POLITICS

Senate to display long-missing Jan. 6 law-enforcement plaque

PUBLISHED Jan 5, 2026, 8:06 AM ET

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Media Bias Meter

Sources: 12

Left 8%

Center 75%

Right 17%

Sources: 12

Washington — The Senate unanimously agreed to temporarily display a plaque honoring law enforcement who defended the Capitol during the Jan. 6, 2021, attack after the House declined to hang the commemorative marker required by a 2022 law. Senators Jeff Merkley and Thom Tillis sponsored the resolution directing the Architect of the Capitol to place the plaque in an accessible Senate wing until a permanent location is set. The plaque, completed but reportedly in storage, lists responding agencies; House Speaker Mike Johnson has said the production does not implement the statute. Based on 11 articles reviewed and supporting research.

By Sarah Whitman | JQJO News

Timeline of Events

Jan. 6, 2021 — Attack on U.S. Capitol; law enforcement responded; injuries and deaths reported.
March 2022 — Congress authorized and funded a commemorative plaque honoring responding law enforcement.
March 2023 — Statutory deadline for installation passed; plaque reportedly remained in storage.
2023–2025 — House Republican leadership declined to implement the plaque, citing statutory or production concerns.
January 2026 — Senate adopted unanimous-consent resolution directing temporary display in the Senate wing.

Media Bias

Articles Published:: 12
Right Leaning:: 2
Left Leaning:: 1
Neutral:: 9

Who Benefited

Law enforcement officers and their families received renewed formal recognition after the Senate directed temporary display of the plaque; senators who sponsored the bipartisan resolution also secured a public acknowledgment of officers' actions.

Who Impacted

House Speaker Mike Johnson and some House Republicans faced criticism and legal scrutiny for declining to hang the plaque, while several officers and families experienced delayed public recognition because the finished plaque remained in storage.

Media Bias