Providing for Consideration of H.R. National Commission to Investigate the January 6 Attack on the United States Capitol Complex Act; and Providing for Consideration of H.R. Emergency Security Supplemental to Respond to January 6th Appropriations Act, 2021

Floor Speech

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Ms. NORTON. Madam Speaker, as the Congresswoman from the District of Columbia, where the January 6 insurrection occurred, I was one of the first Members of Congress to call for and introduce legislation to create a 9/11-style commission to investigate the attack and to ensure that it never happens again. I strongly support the commission bill.

The supplemental security appropriations bill provides $66.7 million to eliminate the long-running deficit in the Federally-funded D.C. Emergency Planning and Security Fund. That fund pays for the unique public safety and security costs D.C. incurs as the Nation's capital, and is designed to cover the District's costs up front, so that D.C. does not have to expend local funds for Federal purposes and seek an appropriation to be reimbursed after the fact.

Over the last several years, our Republican colleagues have opposed fully funding the D.C. Fund. The January 6 insurrection shows Congress must never shortchange security in the Nation's Capitol again.

I also appreciate that the appropriations bill would mirror two of my bills.

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Ms. NORTON. I also appreciate that the appropriations bill would mirror two of my bills, prohibiting the use of funds in the bill to install permanent aboveground fencing at the Capitol complex, and requiring Capitol Police officers to wear body cameras.

In February, I introduced legislation to prohibit funds for permanent fencing at the Capitol complex, and in March the House passed my bill to require Federal police officers to wear body cameras as part of the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act of 2021.

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