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
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.
Sources familiar with Pompeo’s plans told Politico that he may be in Israel at the same time as current U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken
One source told the outlet that Pompeo would be traveling as a private citizen in order to celebrate the retirement of Yossi Cohen, the head of Israel’s intelligence agency Mossad, though his plans have reportedly not been finalized due to Israel’s COVID-19 protocols.
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While in Israel, the former State Secretary may also meet with nongovernmental officials.
Since leaving the White House, Pompeo has joined the conservative think tank, the Hudson Institute, and also been hired by Fox News as a contributor. Rumors have grown that Pompeo may be considering a run for the presidency in 2024, which could place him against former President Trump
“Filibustering a bipartisan commission regarding the January 6 insurrection is a three dimensional way to make the point that the filibuster is primarily a destructive force in American politics,” he said.
The Jan. 6 bill is the one of several items on the Senate’s agenda over a crucial summer period that could spark deep tensions over the 60-vote legislative filibuster and build pressure for Democrats to unify behind nixing it.
The filibuster has largely laid dormant for the first four months of Biden’s administration with Democrats using reconciliation to squeak through a $1.9 trillion infrastructure package and the Senate focused on nominations, which can pass without GOP support, and smaller, bipartisan bills.
The moderate Democrats said in a statement Tuesday that they “could never have imagined an attack on Congress and our Capitol at the hands of our own citizens.”
“In the hours and days following the attack, Republican and Democratic members of Congress condemned the violence and vowed to hold those responsible accountable so our Democracy will never experience an attack like this again,” the pair said.
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Manchin and Sinema touted the House s bipartisan passage last week of the bill to create a Jan. 6 commission, calling it a “critical step to ensuring our nation never has to endure an attack at the hands of our countrymen again.”