Rep. Zoe Lofgren, a California Democrat, is frustrated by the delay in installing a plaque to honor police officers who saved the Capitol during the January 6, 2021 attack. Lofgren believes this delay is disrespectful to the officers who risked their lives that day. A spending bill passed in March 2023 mandated the creation of the plaque with the names of officers who served on January 6, but the plaque has not been completed or installed by the required deadline.
House Democrats are questioning why the plaque honoring the officers has been delayed, with concerns that it may be tied to the political tensions surrounding the 2024 election. Lofgren, who served on the House Select Jan. 6 committee, emphasized the importance of the plaque as a way to honor the officers who were brutally attacked while protecting lawmakers and staffers. Democrats have completed their obligations in compiling the list of officers’ names, but Republicans have not provided information on their progress, deflecting inquiries to the Speaker’s office.
The delay in installing the plaque has angered police officers who responded on January 6, with retired Capitol Police Sgt. Aqulino Gonell urging for its immediate installation. He believes the plaque is necessary for the public to understand the danger faced by the officers and the sacrifices they made to protect the Capitol and its occupants. Top Democrats, including Rep. Bennie Thompson and House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, have criticized Speaker Mike Johnson for the delay, calling it disrespectful to those who defended the institution.
The proposal for the plaque honoring the officers was introduced in June 2021, and despite the passage of a spending bill mandating its creation, the plaque has not been completed and installed as required by law. Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler supported the plaque during a House Appropriations hearing, emphasizing the importance of honoring the officers for their sacrifices. Lofgren has written a letter to Speaker Johnson urging immediate action to address the oversight and ensure the prompt installation of the plaque, but has received no response from his office.
The delay in installing the plaque honoring the police officers who saved the Capitol on January 6, 2021, has become a point of contention among legislators and a source of frustration for those who served on that day. Despite the completion of the list of officers’ names by Democrats, the plaque remains unfinished, with no clear explanation for the delay. The lack of response from House leadership has raised concerns about the politicization of the issue and the failure to honor the bravery and sacrifice of those who protected the Capitol and its occupants.
