DETROIT, MI – U.S. Senator Gary Peters (D-MI), Chairman of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, released the following statement on the second anniversary of the January 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol:
“Two years ago – thanks to the heroism of our brave Capitol Police, DC Metropolitan Police, National Guard and others – a deadly insurrection failed. While Congress has taken important steps to prevent another attack of this nature from ever happening again, this threat to our democracy and our nation remains, and it is kept alive by political leaders and influential figures who perpetuate the same lies that incited that violent attack.
“Every one of us, no matter our political persuasion, has a responsibility to condemn these lies and strengthen trust in government by working to ensure that democratic institutions continue to effectively serve the American people. Congress must also work to safeguard our democratic process by ensuring every American can have their voice heard at the ballot box, as well as by helping to protect election workers as they continue to face threats.
“This was not only an attack on our Capitol building – it was an assault on our democracy and the very heart of our nation. Unless we all come together to preserve the right of the American people to choose their leaders – we are at risk of losing our nation’s most cherished ideal.”
As Chairman of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, Peters led the Senate’s first bipartisan investigation and released a joint bipartisan report on the security, planning, and response failures related to January 6th attack. Many of the recommendations from the report to better secure the Capitol have already been implemented. He is continuing to examine intelligence failures surrounding this attack to disrupt the peaceful transfer of power. Peters also helped pass into law reforms to the Electoral Count Act. The reforms will ensure that electoral votes tallied by Congress accurately reflect each state’s public vote for President. Peters has also led efforts to address the broader national security threat posed by domestic terrorism. He released a report showing that the federal government is not adequately addressing the domestic terrorism threat and that social media companies’ current business models contribute to the spread of extremist content.
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