House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) announced the House is moving forward with a select committee to investigate the U.S. Capitol riot on January 6.
“This morning, with great solemnity and sadness, I am announcing that the House will be establishing a select committee on the January 6 insurrection,” Pelosi said during her press conference on Thursday.
She continued, “January 6 was one of the darkest days in our nation’s history … It is imperative that we establish the truth of that day and ensure that an attack of that kind cannot happen and that we root out the causes of it all.”
Pelosi explained the select committee will “investigate and report on the facts and the causes of the attack and it will report recommendations for the prevention of any future attack.”
The House speaker also said the select committee is “complementary, not instead of” a commission to investigate the events.
Watch part of Pelosi’s press conference below:
.@SpeakerPelosi: "This morning, with great solemnity and sadness, I'm announcing that the House will be establishing a Select Committee on the January 6th Insurrection."
— CSPAN (@cspan) June 24, 2021
Full video here: https://t.co/mYeH43suPW pic.twitter.com/hPJs0gS7Di
“The select committee is about our democracy, about ensuring that the Capitol dome remain a symbol of freedom, about preserving America’s role as an emblem of resilience, determination, and hope,” Pelosi said.
She added, “That is our purpose. That is what the select committee will be about and that is about seeking and finding the truth.”
The legislation to establish an independent commission to investigate the riot failed to pass in a 54-35 vote in May, as IJR reported.
The six Republicans who voted in favor of the legislation were Sens. Mitt Romney (Utah), Susan Collins (Maine) Lisa Murkowski (Alaska), Ben Sasse (Neb.), Bill Cassidy (La.), and Rob Portman (Ohio).