Condemning recent hate crimes committed against Asian-American and Pacific Islanders.

Madam Speaker, by direction of the Committee on Rules, I call up House Resolution 409 and ask for its immediate consideration.

Madam Speaker, for the purpose of debate only, I yield the customary 30 minutes to the gentleman from Oklahoma (Mr. Cole), my friend, pending which I yield myself such time as I may consume. During consideration of this resolution, all time yielded is for the purpose of debate only.

General Leave

Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members be given 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks.

Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Yesterday, the Committee on Rules met and reported a rule, House Resolution 409. The rule provides for consideration of H.R. 3233 to establish a National Commission to Investigate the January 6 Attack on the United States Capitol Complex Act, under a closed rule.

The rule provides 1 hour of debate equally divided and controlled by the chair and ranking minority member of the Committee on Homeland Security or their designees and provides one motion to recommit.

The rule also provides for consideration of H.R. 3237, the Emergency Security Supplemental to Respond to January 6 Appropriations Act, 2021, under a closed rule.

The rule provides 1 hour of debate equally divided and controlled by the chair and ranking minority member of the Committee on Oversight and Reform or their designees, and provides for one motion to recommit.

Madam Speaker, it has been 133 days since an angry mob of insurrectionists tried to stop the certification of a free and fair election in America. The question before us today is this: What are we going to do about it?

Some of my colleagues on the other side want to sweep this dark chapter under the rug. Just last week, one Republican said the events of January 6 resembled a ``normal tourist visit.''

Madam Speaker, I was here presiding over the House on January 6. People died that day. Police officers were beaten and bloodied. America's Capitol, the symbol of our freedom and the

citadel of our democracy, was desecrated by a mob that wanted to invalidate an election. There was nothing normal about it.

It is not normal for a mob to break into this complex to try and hang the Vice President of the United States and harm other elected officials.

It is not normal for insurrectionists to try to stop the certification of an American election, one that judge after judge after judge said was free and fair. And it is not normal for Congress to respond by doing nothing. That is why we are considering the underlying legislation contained in this rule. It will establish a bipartisan 9/ 11-style commission to investigate what happened, a commission led not by politicians, but by experts.

Now let me say this plainly: A vote for this commission is a vote to make sure this never happens again. And I want to recognize the incredible work of the chairman and ranking member of the Committee on Homeland Security in navigating this truly bipartisan deal. It is one that will keep the focus where it should be, solely on the events of January 6. And I look forward to the Commission's report at the end of the year. But the truth is, we cannot wait until then to fix what we already know needs fixing.

We need to upgrade the physical safety of this and other Federal buildings. We need to increase security in district offices, repay the National Guard for their service in the aftermath of the insurrection, and provide support to the overworked Capitol Police force that keep us all safe day after day.

Madam Speaker, this is how you respond responsibly to what happened 4 months ago, not with deflection or mistruths, but by taking action to protect not only this complex and those who work, serve, and visit here, but to also protect our very democracy, and making sure we never become a country that lets any angry mob decide who the next President will be.

Madam Speaker, only the voters can do that. We need to put the facts on Record here, to tell the truth and not spread lies. And the truth is that some on the other side are afraid to do anything around here because they are afraid, afraid of the truth, afraid because their leadership doesn't want to offend the ex-President and his big lie. That is all I could think of when I read the minority leader's deeply troubling statement opposing the January 6 commission.

Now, even though it is bipartisan, even though his own ranking member negotiated the deal, even though we gave him virtually everything he asked for during the negotiations, a Republican aide said it best when they were quoted in the press yesterday saying this: ``I think Kevin was hoping that the Democrats would never agree to our requests; That way the commission would be partisan and we can all vote ``no'' and say it is a sham operation, because he knows Trump is going to lose his mind.'' Lose his mind over a bipartisan commission.

Madam Speaker, this moment is a choice, a choice between the truth or siding with the originator of the big lie. To my friends on the other side, I am asking you to lead with the courage of your convictions. Vote your conscience. Support this bipartisan commission, not just because it is the right thing to do, but support it out of respect, out of respect for your colleagues, for your staff and the support staff here, for the Capitol Police, but, most importantly, respect for this institution.

Now, I have cast some tough votes in my career, but casting a vote to establish a bipartisan commission to establish an insurrection is not one of them. I appeal to my colleagues to do the right thing, to lead with courage, and support this legislation.

Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

I also agree with the gentleman that Chairman Thompson and Ranking Member Katko deserve an enormous amount of credit. They negotiated a truly bipartisan deal.

I have taken note of the letter that Minority Leader McCarthy sent to Speaker Pelosi of all the things he wanted in this deal, and he got virtually every one of them, all in this bipartisan deal. Now, all of a sudden, it is not good enough.

All of the concerns that my good friend raised are addressed in this bill. The commission could look at anything and investigate anything related to the violence that occurred here on January 6.

I mean, what happened here, isn't that a big enough deal to merit an investigation?

I don't get it.

In the bill, by the way, is language that is quite clear about how this commission will not interfere with any other ongoing investigations. In fact, very similar to the 9/11 commission, it will be informed by other investigations and complement other investigations.

So, again, I urge my colleagues, Democrats and Republicans, to vote for this commission, out of respect for the people who work here, out of respect for this institution, out of respect for our democracy.

Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from the District of Columbia (Ms. Norton).

Madam Speaker, I yield an additional 30 seconds to the gentlewoman from the District of Columbia.

Madam Speaker, I reference the text of S. 937 and H. Res. 275, a bill and a resolution we are considering this week. S. 937 was passed yesterday, and right after this debate, we are going to adopt H. Res. 275. They are two pieces of legislation condemning hate crimes against Asian Americans in this country.

Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from New Jersey (Ms. Sherrill).

Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Gallego).

Madam Speaker, I include in the Record a statement from the family of United States Capitol Officer Howie Liebengood, who died by suicide. His death was a direct result of the trauma and strain from the January 6 attack.

Madam Speaker, in the statement, the family of Officer Liebengood states: ``We believe a thorough, nonpartisan investigation into the root causes of and the response to the January 6 riot is essential for our Nation to move forward. Howie's death was an immediate outgrowth of those events.''

Liebengood Family Statement on the January 6th Commission and Security

Supplemental

Family of fallen USCP Officer Howie Liebengood calls on Congress to

pass both pieces of legislation

Washington, DC--Today, the Office of Congresswoman Jennifer

Wexton (D-VA) released the following statement from the

family of United States Capitol Police Officer Howie

Liebengood regarding the National Commission to Investigate

the January 6 Attack on the United States Capitol Complex Act

and the Emergency Security Supplemental to Respond to January

6th Appropriations Act.

``We believe a thorough, non-partisan investigation into

the root causes of and the response to the January 6th riot

is essential for our nation to move forward. Howie's death

was an immediate outgrowth of those events. Every officer who

worked that day, as well as their families, should have a

better understanding of what happened. Uncovering the facts

will help our nation heal and may lessen the lingering

emotional bitterness that has divided our country. We implore

Congress to work as one and establish the proposed

Commission.

``Additionally, improved mental health for USCP officers

has been one of our goals for the past four months. Through

the tireless efforts of Congresswoman Wexton, we are honored

a wellness program bearing Howie's name has been proposed in

the security supplemental along with more resources for the

program. We welcome and support the new funding and staffing

initiatives that will help prevent future tragedies among the

Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Cohen).

Madam Speaker, I include in the Record a May 19 letter

from the Bipartisan Policy Center in support of H.R. 3233, the National Commission to Investigate the January 6 Attack on the United States Capitol Complex Act.

In the letter, the cochairs of the 9/11 Commission, Governor Tom Kean and Representative Lee Hamilton state: ``A full accounting of the events of January 6 and the identification of measures to strengthen the Congress can help our country heal.''

[From BPC Action]

BPC Action Urges Support for H.R. 3233

H.R. 3233, the ``National Commission to Investigate the

January 6 Attack on the United States Capitol Complex Act,''

is a crucial step for the country to get the truth of those

shocking events and agree on how to ensure they never occur

again. The Bipartisan Policy Center is encouraged that the

agreement reflects the principles of 9-11 Commission chairs

Gov. Tom Kean and Rep. Lee Hamilton, who stated, ``A full

accounting of the events of January 6th and the

identification of measures to strengthen the Congress can

help our country heal.''

A single narrative of the facts of that day and actionable

recommendations for preventing them from recurring are the

predicate for ensuring our democracy is respected and

protected. This bipartisan, independent commission is

structured so experts will be empowered to objectively assess

the evidence and chart a path forward.

In this midst of opportunity for growth and healing, it is

crucial that we reflect on our history: the strength of the

9/11 commission was that it was bipartisan and unified by the

imperative of national security. Twenty years later, we are

reminded of the security challenges this nation faces, and we

must come together in the same way we did following 9/11.

We applaud the House and Senate committees and law

enforcement investigations that have laid groundwork for an

independent commission to begin its work--and House and

Senate leaders, especially Chairman Bennie Thompson and

Ranking Member John Katko, for creating a process that has a

real chance for success. We urge Congress to support H.R.

3233.

Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Mississippi (Mr. Thompson), who is the distinguished chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security.

Madam Speaker, let's be clear that opposition to this commission is not about substance or policy; it really is about politics, plain and simple. At least, my Republican colleagues in the Senate side are willing to admit that. Senator Thune said that there is concern among Republicans that the findings could be ``weaponized politically and drug into next year''.

I get that his members want to ``be moving forward and not looking backward,'' but this was an attack on the United States Capitol, and all the people who work here. It was an attack on our democracy.

Madam Speaker, I include in the Record a CNN article entitled ``Republicans fear January 6 probe could undercut 2022 midterm message.''

[From CNN, May 19, 2021]

Republicans Fear January 6 Probe Could Undercut 2022 Midterm Message

(By Manu Raju)

Senior Republicans are making clear they have little

interest in moving forward with a sweeping January 6

investigation in part because a detailed probe could become

politically damaging and amount to a distraction for their

party just as control of Congress is at stake in next year's

midterm elections.

Publicly and privately, Republicans are making that case,

with Senate GOP Whip John Thune noting that there's concern

among some GOP members that the findings of the probe ``could

be weaponized politically and drug into next year.'' ``I want

our midterm message to be on the kinds of things that the

American people are dealing with: That's jobs and wages and

the economy and national security, safe streets and strong

borders--not relitigating the 2020 elections,'' Thune told

CNN. ``A lot of our members, and I think this is true of a

lot of House Republicans, want to be moving forward and not

looking backward. Anything that gets us rehashing the 2020

elections I think is a day lost on being able to draw a

contrast between us the Democrats' very radical left-wing

agenda.''

Thune's comments came moments after Senate GOP Leader Mitch

McConnell announced his opposition on the floor, contending

it would duplicate ongoing probes

and contending the deal--which was reached between a House

Republican and House Democrat--is designed to find a

conclusion that would be in ``Democrats' hands.'' The

commission would be structured so 10 members--chosen equally

between the leaders from both political parties--could report

by year's end on what happened on January 6, as well as the

``influencing factors'' behind it.

It's clear that such an investigation would also look at

then-President Donald Trump's role in promoting the January 6

``Stop the Steal'' rally, his lies that the election was

stolen and his efforts to subvert the will of voters.

Moreover, it could put an uncomfortable focus on some

conservative GOP senators and House members who sought to

overturn the election results in Congress, while keeping the

issue front-and-center as the investigation plays out over

the next year.

And there are ample questions about whether House GOP

Leader Kevin McCarthy would be forced to testify to explain

what Trump was saying on January 6 given the two spoke during

a heated phone call that day.

``It would be a distraction,'' one senior GOP source told

CNN, arguing any investigation should also look at left-wing

extremism as well.

Similar concerns were voiced through the Senate Republican

Conference on Wednesday, coming hours after a group of

members huddled privately with McCarthy earlier in the

morning.

Sen. John Cornyn, a Texas Republican and member of

leadership, said that in addition to his concern about a

commission's work overlapping with criminal probes, he

accused House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of pushing the

investigation to help Democrats' chances at keeping control

of Congress.

``Well, part of the concern is that's the plan,'' Cornyn

said. ``That's Pelosi's plan.'' If the probe dragged out

until the next year, he added: ``That would be the Democrats'

dream. . . . I generally don't try to help Democrats.''

While the bill is expected to pass the House on Wednesday,

it's an open question whether it will pass the Senate, where

60 votes would be needed to break a GOP filibuster.

Thune, the chief GOP vote counter, said they haven't taken

the caucus' temperature yet on the plan.

``I would say that there's a skepticism about what's

happening in the House right now and whether or not what

comes out is a proposal that will be fair.''

Sen. Gary Peters, who chairs the Democratic Senatorial

Campaign Committee, said there's a reason why Republicans are

battling the commission.

``They're afraid of the truth because it puts them on the

wrong side of what is right,'' Peters, a Michigan Democrat,

said Wednesday.

Asked if he is concerned the probe could last into the

midterm season when the GOP wants to focus on jobs,

Republican Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina said: ``There's

a lot of stuff we need to focus on.''

``Why shift our attention away from that, when we already

have an infrastructure in place to address a lot of the

things that the commission seems to be stood up to address,''

Tillis asked. ``Seems redundant.''

Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Pascrell).

Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Espaillat).

Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Rhode Island (Mr. Cicilline).

Madam Speaker, I am having trouble trying to figure out exactly what the problem that some of my Republican colleagues may have with this bill. Maybe, based on the lack of speakers, they are having trouble figuring it out too.

Madam Speaker, I yield 2\1/2\ minutes to the gentlewoman from Pennsylvania (Ms. Scanlon), who is a distinguished member of the Rules Committee.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson Lee).

Mr. Speaker, may I inquire how much time is remaining for us on both sides.

Mr. Speaker, I encourage all Members here today to read today's Washington Post editorial questioning Leader McCarthy's political courage in opposing this bill and calling for him to testify under oath about his eyewitness experience of the violence and former President Trump's apparent indifference to it.

The editorial also criticizes his false equivalence of Black Lives Matter protests to the Capitol invasion and his minimization of the insurrection's significance, which only encourages the lies on which it is based.

I include that article in the Record.

[From the Washington Post, May 18, 2021]

Opinion: Kevin McCarthy Plumbs New Depths of Political Cowardice

(Opinion by the Editorial Board)

Democratic and Republican negotiators agreed last week to

create a high-level, expert commission with subpoena power to

conduct an examination of the Jan. 6 Capitol invasion, one of

the lowest moments in U.S. history. But House Minority Leader

Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) on Tuesday threw his negotiators

under the bus, condemning the compromise and vowing to oppose

the bill creating the commission when it comes to a House

vote Wednesday.

Many Republicans do not want an impartial panel to remind

the public of their party's role in the event. A fair inquiry

would examine how GOP lawmakers fed the election lies that

inspired the mob, and how they built Jan. 6, which should

have featured a pro forma counting of electoral votes, into a

showdown over the 2020 presidential election. Republican

lawmakers who signed a spurious lawsuit seeking to overturn

the results bear some guilt; those who went on to object to

the counting of electoral votes from several swing states

bear even more.

An honest proceeding would also require Mr. McCarthy to

testify under oath about his eyewitness experience of the

violence--and to then-President Donald Trump's apparent

indifference. Mr. McCarthy has resisted offering the public a

frank accounting of his interactions with Mr. Trump,

including on a phone call during which Mr. McCarthy

reportedly begged Mr. Trump to stop the mob. Mr. McCarthy has

concluded that whatever political benefits he receives from

embracing Mr. Trump are worth the price of his integrity.

If there are to be hearings, Mr. McCarthy argued, they

should examine not only the Capitol invasion but other

politically motivated violence, such as the riots surrounding

the Black Lives Matter protests last summer. The point is to

draw a false equivalence between a historically unique attack

on the nation's seat of government, in which Mr. Trump and

other Republicans are directly implicated, and crimes that

left-leaning activists committed--crimes that did not occur

in the halls of Congress, that did not aim to interrupt the

peaceful transition of power, that did not reflect a plot to

overturn a presidential election.

Mr. McCarthy knows Democrats will never endorse a panel

designed to mislead the nation about Jan. 6, so his proposal

for a broader mandate is a ruse: He simply does not want any

investigation at all. House Democrats should nevertheless

advance the compromise plan on Wednesday. Then the public

will see whether there are 10 Senate Republicans willing to

approve the deal. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-

Ky.) on Tuesday did not rule out supporting it, raising minor

concerns about its structure that should be negotiable. But

if Senate Republicans capitulate to the calculations driving

Mr. McCarthy, House and Senate committees should use their

subpoena power to conduct their own investigations, even if

that means Democrats lead the inquiries without Republican

cooperation.

Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Raskin), a distinguished member of the Rules Committee.

Madam Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I am deeply disappointed that any of my Republican colleagues would oppose the creation of this commission. There is a lot of talk all the time about the need for bipartisanship, and that is what we have here. This is true bipartisanship.

The distinguished minority leader sent a letter to Speaker Pelosi asking for an equal 5:5 ratio in appointments by Democrats and Republicans on this commission. He got it.

He asked for coequal subpoena power. He got it.

He asked for no inclusion of findings or other predetermined conclusions which ultimately should be rendered by the commission itself. He got it.

Now, maybe the gentleman didn't think he would, but Chairman Thompson and Ranking Member Katko, who was appointed by the minority leader to negotiate on behalf of the Republicans, came to a deal, a genuinely bipartisan deal to look into the horrific acts of what happened in this Chamber on January 6.

I was here that day. They were not ordinary tourists who came in here. My colleagues on the Republican side who are here today, there are pictures of them helping to barricade the doors. They know exactly what happened on January 6.

Those people who attacked the Capitol were not here to make a political point. They were here to desecrate this building and hurt people.

We, as Members of Congress, signed up for this job. But I want Members to vote for this commission, not because of us, but because of the people who work here, our staff, the support staff, the Capitol Police, the people who work in our cafeterias, the people who maintain this building. They were traumatized by what happened here.

Our response to all of this is: Well, let's move on. Let's not do this, in spite of a truly bipartisan negotiation and a bipartisan commission.

This is so disappointing. I mean, don't talk to us about bipartisanship, and then when you get it, you turn your back on it.

Madam Speaker, I am sick and tired of those who want to hover around mistruths and lies and spread conspiracy theories. What happened 133 days ago can never be normalized. We all have to speak the truth, and we must act to prevent it from ever happening again. That starts with not only passing this rule but passing this bipartisan bill to establish a bipartisan commission to produce a report for the American people so that we know clearly and credibly as to what happened and that we can take additional actions to make sure it never happens again.

As I said in my opening, vote for this out of respect for this institution, out of respect for our democracy, out of respect for the truth, out of respect for the people who work for you, who come here every day and work for you. We owe it to them and to this country to move forward.

Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time, and I move the previous question on the resolution.

Madam Speaker, I thank my good friend, the distinguished gentleman from Massachusetts, Chairman McGovern, for yielding me the customary 30 minutes, and I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Madam Speaker, today's rule covers two items. The first item I will discuss is H.R. 3237, a supplemental appropriations bill intended to provide security funding for the Capitol complex, including funding for the U.S. Capitol Police, the National Guard, and other agencies that responded to the January 6 attack on the Capitol complex, as well as to provide funds to address the coronavirus throughout a variety of agencies Congress directly controls.

Although the process leading to this bill started out with bipartisan negotiations, unfortunately, no deal was reached. Instead of negotiating with Republicans on our counterproposal, as is typical in these discussions, Democrats walked away, once again, choosing to go it alone with the bipartisan bill before us today.

Madam Speaker, it is truly disappointing that Democrats were unwilling to continue to work towards an agreement with Republicans on a matter of this magnitude, and given that the Senate is in no hurry to take up this legislation, a few additional weeks of discussion could and likely would have led to a bipartisan product instead of a product destined for the legislative graveyard.

In the wake of the January 6 attack, I would hope that the majority would join with Republicans and choose to speak with one voice. Instead, like so many items in this Congress, the majority has insisted on its way or the highway. And today, they are doing it so again with this partisan bill.

House Republicans and even some Senate Democrats have concerns with this package. The bill creates a rapid response force with the D.C. National Guard. Any rapid response force intended to provide backup for the United States Capitol Police and to protect the Capitol complex should be under the control of, and housed within Congress.

As a number of my colleagues mentioned during the debate in the Committee on Rules yesterday, housing these capabilities within the D.C. National Guard introduces the exact same concerns my friends on the other side raised in the aftermath of January 6, that Congress would be reliant on the executive branch to deploy this rapid response force.

Madam Speaker, I have deep concerns about putting this rapid response force under the control of any other entity, whether that is the government or the District of Columbia or the executive branch. I also have grave concerns about assigning this role to the military since this is undoubtedly a law enforcement function.

Further bipartisan and bicameral negotiations would have helped us to tailor the package to allay some of the serious concerns Members have, and at the same time would direct funds to where they are needed most.

Madam Speaker, I do know that what the House passes this week will not be the final word. And I am hopeful that in the not-too-distant future, the House will take up a different version of this package, one that has been negotiated with Republicans and that can pass the Senate, and I look forward to supporting that package before the President signs it into law.

Madam Speaker, our second item for today is H.R. 3233, a bill which establishes a national commission to investigate the January 6 attack on the United States Capitol complex.

I thank Ranking Member John Katko and Chairman Bennie Thompson of the Committee on Homeland Security for their hard work in putting this legislation together. They took an unworkable and hyper-partisan proposal from the Speaker and turned it into a far better bill. I commend these two gentlemen for their desire to find bipartisan agreement.

However, I continue to have concerns with the legislation, concerns that could have been addressed if several of the amendments proposed at our Committee on Rules hearing would have been made in order.

On an issue this serious, the full House deserves the opportunity to debate and discuss areas of disagreement to see if we can find common ground. One of these areas of continued disagreement is that of scope, which remains too narrow in the proposal.

As the culture of our national politics has coarsened over the past several years, there has been a resulting broader wave of political violence in this country. This includes events like the 2017 domestic terror attack that targeted Republican Members of Congress at a baseball practice, and which would have been catastrophically worse but for the bravery of the U.S. Capitol Police officers who were present that day.

It includes the April 2 attack that killed U.S. Capitol Police Officer Billy Evans.

It includes the wave of violence, rioting, and property destruction that swept across the country last summer.

The commission should have specific flexibility to examine these events in their appropriate context.

I am also concerned about current language in the bill related to the ongoing work of law enforcement to bring the perpetrators of January 6 to justice. There are multiple investigations already underway. Several committees in both the House and the Senate have held, and will continue to hold, hearings on the topic.

The Architect of the Capitol is reviewing security vulnerabilities in the Capitol complex. As of yesterday, more than 450 people have been arrested in connection with the events of January 6, with at least 100 more arrests to come. All of these individuals will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law, as well they should.

Given each of these ongoing investigations and proceedings, I fear that adding yet another investigation from this proposed commission would only muddy the waters and make achieving due process and reaching justice all that much harder.

For that reason, I supported an amendment offered in the Rules Committee that would ensure that the ongoing and critically important work of law enforcement would continue unimpeded by this commission. For reasons I do not fully understand, this amendment was blocked.

Moreover, in my personal opinion, the commission would benefit from any revelations emerging from the investigations currently underway.

In addition, I note that it was 14 months between the events of 9/11 and the creation of the 9/11 commission. During that time, many facts emerged that informed the investigation of the commission. The same could be true here. As such, it makes sense to take more time prior to commencing an undertaking like this commission.

Though I have reservations about the bill, I have no reservations at all about the job Ranking Member Katko and Chairman Thompson have done. I am hopeful that this bill will be improved further as it proceeds through the legislative process.

Madam Speaker, I urge opposition to this rule, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Madam Speaker, if we defeat the previous question, I will offer an amendment to the rule to bring up House Resolution 153, a resolution condemning the recent hate crimes committed against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders.

Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to include the text of my amendment in the Record, along with extraneous material, immediately prior to the vote on the previous question.

Madam Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentlewoman from California (Mrs. Steel), my good friend, the author of the resolution, to further explain the amendment.

Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I continue to reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Madam Speaker, I want to thank my good friend, the distinguished chairman of the Homeland Security Committee, for his excellent work on this bill; and I want to thank his ranking member and negotiating partner. I think they, frankly, moved us in the right direction toward agreement.

We continue to have concerns. It is a long, legislative process. Obviously, we will have to pass something through the Senate as well. So it is my hope we can build upon their work and continue to move forward.

We are not prepared at this time to provide huge support for this bill. We think it can continue to improve. But that doesn't take anything away from my appreciation and admiration for the gentleman from Mississippi for his good work. We will continue to try and work with him and others and get to a place we can all come to agree.

Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I continue to reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I oppose the rule. The majority is proposing two significant pieces of legislation today. Unfortunately, concerns remain with both of them.

H.R. 3237, the supplemental appropriations package intended to provide funds for the security of the Capitol complex is, unfortunately and unnecessarily, a partisan bill.

It was the subject of bipartisan negotiations, and there is no reason we could not have gotten to a bipartisan result had the majority wanted to do so. Instead, we are left with a partisan package that does not meet the needs of the institution and, frankly, has no chance of becoming law in its current form.

I would urge my friends particularly to look at the section relating to the rapid response force. That is something where I think, honestly, with a little bit more reflection, we could find some common ground.

I think it is a mistake to put a force like that under the control of either the District of Columbia or the executive branch. I think we need direct control of that ourselves. I know some of my colleagues on the other side feel strongly that way, too. It simply

makes sense that if we are having a crisis here, we ought to make the decision if we need an extra force.

I think if we keep working at it, we are going to find some common ground there, and I hope that we do.

H.R. 3233 establishes a commission to investigate the January 6 attack on the Capitol complex. Here, too, I want to acknowledge that real progress was made in the course of negotiations, and I want to commend particularly Chairman Thompson and Ranking Member Katko for having brought us closer to agreement.

However, on our side, many of us continue to have reservations about this bill and the parameters of the commission itself. After all, the events of January 6 did not occur in a vacuum. If we truly hope to find answers for the American people, then we must take into account everything, all the other political violence that has taken place in recent years.

I would just ask my friends to go back--and I know they have--and look at the 9/11 Commission, which did exactly that. It didn't just look at 9/11. It looked at the attack on the USS Cole. It went back to the attack on the African Embassies that we experienced.

There is room here, I think, for context and additional discussion. We also have concerns structurally with some of the staffing provisions and other items that I have mentioned that we hopefully would look at. We would like to continue to work on that.

I think we could have made good progress had any of the amendments that were offered in the Rules Committee been made in order. My friends chose not to do that. That is their privilege to do so, but I think it probably obstructed what could have been a larger bipartisan vote for this particular piece of legislation.

But, again, we will see going forward. What we do here isn't the final arbiter. This is one stage in the process. The United States Senate is the next stop. Hopefully, there will be some changes made there. Then, it will have to come back here. We should look at both of these matters as stops in a journey, or parts of a journey, not as the final decision on any of them.

Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote ``no'' on the previous question and ``no'' on the rule, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman very much for yielding.

I was here on 9/11, and I could see the billowing smoke as we ran for our lives as the planes were hitting the Pentagon and the aftermath.

I was here on January 6 when screaming voices came and glass began to break, as the video has shown us, the video of the beatings. My tribute to all the officers--we have heard the story of Officer Fanone.

All we want is truth, and all we want is for the big lie to be undone.

It is important to support H.R. 3233, the National Commission to Investigate the January 6 Attack on the United States Capitol Complex, and the underlying emergency supplemental that General Honore and his committee so aptly did.

I thank Chairman Thompson and Ranking Member Katko for their hard work. Be reminded of the fact that it was the former President still lingering, lashing around instead of allowing the transfer of peaceful government to go. He is now pushing big lies.

I wanted the Vice President to live. I wanted the Speaker to live. I wanted Members to live. I wanted Black officers not to be under the threat of racist overtones. So this commission will listen to it all.

I ask my colleagues to get rid of the big lie, stand by the Constitution, the flag, and justice and equality for all. Pass H.R. 3233, the National Commission to Investigate the January 6 Attack on the United States Capitol Complex Act.

Mr. Speaker, as Chair of the Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime, Homeland Security, and Terrorism, and a senior member of the Homeland Security, and Budget Committees, I rise in strong support of the rule governing debate of H.R. 3237, the Emergency Security Supplemental to Respond to January 6th Appropriations Act of 2021, and H.R. 3233, the National Commission to Investigate the January 6 Attack on the United States Capitol Complex.

H.R. 3237 provides $1.9 billion in funding to respond to the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021, when thousands of domestic terrorists inspired by the 45th President stormed the U.S. Capitol in a violent, crazed, and desperate effort to disrupt the Joint Meeting of Congress prescribed by the Constitution to tally the votes of presidential electors and announce the results to the nation and the world.

H.R. 3233, the National Commission to Investigate the January 6 Attack on the Capitol Complex Act, which establishes a national commission charged with investigating and reporting upon the facts and causes of the January 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol as well as the influencing factors that may have provoked the attack on our democracy.

Specifically, the January 6 Commission's mandate includes:

1. examining and evaluating evidence developed by relevant Federal, State, and local governments, in a manner that is respectful of ongoing investigations, regarding the facts and circumstances of the attack;

2. building upon other investigations regarding the attack and targeted violence and domestic terrorism related to such attack; and

3. reporting to the President and Congress regarding its findings, conclusions, and recommendations for corrective measures taken to prevent future acts of targeted violence and domestic terrorism and improves the security posture of the United States Capitol Complex in a manner that preserves the accessibility of the Capitol Complex for all Americans, and strengthen the security and resilience of nation and American democratic institutions against domestic terrorism.

Like September 11, 2001, we cannot and must not ever forget the existential threat faced by our democracy on January 6, 2021, when thousands of domestic terrorists inspired by the 45th President stormed the U.S. Capitol in a violent, crazed, and desperate effort to disrupt the Joint Meeting of Congress prescribed by the Constitution to tally the votes of presidential electors and announce the results to the nation and the world.

Mr. Speaker, the morning of September 11, 2001 is, and will always be, a day like no other.

It is a day all living Americans will remember because not since Pearl Harbor had there been such a dastardly and deadly attack on American soil.

On that day, we were united in our shock and anger and sadness and in our resolve to defend our country and protect the freedoms that has made America the greatest country in the history of the world.

I experienced the same gamut of emotions on January 6: grief, hope, resolve, and fierce commitment to protect our country.

Mr. Speaker, the assault on the U.S. Capitol by domestic terrorists and insurrectionists rightly takes its place as one of the darkest moments in our nation's history since the Civil War.

Mr. Speaker, the January 6 insurrection caused tragic loss of life and injuries, while leaving behind widespread physical damage to the Capitol Complex and emotional trauma for Members, Congressional employees, and the Capitol Police.

It bears repeating often that the Congress and the nation owe undying gratitude to the men and women who answered the call of constitutional duty and heroically won the day on that bloody and deadly afternoon.

That is why I introduced H. Res. 169, a resolution commending the officers of the United States Capitol Police Department, the Metropolitan Police Department of Washington, DC, and other law enforcement personnel for their selfless and heroic service in defense of American democracy in responding to the assault on the United States Capitol by domestic terrorists on January 6, 2021.

H. Res. 169 notes that the January 6, 2021 siege of the Capitol assault resulted in one of the worst days of injuries for law enforcement in the United States since the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks but that the officers of the United States Capitol Police Department, the Metropolitan Police Department of Washington, DC, and other uniformed law enforcement officers stood their ground in defense of American democracy while being attacked metal pipes, discharged chemical irritants, and other weapons.

The resolution conveys the thanks and appreciation of a grateful nation to them for their selfless and heroic service, encourages all educational and media institutions throughout the United States to teach and celebrate the story of their heroism and patriotism; and calls upon all Americans to read, celebrate, and revere the Constitution of the United States, fidelity to which is the surest best means of forming a more perfect union, establishing justice, ensuring domestic tranquility, providing for the common defense, promoting the general welfare, and securing the blessing of liberty to them and their posterity.

Mr. Speaker, the domestic terrorists and seditionists who attacked the Capitol Building on January 6, 2021 were not, as some of their ardent defenders and apologists across the aisle have stated falsely, on a ``normal tour visit''; nor was their effort to lay siege to the Capitol and disrupt the processes of government an act of persons who love their country.

And it is absurd to suggest that it was a celebration of the United States and what it stands for when the leading edge of terrorists desecrated the Capitol by offensively parading the treasonous Confederate flag through the building and when, because of their insurrection, several members of law enforcement made the supreme sacrifice and scores more were seriously injured.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to take a few moments to explain why the intended purpose of the January 6 insurrection--to disrupt the Joint Meeting of Congress to tally the votes of presidential electors and announce the results to the nation and the world--was the greatest threat to the American Experiment since the Civil War when the proslavery forces would rather make war than let the nation survive and the pro-freedom forces would accept war rather than let the nation perish.

The Framers understood and declared to the world that democratic governors derived their powers from the knowing and voluntary consent of the governed as expressed in free, fair, and unfettered elections unmarred by the influence or sabotage of any foreign country or entity not a member of the political community.

The most important feature of a democracy is that it is the voters who alone can confer the legitimate consent and authorization necessary to govern upon the governors who are then duty-bound to represent the voters' interests, and only their interests.

Mr. Speaker, the fundamental democratic compact between the governed and the governors is that the latter's authority and continuance in office comes exclusively from the governed and allegiance is owed exclusively to the governed.

This agreement can only be reached through free and fair elections, a breach of which threatens the vitality and viability of the social contract upon which democratic self-rule of, by, and for the people depends.

Mr. Speaker, President Lincoln called the United States the ``last best hope of man on earth'' and stated at Gettysburg the importance of finishing the work we are in to ensure that ``government of the people, for the people, by the people does not perish from the earth.''

By our actions in voting to establish and empower a National Commission to Investigate the January 6 Attack on the Capitol Complex, we are taking an indispensable step in ensuring the preservation of our democracy, which has been the envy of the world for more than 240 years.

Mr. Speaker, I urge all Members to join me in voting for the rule and the underlying legislation, H.R. 3237, the Emergency Security Supplemental to Respond to January 6th Appropriations Act of 2021, and H.R. 3233, the National Commission to Investigate the January 6 Attack on the United States Capitol Complex.

Madam Speaker, I rise in opposition to the previous question.

If the previous question is defeated, Republicans will amend this rule to immediately consider House Resolution 153, the condemning recent hate crimes committed against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders.

This bipartisan bill was the very first bill I introduced in Congress.

I am here today to condemn the recent discrimination and violence the AAPI community has experienced. I spoke on this issue yesterday, and I am proud to be standing here again today.

I was born in Korea and raised in Japan. I am living my American Dream and I am a proud American. I am honored every day to represent my community in Congress. Unfortunately, hate crime against the Asian- American community is not new. And as an American who loves this country dearly, this issue is very personal to me.

Hate crimes committed against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders have been on the rise since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Between March and December of last year, nearly 3,000 firsthand accounts of Asian-American and Pacific Islander hate crimes were recorded in the United States. The reporting has now been updated by the group Stop AAPI Hate, and between March 2020 and March 2021, more than 6,000 hate crimes or hate incidents were reported. This includes physical assault, verbal assault, and online bullying of Asian Americans.

My home State of California makes up more than 40 percent of these incidents and crimes. It is heartbreaking to read the news stories of these crimes, and my heart goes out to all those who have been victims of this violence. That is why the first bill I introduced in Congress in February was H. Res. 153. It is the only bipartisan legislation in the House of its kind, and I am proud that it has been cosponsored by several of my Democratic colleagues, including Congressmembers

Katie Porter, Lou Correa, Alan Lowenthal, and Mike Levin.

This resolution is very simple. It condemns all expressions of anti- Asian and Pacific Islander intolerance, and calls on Federal, State, and local officials to work together to investigate and improve reporting of these crimes.

Yesterday, I spoke about how I was disappointed that this truly bipartisan resolution was not a part of this fixed conversation, and was not being considered on the floor. But, today, we have another opportunity to show solidarity with our AAPI community and vote on my bipartisan resolution.

Discrimination and hate against any community are against the fundamental values of American cultural. Discrimination and hate have no place in this great country. Madam Speaker, I am proud that my resolution has support from both sides of the aisle, unlike the other bills on the floor today. I hope we can work together to put an end to this hate. I am asking my colleagues to vote ``no'' on the previous question so that I can bring my bipartisan bill condemning hate crimes against AAPI on the floor.

Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H. Res. 409, which allows for the debate on H.R. 3233, the National Commission to Investigate the January 6 Attack on the United States Capitol Complex Act. After months of negotiations, last week I was pleased to introduce this measure with the gentleman from New York (Mr. Katko).

Back in 2007, I was proud to be the lead sponsor of legislation to implement the unfulfilled recommendations of the 9/11 Commission. I can say with certainty, at that time, I could never have imagined that I would be standing here today, almost 15 years later, advocating for the establishment of a 9/11-style commission to investigate a violent domestic attack on the United States Capitol.

On January 6, the world watched Americans storm the Capitol and engage in violence to try to intimidate and prevent Congress from carrying out its constitutional duty to certify a Presidential election, a solemn process central to the peaceful transfer of power in our democracy.

Like the 9/11 terrorist attacks, the events of January 6 have cast a long shadow on our country. Like the 9/11 terrorist attacks, it has raised fundamental questions about information-sharing, coordination, preparedness, and response at all levels of government.

When the defenses around the citadel of our democracy fail as profoundly as they did on January 6, then attention must be paid. At least one Capitol Police Officer died because of the cause of the violence that day. Others died too, and injuries were extensive also-- not the least of which is the body blow of Americans' confidence that the reforms undertaken after 9/11 would deliver better information- sharing and coordination to keep us secure.

H.R. 3233 authorizes the establishment of a 10-member commission that mirrors the 9/11 Commission, the gold standard for bipartisan commissions. The January 6 Commission would be required to investigate and report on all the facts and causes of the attack including relevant influencing factors that may have contributed to the attack.

Given how politically charged the events of January 6 have become, we need to come together in a patriotic, bipartisan way and approve this independent body, just as we did when we approved the creation of the 9/11 Commission. The 9/11 Commission acted not out of partisanship, but out of patriotism. We need that same sense of duty today. Apathy is not a security strategy, and neither are ignorance or willful disregard.

After such a shocking attack, nothing short of a full accounting of what took place will put us on the path to improving our homeland security.