(Washington, D.C.) – Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) issued the following statement on the one-year anniversary of the January 6th insurrection.
“January 6th was a horrifying day for our country—a day we cannot forget or ignore. Americans—our fellow citizens—tried to stop our democratic process with brute force in order to overturn a free and fair election, simply because they did not like the outcome. That is not how democracy works in this country. We use our voices and votes to decide elections, not violence.
“I am thankful to the brave Capitol Police officers who fought to protect us that day, and my heart goes out to the families of the officers who lost their lives on that day and in the days after. I am thankful to my colleagues and so many people that work in the Capitol who refused to let a violent insurrection prevent us from doing our job to certify the 2020 presidential election. But that outcome was not guaranteed. January 6th showed us how fragile our democracy can be—and what could happen if we don’t defend it.
“Senators have a responsibility to stand up for our democratic process and ensure nothing like January 6th ever happens again. A responsibility to ensure leaders are chosen not by violence, but by elections where every eligible citizen in this country can make their voice heard at the ballot box. That is why I have long said that passing strong voting rights protections will be the most important thing we do this Congress.
“If we are to learn from January 6th, then we cannot sit by and just hope our democracy survives. We have to send legislation that protects every American’s right to vote to the President’s desk, and I’m committed to using every legislative tool available to get this done and make sure our democracy stays a democracy.”
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