> At a Glance
> – The Senate unanimously approved hanging a plaque honoring officers who defended the Capitol on January 6, 2021.
> – The measure sidesteps House Speaker Mike Johnson’s refusal to comply with the 2022 law requiring the memorial.
> – The plaque will hang in a public Senate corridor until a permanent bipartisan location is chosen.
> – Why it matters: The action preserves public recognition of officers as the Trump administration rewrites Jan. 6 narratives and pardons convicted rioters.
The Senate voted by unanimous consent to install a plaque honoring officers who responded to the Jan. 6 Capitol attack, overriding House Speaker Mike Johnson‘s resistance to a 2022 federal law mandating the memorial.
Senate Steps In
The bipartisan resolution-introduced by Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) and Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.)-directs the Architect of the Capitol to display the plaque in a publicly accessible area of the Senate wing.
It becomes effective immediately; the House and President Trump need not approve it.
Why the Hold-Up?
Johnson’s office argued the original statute was “not implementable” because it required listing individual officers, while the plaque lists responding agencies. The Senate resolution resolves that discrepancy.
Sen. Tillis, not seeking re-election, called the move a “fast way to get it up” while negotiations for a permanent spot continue.
Potential Locations
- First-floor visitor check-in area
- Third-floor tour route outside the Senate gallery
Broader Context
The Capitol attack is under renewed political scrutiny. Trump’s administration has pardoned more than 1,500 Jan. 6 defendants, and former special counsel Jack Smith recently told lawmakers Trump was “the most culpable person” in the 2020 election interference scheme.
Brendan Ballou, a former Jan. 6 prosecutor now representing officers in a lawsuit against the government, said litigation will continue until the plaque has a “permanent home” as the law requires.
Former Speaker Nancy Pelosi predicted a Democratic House in 2026 will place the plaque “in a place of honor,” leaving placement to future Speaker Hakeem Jeffries.
Key Takeaways
- The Senate acted unilaterally after two years of House inaction on the 2022 law.
- The plaque will be visible to visitors while permanent placement talks proceed.
- Legal action by officers for full compliance remains active.
- The vote underscores ongoing partisan tension over how Jan. 6 history is recorded.
With the plaque set to be mounted within days, senators ensure that recognition of officers’ Jan. 6 defense endures despite shifting political winds.
