A measure to create a 10-member bi-partisan commission to investigate the January 6th Capitol Attack passed the U.S. House Wednesday with the support of 35 Republicans. 13th District Congressman Rodney Davis and 16th District Congressman Adam Kinzinger were two of those 35 that crossed the aisle and voted with Democrats on the measure.
The commission legislation is similar to a proposal that Davis wished to pass earlier in the house. According to Davis spokesperson Aaron DeGroot, Davis proposed House Bill 275 just 6 days after the attack on the Capitol. Davis’ proposal was similar to the legislation that created the 9/11 Commission that was created in November 2002. Davis has been working on the commission legislation as a part of his service as the lead Republican in the Committee on House Administration.
The resolution that passed the House Wednesday is mostly similar to Davis’ original legislation that died in the House back at the end of January. The January 6th Commission would take an inquiry out of the halls of Congress and deliver findings by December 31st to the public. The prospects for Senate passage dimmed substantially after Kentucky Republican Senior Senator Mitch McConnell voiced opposition to the resolution calling the commission “partisan” and “biased.” Democrats would need 10 Republicans to vote in the Senate with them in favor of the commission to get the required number of votes for passage to create it. Other opponents say creation of the commission would be duplicating efforts of continuing Justice Department criminal prosecutions and narrow congressional investigations into the January 6th riot, and that the commission would take too long to produce any results if any. Senate Democrats are expected to call a public vote on the measure in the coming weeks.