Mr. President, I thank Senator Klobuchar. One year ago today, a shocking, violent, and unthinkable attack on the U.S. Capitol shook the very foundations of our democracy. I was here, in this Chamber, as we were conducting the ceremonial certification of our election, and I just remember so vividly as the proceedings were so abruptly paused and the Vice President was hurried off of the podium by the Secret Service and the confusion as we evacuated this Chamber. And, in that moment, none of us were aware of the brutal altercations that were unfolding all around us as our heroic law enforcement officers and first responders fended off the violent mob of insurrectionists. The images from that day are absolutely horrifying. They are images that I and this country will hopefully never forget. We are forever indebted to the brave U.S. Capitol Police officers, the DC Metropolitan Police, the National Guard, and others whose valiant efforts defended a democracy that day and thwarted an attempted insurrection. Not only did this attack leave frontline officers with serious physical injuries, but it also took the lives of several. The attack has taken an unimaginable mental and emotional toll on first responders, the Capitol Hill community, and Americans all across our Nation who witnessed this assault on the heart of our democracy with their own eyes, either here in person or watching it on television.…
On the recordJanuary 6, 2022
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