House GOP Forms New Committee to Investigate Jan. 6

House Republicans voted on Wednesday to authorize a select subcommittee to investigate the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol attack and potentially the previous Democratic-run Jan. 6 committee, a move that came more than seven months after the panel was first announced.

The subcommittee will be part of the House Judiciary Committee and will be chaired by Rep. Barry Loudermilk (R-Ga.), who in previous Congresses investigated the Capitol security posture and the activities of the previous Democratic-led committee.

Language to authorize a resolution creating the select subcommittee was tucked into a procedural rule vote teeing up consideration of other measures, rather than as a stand-alone bill. Rule votes typically pass along party lines. The rule on Wednesday that included the Jan. 6 subcommittee passed along party lines 212-208, with Rep. Kevin Kiley (R-Calif.) voting “present.”

The panel will have eight members, three of whom will be appointed by Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) subject to the Speaker’s approval and five of whom will be appointed by the Speaker. It is instructed to release a final report by Dec. 31, 2026.

Loudermilk will have full subpoena authority.

The panel has the Judiciary Committee’s broad scope over law enforcement and more when investigating matters related to Jan. 6 — and a source told The Hill that Loudermilk has commitment from chairmen from other areas of jurisdiction and the White House to green-light probes into any other lines of inquiry. That could include more investigation of the original Democratic-controlled Jan. 6 panel.