A Senate vote to install the missing Jan. 6 plaque
The U.S. Senate has agreed to display a plaque honoring police who defended the Capitol during the Jan. 6, 2021, attack after the plaque was found to be missing from the Capitol, according to an Associated Press report.
The action, taken during floor action Thursday with brief debate, rebuffed House Speaker Mike Johnson, who had said the commemorative memorial does not comply with the law.
Collaboration after lawmakers learned it was missing
The report said Republican Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina announced during this week’s fifth anniversary of the Capitol siege that he would seek to ensure the plaque is installed, partnering with Democratic Sen. Jeff Merkley of Oregon and Democratic Sen. Alex Padilla of California.
It also said no senators objected.
Tillis links the officers’ response to completing Congress’s work
In remarks highlighted by the report, Tillis said many people described Jan. 6, 2021, as “a dark day for democracy.” He described the people who he said laid siege to the Capitol while Congress was tallying the 2020 election results as “thugs.”
Tillis said the outcome was different because of what he attributed to the work of law enforcement officers, calling it “a great day for democracy.” He said, “We came back and completed our constitutional duty to certify the election,” adding, “We owe them eternal gratitude and this nation is stronger because of them.”
House lawmakers have hung replicas as the plaque stayed away
The report said lawmakers moved after learning the plaque, which it described as having been approved by Congress more than three years ago, was nowhere to be found at the Capitol. It said many House lawmakers have been hanging replicas outside their office doors.
Dispute over Jan. 6 narratives and blame
The Senate action also appeared, the report said, to be motivated by shifting White House narratives about what happened on Jan. 6.
The report said President Donald Trump shifted blame during a speech this week in which he said he only intended for his supporters to march peacefully to the Capitol. It also said the White House produced a glossy new report that shifted blame for the deadly riot on Democrats, on Biden’s 2020 election victory, and on police for their response to the mob.
Merkley, in remarks as he called the resolution up for passage, said, “It’s so important we be honest with the American people about what happened,” and added, “It’s so important we recognize those who defended our democratic republic on that day.” The report said he also said people know senators and House members “finished our work that day, for the peaceful transfer of power.”
Padilla, the report said, pointed to what he described as an attempt to rewrite history on the White House website, saying it was “an attempt to rewrite history” and that it “dishonors” the officers. He said, “The Senate bipartisan commitment to real history is strong.”
What the resolution requires—and what it leaves pending
The report said the plaque, under the law, was intended for placement at the West front of the Capitol, where it said some of the fiercest fighting took place. It said the law required the plaque to be installed in 2023, a year after the legislation passed.
The Senate resolution directed the Architect of the Capitol to “prominently display” the plaque in a “publicly accessible” location in the Senate wing of the Capitol until it can be placed in its permanent location. The report said placing it in its intended location would require agreement with the House.
The office of Johnson, the report said, stated that as constructed the plaque does not comply with the law. It also said police have sued to put the plaque on display as required, and that Trump’s Justice Department is trying to dismiss the lawsuit.
Tillis says the plaque’s catalog may require a digital list
The report said Tillis described part of the issue as a technical implementation problem. He said the law specified the plaque would honor all the officers involved, but that the plaque only lists the law enforcement agencies that responded to help Capitol Police on that day.
Tillis said there will be a digital component that will list all the names, saying the number of officers runs into the thousands. He also said, “You’ll see how many people came here.”
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