Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski will back a bill creating a Jan. 6 commission to investigate the surge into the nation’s Capitol by protesters of the certification of the Electoral College according to a report by The Hill newspaper.
The bill passed the House earlier, without approval from Alaska Congressman Don Young. But 35 House Republicans last week supported the creation of the commission and the bill moved to the Senate.
The newspaper reported Murkowski saying, “I’m going to support it.” On Monday, Sen. Mitt Romney and Sen. Susan Collins had announced they would support the bill, but Collins says the bill is flawed and she will be suggesting changes.
It needs 60 votes to pass, which means it would need 7 more Republicans to vote yes, presuming that all Democrats will vote for it.
Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer says passage of the bill is a priority and that he hopes to have a vote before the Memorial Day recess.
The commission is the brainchild of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who proposed it on Feb. 15.
There’s no word from Sen. Dan Sullivan’s office about the senator’s position on the matter.
