Pete Aguilar: “I thank the vice chair for yielding. Like many of my colleagues, I was right here on the House floor when the violent…”

“I thank the vice chair for yielding. Like many of my colleagues, I was right here on the House floor when the violent mob attacked our Capitol. I saw those doors shaking, nearly overrun with rioters attempting to enter. I saw my colleagues shed their jackets and roll up their sleeves preparing for the eventuality. And I saw Capitol Police acting quickly and thoughtfully to conduct a successful evacuation of Members from this Chamber. Their actions, undoubtedly, saved lives. What we didn't know at the time was that on the steps of the Capitol, the Capitol Police and the Metro PD officers were engaged in brutal hand-to-hand combat. Officer Michael Fanone told us he was grabbed, beaten, and tased, all while being called a traitor to this country. This is what officers dealt with to defend our democracy. Some lost their lives; many are still living with both the physical wounds and the trauma that they suffered that day. This is what our officers dealt with to defend democracy. Officer Harry Dunn told us more than 6 months later, January 6 still isn't over for me. These officers are heroes. I want to thank the chair and the vice chair for their leadership in making our first order of business hearing directly from those heroes in their own words. We wanted to hear and make sure that all of our colleagues and this country heard firsthand what we experienced on the ground that day.…”