US lawmakers reach agreement on probe for Jan 6 insurrection

Homeland Security Committee agrees to terms of powerful investigative body likely to face challenges from Republicans.

Top Democratic and Republican members of the House Homeland Security Committee have reached an agreement on a bipartisan commission to investigate the January 6 insurrection on the US Capitol after the measure stalled amid partisan differences. Democratic chairman Bennie Thompson and ranking Republican member Representative John Katko said they would introduce legislation for consideration before the House as soon as next week to set up the investigative panel modelled after the one used to probe the attacks of September 11, 2001. The House impeached Trump one week after the insurrection for telling his supporters – most of whom belonged to far-right movements – to “fight like hell” in a speech just before the attack, in which five died.