The select committee to investigate the January 6 attack on the United States capital will be in order.

Without objection, the chair is authorized to declare the committee in recess at any point.

But, soon to house deposition authority regulation 10, the chair announces the committee's approval to release the deposition material presented during today's hearing.

Good afternoon. When I think about the most basic way to explain the importance of elections in the United States,

there's a phrase that always comes to mind. It may sound straightforward, but it's meaningful.

We settle our differences at the ballot box. Sometimes my choice prevails, sometimes yours does.

But it's that simple. We cast our votes, we count the votes. If something seems off with the results, we can challenge them in court.

And then we accept the results. When you're on the losing side, that doesn't mean you have to be happy about it.

And in the United States, there's plenty you can do and say so. You can protest. You can organize.

You can get ready for the next election to try to make sure your side has a better chance the next time the people sell their differences at the ballot box.

But you can't turn violent. You can't try to achieve your desired outcome through force or harassment or intimidation.

In a real leader who sees their supporters going down that path approaching that line has a responsibility to say stop.

We gave it our best. We came up short. We try again next time because we settle our differences at the ballot box.

On December 14, 2020, the presidential election was officially over. The electoral college had cast this vote.

Joe Biden was the president elect of the United States. By that point, many of Donald Trump supporters were already convinced that the election had been stolen.

Because that's where Donald Trump had been telling them. So what Donald Trump was required to do in that moment.

What would have been required of any American leader was to say we did our best and we came up short.

He went the opposite way. He seized on the anger he had already stoked among his most law supporters.

And as they approached the land, he didn't wave them off. He urged them on today.

The committee will explain how as a part of his last ditch effort to overturn the election and block the transfer of power.

Donald Trump summoned a mob to Washington DC and ultimately spurred that mob to wage a violent attack on our democracy.

Our colleagues, Ms. Murphy of Florida and Mr. Raskin of Maryland will lay out this story.

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