Two Congressmen – a Republican and a Democrat – are set to introduce legislation that would form a “bipartisan, independent” commission to “investigate the January 6 domestic terrorism attack on the United States Capitol and recommend changes to further protect the Capitol.”

Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), the chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security, and John Katko (R-NY), the committee’s ranking member, said they will introduce the legislation on the House floor today. It’s called the National Commission to Investigate the January 6 Attack on the United States Capitol Complex Act (H.R. 3233).

So. Much. News.

The bipartisan Jan. 6 commission bill calls for a 10-person bipartisan commission

5 appointed by Dems, 5 appointed by Rs

These people can’t be in government. have to have experience in law enforcement, civil liberties, intel.

has subpoena power

Ends dec. 31

— Jake Sherman (@JakeSherman) May 14, 2021

A press release announcing the rare bipartisan agreement compares the proposal to the 9/11 commission:

Like the 9/11 Commission, the Commission will be granted authority to issue subpoenas to secure information to carry out its investigation but requires agreement between the Chair and the Vice Chair or a vote by a majority of Commission members.

Half of the 10-person commission would be appointed by the Speaker of the House and Majority Leader of the Senate. The other half would be chosen by Minority Leaders of the House and Senate.

BREAKING: House Negotiators have struck a deal for the establishment of a 9/11 style commission to investigate the January 6th insurrection.
Here are the parameters they’ve agreed to: pic.twitter.com/4s7cTiTbJy

— Ryan Nobles (@ryanobles) May 14, 2021

“There has been a growing consensus that the January 6^th attack is of a complexity and national significance that what we need an independent commission to investigate.  I am pleased that after many months of intensive discussion, Ranking Member Katko and I were able to reach a bipartisan agreement,” Rep. Thompson said in a statement. “Inaction – or just moving on – is simply not an option. The creation of this commission is our way of taking responsibility for protecting the U.S. Capitol.”

Republicans have resisted calls for a commission, but Rep. Katko is one of the 10 Republicans who voted for Donald Trump’s second impeachment. Rep. Liz Cheney (R-WY) also supports the idea, telling Politico last month:

If we minimize what happened on Jan. 6th and if we appease it, then we will be in a situation where every election cycle, you could potentially have another constitutional crisis. If you get into a situation where we don’t guarantee a peaceful transfer of power, we won’t have learned the lessons of Jan. 6.