Senators are struggling to salvage a bill that would create a commission to probe the Jan. 6 Capitol riot.
Moderates in both caucuses are trying to find a path forward, with Sen. Susan Collins
Susan Margaret CollinsRomney first GOP senator to say he would vote for Jan. 6 commission bill The Hill's Morning Report - Presented by Uber - Hopes dim for bipartisan compromise on Biden agenda This week: Senate set for chaotic sprint before break MORE (R-Maine) drafting potential changes to the bill and Democratic Sens. Joe Manchin
Joe ManchinMcCarthy, McConnell drive over their lieutenants to stop bipartisan Jan. 6 commission Constitutional scholars say congressional proclamation could make DC a state Police reform sees momentum ahead of George Floyd anniversary MORE (W.Va.) and Kyrsten Sinema
Kyrsten SinemaFudge, Buttigieg pitch housing infrastructure push to skeptical GOP Sanders flexes on Biden, seeking to shape Democratic agenda Schumer in bind over fight to overhaul elections MORE (Ariz.) pleading with Republicans to work with them to find a deal.
But those efforts are producing little movement among GOP senators, underscoring the uphill and unlikely climb supporters of a commission face to getting the 10 Republican votes they would need to advance the bill in the Senate.
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“I don't think I'll support the commission. Let the Congress and the Senate issue their reports. This thing’s just got politics written all over it, unfortunately. So, we'll see what happens,” said Sen. Lindsey Graham
Lindsey Olin GrahamOn The Money: White House counters with .7 trillion infrastructure proposal, GOP unimpressed | USDA to start loan forgiveness for thousands of minority farmers Cost of Biden's COVID-19 rescue bill revised up to .1 trillion Don Lemon: Democratic Party is 'weak' MORE (R-S.C.).
Sen. Thom Tillis
Thomas (Thom) Roland TillisDemocrats, GOP face crowded primaries as party leaders lose control Equality is for all God's children: Black, brown, white, straight and LGBTQ Trump to speak at North Carolina GOP convention MORE (R-N.C.) added that he was similarly unmoved by the changes being shopped around by Collins, saying that he thought the commission sounded like a “political exercise.”
“I still feel pretty confident that even the timeline... it's unrealistic,” Tillis said.
Sen. Mike Rounds
Mike RoundsMcCarthy, McConnell drive over their lieutenants to stop bipartisan Jan. 6 commission Democrats worry Jan. 6 probe could divert their agenda GOP turns against Jan. 6 probe as midterm distraction MORE (R-S.D.), who was initially open to a commission, said the proposed changes weren’t enough to get his support, echoing Tillis's concerns about the timeline.
The bill includes an end-of-year cutoff date, though Republicans don't believe it can be met.
Sen. John Cornyn
John CornynMcConnell sends warning shot on Schumer's China bill Military Appreciation month is a time to honor America's bravest heroes This week: Senate set for chaotic sprint before break MORE (R-Texas) noted that a joint investigation by the Senate Rules Committee and Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee was already underway and could wrap up faster. Senators say they expect the joint report to be released early next month.
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“I don't think we need to outsource it to a commission, particularly when it's already being used as a political football by Speaker Pelosi,” Cornyn said.
Collins declined to describe her floated amendments on Tuesday except to say that they dealt with GOP concerns that Republican-appointed members of the commission would also have a hand in staffing. Republicans have raised concerns that the legislation as drafted would allow Democrats to hire all the staff even though the panel's membership would be evenly divided.
The rejection of the bill, even if it's changed to address GOP concerns, is the latest blow for an idea that once garnered broad support in the wake of the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol, where a mob of former President Trump
Donald TrumpMcGahn to testify next week before closed-door House panel over longtime subpoena fight Biden DOJ to appeal court order to release Trump obstruction memo NRSC chair presses Trump to support incumbents in 2022 MORE's supporters breached the building in an attempt to block Congress from certifying President Biden
Joe BidenMcGahn to testify next week before closed-door House panel over longtime subpoena fight Biden discusses Israel-Gaza cease-fire, Middle East relations with Egypt's al-Sisi EU to sanction Belarus over diverted flight MORE's electoral win.
The bill passed the House last week with 35 GOP votes. But it’s essentially unraveled in the Senate, with most of the GOP caucus following the lead of Minority Leader Mitch McConnell
Addison (Mitch) Mitchell McConnellNRSC chair presses Trump to support incumbents in 2022 Overnight Defense: Austin, Bidens thank National Guard as Capitol mission ends | CBO estimates nuclear arsenal to cost 4B over 10 years | Senate Armed Services chairman backs change in prosecuting military sexual assault Pelosi presses for Senate action on Jan. 6 commission: 'No time to waste' MORE (R-Ky.), who came out against it last week.
Manchin and Sinema, the two most moderate members of the Senate Democratic caucus who are also the biggest Democratic opponents of nixing the filibuster, released a joint statement on Tuesday making it clear that they were open to changes from Republicans to the House-passed bill.
"A bipartisan commission to investigate the events of that day has passed the House of Representatives with a bipartisan vote and is a critical step to ensuring our nation never has to endure an attack at the hands of our countrymen again. We implore our Senate Republican colleagues to work with us to find a path forward on a commission to examine the events of January 6th," they said.
The Associated Press, citing sources, reported that Manchin and Collins were also trading potential language for changes. A spokesperson for Manchin didn't respond to questions about the talks.
But Democrats don't appear to have a clear path to the votes needed to defeat a filibuster.
McConnell lambasted the bill on Tuesday, arguing it would be used against Republicans heading into 2022.
"I think, at the heart of this recommendation by the Democrats is that they would like to continue to debate things that occurred in the past. They'd like to continue to litigate the former president into the future. We think the American people, going forward and in the fall of '22, ought to focus on what this administration is doing to the country and what the clear choices that we have made to oppose most of these initiatives," he told reporters.
"So I think this is a purely political exercise that adds nothing to the sum total of information," he added.
Sen. John Thune
John Randolph ThuneNRSC chair presses Trump to support incumbents in 2022 McCarthy, McConnell drive over their lieutenants to stop bipartisan Jan. 6 commission Democrats seize on GOP opposition to Jan. 6 commission MORE (R-S.D.), his No. 2, warned that the bill was unlikely to pass in its current form and stopped short of predicting that the changes being worked on by Collins would be enough to break off 10 GOP votes.
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"He's articulating a view that I think is shared by a big number of our members ... based on at least the current version of the bill," Thune said, while noting that some GOP senators were "withholding judgement" until they see potential changes.
He added that the proposed Collins changes were "moving in the right direction" but that it was "hard to say" if that got the bill 10 GOP votes.
So far, Sens. Mitt Romney
Willard (Mitt) Mitt RomneyRomney first GOP senator to say he would vote for Jan. 6 commission bill This week: Senate set for chaotic sprint before break Democrats worry Jan. 6 probe could divert their agenda MORE (Utah) and Lisa Murkowski
Lisa Ann MurkowskiNRSC chair presses Trump to support incumbents in 2022 Biden signs bill to help Alaska cruise industry This week: Senate set for chaotic sprint before break MORE (Alaska) are the only two GOP senators who have said they will vote for the bill. Sen. Bill Cassidy
Bill CassidyRomney first GOP senator to say he would vote for Jan. 6 commission bill This week: Senate set for chaotic sprint before break Why Republican politicians are sticking with Trump MORE (R-La.) has signaled he's interested and Collins has suggested she could support a commission if changes are incorporated into the legislation. But that still leaves Democrats several votes short.
Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer
Chuck SchumerPelosi presses for Senate action on Jan. 6 commission: 'No time to waste' Schumer trends after joining street performance of 'New York, New York' Biden adviser says reducing red meat isn't sole climate change solution MORE (D-N.Y.) has said that he'll bring up the legislation "very soon." That could be as soon as this week, though Schumer hasn't yet teed up the bill as the chamber continues to debate legislation aimed at combating China's competitiveness.
Schumer hasn't specifically signed onto any amendments, but said Democrats were willing to look at potential changes.
"But it can't just undo the commission," Schumer added. "One of the proposals I heard, have a separate Republican staff. You can't have a commission with two warring staff. I've never ... seen that happen."
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