Senate Co-Sponsorship Memoranda

In the near future, I will introduce a resolution honoring those who sacrificed their lives on 6 January 2021 to defend the nation from violent insurrectionists at the U.S. Capitol and the Members of Congress who stood against the rioters. 
 
On 6 January 2021, members of the U.S. Capitol Police Department and the D.C. Metropolitan Police Department faced the unprecedented situation of defending the U.S. Capitol building from armed and trained insurrectionists. The rioters executed a planned and violent attack to stop Congress from carrying out the electoral college process required by the U.S. Constitution. 
 
Approximately 9,400 rioters surrounded the U.S. Capitol and clashed with police. Police held their ground, but eventually the rioters broke into the Capitol in no fewer than eight places. The rioters fought their way in with baseball bats, tasers, chemical agents, hockey sticks, fire extinguishers, broken pieces of infrastructure and brought and stolen military-grade equipment. They sought out the Vice President, Members of Congress, and their staff, who narrowly escaped with their lives. They destroyed large parts of the historical building and ruined priceless artifacts as they invaded and vandalized the Senate and House chambers. 
 
Four hours after the battle began, the National Guard and other supporting law enforcement agencies helped the Capitol Police and Metro Police regain control of the U.S. Capitol. That evening, Members of Congress returned in solidarity to the same chambers they were forced to flee hours earlier to fulfill their constitutional duties. 
 
Nine people died as a result of injuries sustained during the battle or subsequent to it, including five police officers: 

 

• Officer Howard Liebengood (51), Capitol Police Department.
• Officer Brian Sicknick (42), Capitol Police Department.
• Officer Kyle DeFreytag (26), Metropolitan Police Department.
• Officer Gunther Hashida (43), Metropolitan Police Department. 
• Officer Jeffrey Smith (35), Metropolitan Police Department.