Floor Speech on H.R. 3237, the Emergency Security Supplemental to Respond to January 6th Appropriations Act

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Speaker Pelosi. Thank you, Madam Speaker. I thank the gentlewoman for yielding, Madam Chair of the Appropriations Committee. I thank you for bringing this important legislation to the Floor.

It is the product of great, intense review of what is needed to go forward, and it is lean. There are many other suggestions that people have. This is what is urgent for us to do now. I thank the Appropriations Committee, which is one of the Committees of jurisdiction, having series of hearings on the subject. All the Committees – Subcommittees of jurisdiction, I think there are six on there and then even the Leg. Branch [Sub]committee, which has direct – the most responsibility, had maybe seven hearings.

In addition to that, let's start on that horrible day. Springing right from that, I called upon General Honoré to review what has happened. I saw the work that he did in Katrina. That's how I got to know his work, and I knew he would be an objective reviewer of what we needed. He put together a very blue ribbon committee of law enforcement and national security advisors, national security at the general level, generals and the military. And they put forth their recommendations of what we needed to do in the short term and in the long term. Many of those suggestions in the short term are in this legislation.

There are those who say, ‘Well, we can't wait until we do the Commission report,' when they vote against the Commission, ‘until we do this like next year or the end of the year.' No, the need is immediate, and it is now.

So, I thank Congresswoman – Madam Chair DeLauro, of the Appropriations Committee, the Subcommittee Chairs for the multiple hearings they have had on this subject, and I thank the Chair of the House Administration Committee for the work the Committee – the hearings that they have had in that Committee, as well, to hone in on what is urgently needed now.

I also salute the Chair of the Homeland Security Committee, Chairman Bennie Thompson, working in a bipartisan way with Mr. Katko to bring the legislation, so important, in a bipartisan way to the Floor yesterday. And I salute the work that they did. And here we are. Here we are.

We have specific needs, honed to how we listen to the Architect of the Capitol as to what we need to harden the Capitol, the windows and doors. There are Members here who have said, ‘Why are we doing that? It was just a normal day of tourism in the Capitol,' while that same person who said that is pictured in the news pushing furniture up against the door to keep the brawlers out of this chamber. ‘Normal day in the Capitol,' not so.

So, we know what is possible now. Who could have imagined that the President of the United States would incite an insurrection? Should we have been prepared for that? Who would've imagined that? Could we have prepared better? Yes, and we know what we must do now – we must do now.

This has been an important week in the House as we honor those who are responsible – we are going to – revised Gold Medal legislation is being submitted. It's bipartisan. I was pleased to hear that the Republican Leader Mr. McCarthy supports adding those who were attacked, assaulted, in fact killed, one killed, Billy Evans, on Good Friday. So, we are – that is in the works, and we'll take that up as soon as we come back.

Yesterday, we had a big, strong, bipartisan vote on the Commission. Today, we are saying this is what we need to do now. We may need to do more as the Commission does its work, as the Committees of jurisdiction continue their hearings.

So, today, we continue to defend the Constitution and the Capitol with an emergency supplemental bill. This is about how we more quickly – now, much of what is happening in the Capitol in terms of restriction of visitors and the rest relates to COVID. And as that unfolds more favorably, we need to be sure that when we have children come and families enjoy and legislators passing laws and the press covering it all and people, people coming to see the People's House in action, that they will be safe. That they will be safe.

The legislation, again, builds on the action that happened yesterday, and hopefully we can move quickly through the Senate and make the necessary appointments so that the product of that will be respected by the American people.

General Honoré's report – I mentioned General Honoré. He said, ‘The breach of the Capitol on January 6th brought into stark relief the need to immediately, immediately improve the security of the Capitol Complex and the security of Congressional Members and staff and the workers who make our lives possible here. Immediate action is therefore required.' Immediate action is therefore required.' General Honoré.

This supplemental, again, protects Members of Congress, of course, the Capitol employees, visitors, including both ensuring the physical security of the complex, creating a new reaction force for cases of emergency, a response to the direct costs of the attack on the Capitol. There were direct costs, including related to response and presence of the National Guard. That has to be paid for – District of Columbia and other federal agencies. And to the prosecution of the insurrectionists.

Proudly, it recognizes the sacrifices of the Capitol Police, supporting them with overtime pay, bonuses and trauma support, as well as specialized training and equipment. And it honors the late Officer Howie Liebengood by creating the Howard C. – quotes – ‘Howie' Liebengood Center for Wellness. We are very pleased and proud of that. And we thank the Liebengood family for their involvement in that creation and my colleague, Congresswoman Wexton of Virginia, for her role in this.

Protecting the security of the Capitol so it can do – we can do our Constitutional work on behalf of the American people should not be controversial. Four months ago, multiple lives were lost. Over 140 law enforcement officers were physically harmed. Trauma and terror are inflicted on our colleagues, our staff and ourselves. On ourselves. Today, in passing this legislation, the House is taking a strong step forward to bring healing to our Congressional community and to ensure this honor – horror can never happen again.

Let me close, again, by quoting General Honoré's report – quote, ‘As you consider the recommendations of this task force, we must not forget it was a riotous action of an angry mob that laid bare the vulnerabilities of the Capitol complex. We must not long endure any discourse that prevents or delays efforts necessary to strengthen the security of the U.S. Capitol complex and enhance the safety of those who serve the American people in Congress.' End of quote.

With that, I urge a strong bipartisan support on this Emergency Security Supplemental to Respond. And as the gentlewoman from Washington points out, there are many more things that we need to do, but we have to prioritize. We have to sequence. We can't wait until we know every answer before we start with the solutions that we are well aware of and that we know of. And, again, some of this will depend on resources in this legislation that will enable us to find out what it does cost to protect the Capitol in a way that is the least offensive to all of us, that says that this Capitol sits confidently, sits confidently, but assured that we will be protected when necessary. But that we don't need all of that protection outside – the fences and the rest – all of the time. We need it – we'll have it when we need it.

But again, those are decisions that have to be made from a technical standpoint, as well as a security and safety standpoint. And this legislation enables that to happen. There are those who are, ‘Well, we didn't do this. It didn't work then, so why is it going to work?' You know what? Let's have confidence. There's one word I would say we need to rely on in all of this, and that is the word ‘trust.' Let us trust in each other, that our purpose is the same, that we relied on the expert advice of generals and law enforcement and the rest, as to what we need immediately – to use their word – immediately. Let us trust that we can have the review that is necessary. We must have a review of the hierarchy of authority here. What is this police board? How was that created? Why can't we do that in a different way?

We have a search committee looking for a new Chief of Police. Our current Chief of Police may be in that mix. I don't know because this is an objective search for a Police Chief. So, we look forward to working in a bipartisan way because that cannot be anything but nonpartisan. House and Senate Democrats and Republicans honoring our responsibility, our almost housekeeping responsibilities to keep this place safe. And to have a chain of command that is clear. Where is the responsibility for this? Is it in that police board of which the Police Chief is not a member? Those kinds of issues are – I agree with you, Congresswoman – are not resolved. But that should not hold up getting what we need in place right now, as the virus is relaxing some of the restrictions that we will be able, again, to function this summer, really, as the U.S. Capitol, the welcoming beacon of democracy that it has always been, but with the assurance that it will be safe.

With that, I urge – hopefully we will have a strong bipartisan vote on this. I am very proud what happened yesterday. Thank you for your leadership in that regard, Madam Congresswoman. And with that, Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time, with praise for the Appropriations Committee for bringing this to the Floor, to the Homeland Security Committee for their great work and also as the authorizer. And also, the House Administration Committee for the piece of this that they have. I yield back.