SCHNEIDER STATEMENT ON JANUARY 6
WASHINGTON – Rep. Brad Schneider, Chair of the New Democrat Coalition and member of the House Ways and Means and Foreign Affairs Committees, released the following statement recalling the events of January 6, 2021:
“Four years ago today, I took cover in the US House Gallery as Capitol Police bravely fought to secure the House Chamber from a violent mob of insurrectionists intent on overturning the 2020 election.
I remember every detail of that terrifying day as if it were yesterday: the gaveling in of the Joint Session of Congress at 1:00 PM; tracking on my phone the march of the protestors from the White House to the Capitol; seeing that the protestors had breached the security lines and entered the Capitol; the Capitol Police coming into the chamber and telling Members of Congress to remain calm; the frantic scramble to lock the many doors giving access to the gallery; the instructions to move from the east end of the gallery to the west side, climbing over the theater-style seats and handrails; the command to take cover as the police pulled their sidearms; the single shot fired (the one that struck and killed Ashley Babbit as she tried to enter the chamber through a broken door pane); the knock on the chamber door by Capitol Police followed by instructions to quickly move out of the chamber; walking with both Members and staff through the tunnels from the Capitol to the House office buildings; the gathering with about 200 others in a Ways and Means room; finding some refuge from the crowd in a side room and watching the rest of the afternoon unfold on TV with a handful of colleagues, including Liz Cheney and Jamie Raskin; the decision around 6:00 PM to return to the Capitol later that night to complete the Certification process.
I am forever grateful for the heroism and sacrifice of all the officers who put their lives on the line—not just to protect the safety of all of us in the Capitol, but to protect our American democracy. Many officers were severely injured, and some later died. Countless carry the scars of their struggle--visible and invisible--to this day. I will forever remember their service and sacrifice and will always keep their families in my heart.
Today I am in Washington again as the US Representative from Illinois’s Tenth District. I will again carry out my Constitutional responsibility to certify the 2024 election and the will of the American people. And I look forward to serving in this 119th Congress to support and defend our Constitution, to reflect the values and advocate for the priorities of the people I represent, and to do all I can to ensure a secure and prosperous future for our children and grandchildren.”
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