National Commission to Investigate the January 6 Attack on the United States Capitol Complex Act

Floor Speech

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Mr. LANGEVIN. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 3233. On September 11, 2001, I was a freshman in Congress. We suffered attacks that day because of a failure of imagination. Since then, I have dedicated myself to getting ahead of the curve, to seeing over the horizon, to preventing another such devastating surprise. Yet, on January 6, I, along with so many others, was caught by surprise.

In the past 5 months, I have reflected. What signs did we miss? Were we unprepared for a tide of American rioters? Why were some citizens actually taking the big lie about the election seriously enough to actually commit violence?

The January 6 commission will answer these and many other difficult questions and deliver a complete record for posterity of what could possibly have happened to bring about such a betrayal of our democracy.

We will not defeat darkness with darkness. We need light. We will not defeat lies with lies. We need truth. This commission will bring forth the truth and it is only the truth that can truly heal the rift that is tearing our country apart.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Chairman Thompson and Ranking Member Katko for their leadership.

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