HRES-605-119
Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 672, H. Res. 605 is considered passed House. (consideration: CR H3780; text: CR H3780)
Sponsored by Barry Loudermilk (R-GA)
What it does
This resolution establishes a Select Subcommittee under the House Judiciary Committee to investigate "remaining questions" surrounding the January 6, 2021 events at the U.S. Capitol. The subcommittee would have up to 8 members appointed by the Speaker, with no more than 3 chosen in consultation with the minority leader. It would have subpoena power, authority to take depositions, and access to intelligence information. The subcommittee must submit a final report to the Judiciary Committee by December 31, 2026, and terminates 30 days after filing that report or at the end of the 119th Congress, whichever comes first.
Who benefits
Members of the majority party, who control all but 3 of the 8 seats and set the investigative agenda. Individuals or groups who believe prior investigations left significant questions unanswered. Journalists and researchers who may gain access to newly released records transferred from the Committee on House Administration. Witnesses or parties whose accounts were not fully heard in prior proceedings. The public broadly, to the extent new findings are made public in the final report.
Who is hurt
Minority party members, who are limited to 3 of 8 seats and have no independent subpoena authority. Individuals who may be compelled to testify or produce documents via subpoena, including private citizens, former officials, and law enforcement personnel. Agencies and departments that may face demands for sensitive records. Those who view additional investigation as duplicative of prior work, including the prior Select Committee's 18-month investigation and multiple criminal prosecutions already concluded.
Supporters argue
Supporters argue that the prior House Select Committee operated with a partisan composition — no Republican members chosen by House Republican leadership participated — and that its final report left unresolved questions about security failures, intelligence breakdowns, and the conduct of Capitol Police and federal agencies. They contend that a new investigation with Judiciary Committee jurisdiction and access to intelligence materials could surface facts that prior proceedings did not fully examine, providing a more complete public record of a significant event in American history.
Opponents argue
Opponents argue that January 6 has already been the subject of one of the most extensive congressional investigations in modern history — producing an 845-page final report, 17 public hearings, and over 1,000 witness interviews — alongside thousands of federal criminal prosecutions. They contend that the subcommittee's lopsided composition (5 majority seats vs. 3 minority seats, with the Speaker appointing all members) replicates the same structural imbalance critics attributed to the prior committee, and that the investigation is more likely to relitigate settled findings than to produce new, actionable information.