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Floor Speech

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Mr. PETERS. Mr. President, I thank Senator Klobuchar.

One year ago today, a shocking, violent, and unthinkable attack on the U.S. Capitol shook the very foundations of our democracy. I was here, in this Chamber, as we were conducting the ceremonial certification of our election, and I just remember so vividly as the proceedings were so abruptly paused and the Vice President was hurried off of the podium by the Secret Service and the confusion as we evacuated this Chamber.

And, in that moment, none of us were aware of the brutal altercations that were unfolding all around us as our heroic law enforcement officers and first responders fended off the violent mob of insurrectionists.

The images from that day are absolutely horrifying. They are images that I and this country will hopefully never forget. We are forever indebted to the brave U.S. Capitol Police officers, the DC Metropolitan Police, the National Guard, and others whose valiant efforts defended a democracy that day and thwarted an attempted insurrection.

Not only did this attack leave frontline officers with serious physical injuries, but it also took the lives of several. The attack has taken an unimaginable mental and emotional toll on first responders, the Capitol Hill community, and Americans all across our Nation who witnessed this assault on the heart of our democracy with their own eyes, either here in person or watching it on television.

Sadly, as we mark this solemn anniversary, the threat that we all watched become a violent act 1 year ago has only continued to grow. In my role as chairman of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, along with Rules Committee Chairwoman Klobuchar, we were proud to lead the first bipartisan oversight hearings--investigation-- and report on the immediate changes needed to secure the Capitol and to prevent a future attack.

Since that report was released last June, nearly 16 of the 20 recommendations that we made have been implemented or are well underway. The Capitol is secure, and we are much better prepared for a future attack.

But let us be very clear: We must do more to tackle the threat of domestic and violent extremism, especially as more and more people embrace conspiracy theories and outright lies and report that they believe that violence can be justified to get their desired political outcomes. Once relegated to the fringes of our society, these kinds of views are now creeping further into the mainstream, and that presents a grave threat to the future of our democracy.

There is no easy one solution to address this matter, but there are actions that we can take to protect our democracy and strengthen it for generations to come. Most significantly, our Nation's political leaders, no matter their political affiliation, must condemn the violence that occurred on these grounds 1 year ago and speak out against the lies and conspiracies about the 2020 election that have compelled further threats and acts of violence.

We must also address how this disinformation and other extremist content spreads online, reaches new audiences, and drives too many people down a rabbit hole of radicalization. We have seen all too clearly how the spread of such extreme content online can swiftly become real-world violence. More actions must be taken to limit the amplification of disinformation and extreme content online and to prevent extremist views from reaching that tipping point into violent acts.

And our counterterrorism agencies must ensure that they are effectively focusing on the threat at hand by ensuring that they have sufficient personnel and resources devoted to domestic terrorism and domestic violent extremism.

And finally, today and every day, all Americans must remain committed to protecting our democracy. We cannot take our democracy for granted. It is built on the promise that every American is committed to the same core values of free and fair elections, the peaceful transfer of power, and an accountable government for all of the people.

If we lose this shared commitment to continue upholding our most cherished principles, we risk losing the very freedoms and the rights that have made our Nation a beacon of light for the entire world.

Every Member of this body--every American--has a vital role in strengthening our democracy. Elected officials on both sides of the aisle and at every level of government should make clear that the lies and violent action that took place on January 6 have no place in our country and commit themselves to restoring faith in our democratic institutions by ensuring that everyone can make their voices heard in our democracy through the ballot box.

One year ago, we saw our democracy endure against a violent attempted insurrection, but we must be very clear-eyed moving forward. We cannot let efforts to weaken and erode confidence in the future of our democracy continue.

Let's come together and take the very real challenges our Nation faces head-on. In times of adversity, our country persevered because we came together as one. We must channel that spirit and strive to create a more perfect Union today, tomorrow, and for generations to come.

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