House to vote on creating select committee to investigate January 6 attack

Washington — The House will vote Wednesday on a bill to create a select committee to investigate the deadly attack on the U.S. Capitol on January 6, after Senate Republicans blocked a measure to form an independent commission to probe the assault last month.

The bill would create a 13-member committee made up of eight members appointed by Speaker Nancy Pelosi, and five chosen by House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy. Pelosi is considering naming one Republican, which would give the committee a partisan balance of seven Democrats to six Republicans. But Pelosi will also essentially have veto power over McCarthy's choices, as the Republican leader will make appointments in consultation with the speaker. So if McCarthy wanted to appoint a member who had downplayed January 6, or voted to overturn the Electoral College results, the speaker could reject his choice.