Romney Becomes First GOP Sen. To Back Bipartisan Jan. 6 Commission

Senate Foreign Relations Committee member Sen. Mitt Romney (R-UT) attends a hearing August 4, 2020. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
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Sen. Mitt Romney (R-UT) on Monday expressed support for the House bill on creating a bipartisan commission to study the Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection.

“I would support the bill,” Romney told reporters, per the Hill and Axios.

The Utah Republican is the first GOP senator to back the measure.

All eyes are on the Senate after the bill passed in the House in a 252-175 vote, with 35 Republicans crossing party lines to approve the commission.

10 Republican senators are needed to join all 50 Democrats in the chamber in order to overcome the filibuster and pass the bill.

Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME), who, like Romney, voted to convict ex-President Donald Trump in his impeachment trial for inciting the insurrection, said on Sunday that she “strongly” supports having a commission to study the Capitol siege, but only under certain conditions.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) has come out against the House bill, as has fellow leader GOP conference chair Sen. John Barrasso (R-WY). Sen. Roy Blunt (R-CO) argued on Sunday that it was “too early” to create a commission.

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