U.S. Representative Peter Meijer (R-MI) today spoke on the House floor to voice his support for H.R. 3233, a bill to establish a bipartisan commission to investigate the January 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol complex. Rep. Meijer will vote in favor of the bill tonight.
The full text of Rep. Meijer’s remarks as delivered is below:
“Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise today to express my strongest support for H.R. 3233, a bill to establish a bipartisan commission to investigate the disgraceful January 6th attack on this institution.
“Let us be clear: the imperative to have a public, objective, fact-based investigation of the Capitol attack is not a partisan issue, and it should never be treated as such.
“A violent mob breached this building to disrupt the lawful presidential transition and threaten the lives of Vice President Pence and members of Congress.
“That this mob attacked the Capitol with the encouragement of prominent elected officials is a chilling reminder of President Reagan’s warning that ‘freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction.’
“Unfortunately, many who rightly criticized and condemned the January 6th attack have walked back their words or softened their speech.
“More troubling, there has been an active effort to whitewash and rewrite the shameful events of that day to avoid accountability and turn away from difficult truths.
“If we avoid confronting what happened here just a few short months ago, we can be sure that intimidation, coercion, and violence will become a defining feature of our politics for generations to come.
“On the evening of January 6th, as I was walking back to the Capitol after it was cleared of rioters, I received a text message from a constituent who asserted ‘those who stormed the Capitol today are true American heroes. This election was a fraud, and you know that’s true.
“He then warned: ‘You can bet there will be more to come and blood on Congress’ hands if you let this stand.’
“I refuse to accept this possibility, this abrogation of our sacred obligation to this Republic.
“There is no replacement for an independent bipartisan commission with a mandate to produce a definitive report to the public to clear away myths and fictions and get right on the facts.
“This is not picking at a scab. In order to scab over, a cut has to heal. Rather than start to mend, the wound from January 6th was hastily bandaged and continues to fester.
“Only by airing it out and addressing what occurred can we hope to move past and heal as a nation.
“I applaud my friend Congressman John Katko for his good-faith, bipartisan leadership to put this Commission in place.
“I supported this effort back in January, and I support it today. I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to join me in supporting this important bipartisan legislation.”
H.R. 3233, the National Commission to Investigate the January 6 Attack on the United States Capitol Complex Act, would:
Establish an independent Commission charged with:
1) Investigating and reporting upon the facts and causes of the January 6 attack on the Capitol as well as the influencing factors that may have provoked the attack on our democracy;
2) Examining and evaluating evidence developed by relevant Federal, State, and local governments, while respecting ongoing law enforcement activities and investigations, regarding the facts and circumstances of the attack;
3) building upon other investigations regarding the attack and targeted violence and domestic terrorism related to such attack; and
4) Reporting to the President and Congress regarding its findings, conclusions, and recommendations for corrective measures to prevent future acts of targeted violence and domestic terrorism, including against American democratic institutions, improve 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 the nation and American democratic institutions against domestic terrorism.
Original source can be found here.
