The House voted Wednesday to approve legislation to establish an independent commission to investigate the violent insurrection on Jan. 6 at the US Capitol.
Here are key things to know about the vote:
- How Republicans voted: The final vote was 252-175, with 35 Republicans breaking with their party to support the bill. All 10 Republicans who voted to impeach former President Trump voted in support of the commission. The other GOP defections showcased a significant break with Republican leadership in the chamber and Trump, who urged members to vote against the legislation. The vote, which came as some Republicans have tried to downplay the violence that occurred on Jan. 6 and align themselves with Trump's version of reality, was still opposed by most rank-and-file Republicans, after House GOP leaders mobilized against the agreement that had been struck by fellow Republican Rep. John Katko of New York.
- What the bill would do: The legislation lawmakers voted on would create a 10-person commission, with each party getting an equal number of appointments and subpoena power, a key provision that House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy had said he wanted early on in negotiations. The legislation tasks the panel with examining "the facts and circumstances of the January 6th attack on the Capitol as well as the influencing factors that may have provoked the attack on our democracy." The panel would have the power to issue subpoenas if they are signed off by both the chair and vice chair of the commission, according to a summary released on the panel. The commission would also be tasked with issuing a final report by the end of this year, making it a quick timeline for the panel to put out a final product. The top Democrat and Republican on the House Homeland Security Committee struck the deal last week to create the bipartisan commission, breaking a months-long logjam between House leaders about how to structure the independent panel.
- What comes next: The bill now moves to the Senate where it faces an uncertain fate as GOP resistance is growing.The margins of today's vote are an important indicator because just how many House Republicans are willing to buck their party leadership may offer an early signal for how many GOP senators could back the bill. Supporters of the plan will need at least 10 Republicans in the Senate to join all 50 Democrats in the chamber in order to overcome a 60-vote filibuster and pass the bill. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell said Wednesday he is opposed to the bill but wouldn't tell reporters if he'd actively whip his fellow Republicans against it.
Read more about today's vote here.
CNN's Jeremy Herb and Ryan Nobles contributed reporting to this post.