vice Chair or a vote by a majority of Commission members.

• The Commission will be required to issue a final report with findings regarding the facts and causes of the attack, along with recommendations to prevent future attacks on our democratic institutions, by December 31, 2021.

“There has been a growing consensus that the January 6th attack is of a complexity and national significance that what we need an independent commission to investigate. I am pleased that after many months of intensive discussion, Ranking Member Katko and I were able to reach a bipartisan agreement,” sad Chairman Thompson. “Inaction — or just moving on — is simply not an option. The creation of this commission is our way of taking responsibility for protecting the U.S. Capitol. After all, the Capitol is not just a historic landmark, it is where our constituents come to see their democracy in action. As such, we owe it to the Capitol police and all who enter our citadel of democracy to investigate the attack. The timing of this action is particularly poignant with this being National Police Week, when we honor those who gave their lives to protect us.”