Senate GOP poised to filibuster commission legislation as soon as next week
From CNN’s Manu Raju
Many Republican senators are making clear to CNN they will vote to prevent debate from even beginning on the Jan. 6 commission, increasing the chances that the Senate will block debate on the bill.
The first test vote could happen next week. If successful, it could be the first successful GOP legislative filibuster this Congress.
Republican Sen. Richard Burr, who voted to convict former President Trump, told CNN he would vote to block debate on the bill over his concerns that the probe is unneeded.
The legislation will need at least 10 Republicans in the Senate to join all 50 Democrats in the chamber in order to overcome a 60-vote filibuster and pass the bill.
As it stands now, there are not 10 GOP senators who have signed on to the measure.
White House still hopeful Senate will pass legislation to form Capitol riot commission
From CNN’s DJ Judd
White House press secretary Jen Psaki said Thursday the White House was still hopeful that the Senate would pass bipartisan legislation forming a commission to investigate the events surrounding the Jan. 6 Capitol riot, telling reporters, “the attack on the Capitol on January 6 was an unprecedented assault on our democracy demands a full and independent investigation into what happened.”
“This is not a political issue in the President’s view, this is a question of how we secure our democracy and the rule of law, so it’s incredibly disappointing to see how many Republicans—how many representatives have opted to turn this into a political issue, instead of doing what’s right for our country and our Constitution, and they still have the opportunity to do the right thing,” Psaki said.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi told reporters on Thursday that her “overwhelming preference” is for a bipartisan Jan. 6 commission, when asked by CNN if she is committed to a select committee if legislation to establish a commission fails in the Senate.
But she expressed openness to the option last month, and House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer told CNN “of course” when asked on Wednesday if he would pursue a select committee to investigate if the bill to create the independent commission fails in the Senate.
Psaki declined to weigh in on the possibility of a select committee Thursday, telling reporters at the White House, despite steep headwinds in the Senate, “Obviously, our hope is that the Senate Republicans do the right thing, put policy partisan politics aside and vote in a way that supports the preservation of our democracy, of our Constitution. They have the opportunity to do that. If they don’t have it, we’ll have a conversation about it.”
Psaki said she would inquire following a letter from Metropolitan Police Officer Michael Fanone regarding the ongoing trauma he and other officers experienced on Jan. 6.
McCarthy says he’d be willing to testify about Jan. 6 conversation with Trump
From Manu Raju and Ali Main
Though he continued to rail against the House-passed legislation to establish a bipartisan commission to investigate the Capitol insurrection, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy said for the first time on Thursday he would be willing to testify about his conversations with former President Trump on Jan. 6 if he were compelled to do so.
“Sure, next question,” he told CNN’s Manu Raju when asked if he would cooperate with an investigation by an outside commission.
McCarthy said he was “not at all surprised” that 35 House Republicans voted with Democrats in favor of the bill to establish the commission, despite his own staunch opposition to it. “I thought it would probably be higher,” he added.
The California Republican accused House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of “playing politics” with the commission and reiterated his wishes for a broader scope for a probe.
The bill, which passed in the House yesterday, now faces an uphill battle in the Senate. The legislation will need at least 10 Republicans in the Senate to join all 50 Democrats in the chamber in order to overcome a 60-vote filibuster and pass the bill. Like McCarthy, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell said he is opposed to the bill.
CNN’s Annie Grayer contributed reporting to this post.
Trump slams 35 House Republicans who voted in favor of Jan. 6 commission
From CNN’s Gabby Orr
Former President Trump is chastising the 35 House Republicans who broke party ranks on Wednesday to support the creation of an independent commission to study the Jan. 6 insurrection at the US Capitol.
“They just can’t help themselves,” Trump said of the GOP defectors in a statement Thursday afternoon.
Calling Republicans who supported the legislation “weak and ineffective,” Trump charged that Democrats have a much easier time sticking together on votes than his party.
“They don’t have the Romney’s, Little Ben Sasse’s and Cheney’s of the world,” he contended, referring to Rep. Liz Cheney of Wyoming, who supported the bill in a floor vote Wednesday afternoon and Sens. Mitt Romney of Utah and Ben Sasse of Nebraska, who have expressed potential support in the Senate.
Trump’s statement comes just 24 hours after he urged House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, a Republican from California, and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, a Republican from Kentucky, to oppose the commission, the terms of which had been negotiated on a bipartisan basis, and ensure their members followed suit.
It is unclear just how many Senate Republicans will vote in favor of the commission once it is introduced in the upper chamber.
Supporters of the plan will need at least 10 Republicans in the Senate to join all 50 Democrats in the chamber in order to overcome a 60-vote filibuster and pass the bill.
McConnell announced Wednesday that he opposes the bill, but didn’t tell reporters whether he’d actively whip his fellow Republicans against it.
CNN’s Annie Grayer contributed reporting to this post.
McCarthy says he is opposed to select committee to investigate Jan. 6 attack
From CNN’s Manu Raju, Alison Main and Morgan Rimmer
House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy made clear on Thursday that he would oppose the creation of a select committee in the House to investigate the Jan. 6 attack.
Asked by CNN if he would also be willing to testify before a potential select committee, minutes after he expressed openness to testifying before an outside commission if one were established, McCarthy answered, “there is no select committee in the House.”
“I don’t think a select committee is the proper way to go,” he said, noting the ongoing bipartisan committee investigation in the Senate.
McCarthy railed against the possibility of a “Pelosi select committee,” telling reporters “the speaker should’ve not played politics.”
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi told reporters on Thursday that her “overwhelming preference” is for a bipartisan Jan. 6 commission, when asked by CNN if she is committed to a select committee if legislation to establish a commission fails in the Senate.
But she expressed openness to the option last month, and House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer told CNN “of course” when asked on Wednesday if he would pursue a select committee to investigate if the bill to create the independent commission fails in the Senate.
Sen. Burr explains opposition to Jan. 6 commission, all but torpedoing hope of 10 GOP senators
From CNN’s Manu Raju and Jeremy Herb
Sen. Richard Burr, one of the seven GOP senators to vote for former President Trump’s impeachment, explained his opposition today to the Jan. 6 commission, which tracks largely with what he told reporters yesterday.
His opposition all but torpedoes any hope of getting 10 Republican senators.
“I don’t believe establishing a new commission is necessary or wise,” Burr said in a statement.
Some more context: The bill, which passed in the House yesterday, will need at least 10 Republicans in the Senate to join all 50 Democrats in the chamber in order to overcome a 60-vote filibuster and pass the bill.
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell said Wednesday he is opposed to the bill but wouldn’t tell reporters if he’d actively whip his fellow Republicans against it.
House narrowly passes $1.9 billion spending bill to increase Capitol security after Jan. 6 insurrection
From CNN’s Annie Grayer, Clare Foran and Kristin Wilson
The House has narrowly passed a $1.9 billion spending bill to increase security at the US Capitol in response to the deadly Jan. 6 insurrection as progressives almost sunk the bill.
The final vote was 213-212, with 3 voting present. Progressives almost blocked the bill in a last minute effort because they did not support the funding in the legislation that would go to the police. The three present were: Reps. Jamaal Bowman, Rashida Tlaib, and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. The three no votes were: Reps. Cori Bush, Ilhan Omar and Ayanna Pressley.
The bill now heads to the Senate before it can go to President Biden’s desk to be signed into law.
The $1.9 billion legislation was developed in response to the findings and recommendations of a task force led by retired Army Lt. Gen. Russel Honoré, who was tasked by Pelosi to lead a review of Capitol security after the insurrection.
Here’s what is in the bill:
- The legislation would provide $250 million for Capitol grounds security, which could be used for physical infrastructure including “retractable, or “pop-in” fencing, and security sensors,” according to a bill summary released by the House Appropriations Committee.
- There would be $162.7 million to harden security safeguards for windows and doors at the Capitol as well as at House and Senate office buildings.
- The plan would have $7.4 million set aside to increase security for lawmakers, including threat assessments, and $10.6 million would go toward security measures and the installation of camera systems in district offices for members.
- The Capitol Police force would get $8.6 million for body cameras, $6.8 million for specialized training and $2.6 million “to procure basic riot control equipment to outfit all officers with ballistic helmets, batons, and body shields,” the bill summary states.
- The legislation would set aside $200 million “to create a dedicated Quick Reaction Force to augment the Capitol Police,” according to the summary.
- The bill summary says there would be $39.5 million “to process the hundreds of prosecutions of perpetrators of the January 6 insurrection, including $34 million for United States Attorneys; $3.8 million for the Criminal Division of the Department of Justice; and $1.7 million for the National Security Division of the Department of Justice.”
Read more about today’s vote here.
Pelosi says her “overwhelming preference” is for bipartisan Jan. 6 commission to be created
From CNN’s Jessica Dean and Clare Foran
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said that her “overwhelming preference” is for a bipartisan Jan. 6 commission to be created, but she noted that “everybody knows what my options are, they are no secret.”
“We are taking this one step at a time. What we’ve said we want is a bipartisan commission. I don’t want to weaken that position. Everybody knows what my options are, they are no secret. But the preference, not only preference, overwhelming preference, is for bipartisanship,” Pelosi said when asked by CNN if she is committed to forming a House select committee if legislation to establish a commission fails in the Senate.
Pelosi downplayed concerns over GOP resistance in the Senate, saying that “I don’t think that what we’ve heard from the Senate is so bad compared to what we usually hear from the Senate.”
Later, she signaled that the commission bill might be altered in the Senate.
“We want to bring it to the floor when it is ready – for them to bring it to the floor when it is ready. They may have some modifications in it, which we would see what they are,” Pelosi said.
House voting now on $1.9 billion Capitol security bill
From CNN’s Clare Foran and Annie Grayer
The House is now voting on the bill to allocate $1.9 billion in spending to increase security at the Capitol in response to the deadly January 6 insurrection.
Democratic leadership is whipping votes last minute, as it is expected to be tight.
The sweeping legislation, introduced by House Appropriations Chair Rosa DeLauro, a Connecticut Democrat, covers a range of priorities, including funding to enhance security across the Capitol grounds as well as provisions to bolster protections and increase preparedness for lawmakers, including at their district offices, and the Capitol Police force.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi told CNN she is not worried about getting votes to pass the security supplemental, even though House Democratic leadership was seen whipping votes ahead of the final vote and even delayed the start of the vote as they negotiated on the House floor.
“No” Pelosi told CNN when asked if she was worried about not having the votes to pass the security supplemental.
