Senate Unanimously Approves Resolution to Install January 6 Plaque

The BareStory

The U.S. Senate unanimously voted on Thursday to approve a measure authorizing the display of a plaque honoring law enforcement officers who defended the Capitol on January 6, 2021. The resolution, led by Senators Thom Tillis and Jeff Merkley, seeks to fulfill a mandate from a law passed by Congress in 2022, following years of delays regarding the memorial's installation.

The project had been stalled due to disputes over the plaque’s design and compliance with the original statute. The Department of Justice has argued that the existing plaque does not meet the 2022 law's requirements because it lists responding departments rather than individual officers. Speaker Mike Johnson had also previously contended that the project was "not implementable."

Under the terms of the newly approved resolution, the plaque will be installed in the Senate chamber until a permanent location is identified on the Capitol's west front. The measure does not require a vote in the House of Representatives. Senator Tillis stated that the action ensures the officers' "heroism and sacrifice" are properly recognized.

The vote took place amid a broader day of legislative activity in which some Republican lawmakers broke with party leadership or the White House on specific issues. According to legislative reports, 17 House Republicans joined Democrats on Thursday to approve a restoration of Affordable Care Act subsidies, while five Senate Republicans voted to advance a measure related to presidential war powers. These actions occurred shortly after the fifth anniversary of the Capitol riot.