FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
FORMER MEMBERS OF CONGRESS RELEASE OPEN LETTER ON THE FIRST ANNIVERSARY OF JANUARY SIXTH
Washington, DC — Today, the U.S. Association of Former Members of Congress (FMC)’s executive leadership team released an open letter on behalf of nearly 800 Former Members of Congress to address the first anniversary of the January 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol.
The letter said in part, “The events of January 6th show us that extreme and divisive political rhetoric can have enormous, lifechanging consequences for the public servants that work in and around the Capitol complex, as well as in District offices throughout the nation…To remedy this disease on our body politic, we must see those who disagree with us as our fellow Americans instead of enemies and reward our elected officials for civility instead of division and partisanship. The numerous lives lost on January 6th and in its aftermath show how high the stakes are and if we don’t act, they will be a harbinger for the political violence to come.”
FMC’s executive leadership includes FMC President Charles Boustany (R-LA), President-Elect L.F. Payne (D-VA), Immediate Past President Martin Frost (D-TX), Vice Presidents Donna Edwards (D-MD) and Ann Marie Buerkle (R-NY), CEO Peter Weichlein, and COO Sabine Schleidt.
FMC is a non-advocacy, nonpartisan group founded in 1970 and chartered by Congress in 1983. It is a voluntary alliance of Former U.S. Senators and Representatives, working to strengthen Congress in the conduct of its Constitutional responsibility through promoting a collaborative approach to policy making; and to deepening the understanding of our democratic system.
Read the full letter below.
As we approach the first anniversary of the terrible events of January 6th, we as Former Members of Congress appreciate like few others the incredibly difficult environment in which Senators and Representatives, their staff, Capitol employees, and Capitol Police officers perform their jobs day after day. We sincerely thank the Congressional community for their hard work, dedication, and service to this country. It is inconceivable to us how we as a nation have arrived at a place where policy differences and votes on legislation lead to death threats and the real possibility of harm being done to one’s family.
Every day these public servants – whether a Member of Congress or their staff – make sacrifices, and in the case of Capitol Police, put their lives on the line, to help our elected leaders represent the interests of their constituents and enable our Article I Branch to function. Their daily reality includes threats of violence solely because of their boss’ political affiliation, or even worse, simply for working in the building.
2021 has been tough on all of us but the toxic and hyper-partisan political environment has added an extra layer for the Capitol Hill community. The events of January 6th show us that extreme and divisive political rhetoric can have enormous, lifechanging consequences for the public servants that work in and around the Capitol complex, as well as in District offices throughout the nation.
To remedy this disease on our body politic, we must see those who disagree with us as our fellow Americans instead of enemies and reward our elected officials for civility instead of division and partisanship. The numerous lives lost on January 6th and in its aftermath show how high the stakes are and if we don’t act, they will be a harbinger for the political violence to come.
On this first anniversary of an incredibly tragic day, where our symbol of representative democracy came under attack by rioters carrying symbols of hate, we need to look inward as a nation and ask ourselves, is this truly how we want to treat the grand experiment that has been safeguarded by generation after generation of Americans?
Sincerely,
The Honorable Charles Boustany (R-LA)
The Honorable L.F. Payne (D-VA)
The Honorable Martin Frost (D-TX)
The Honorable Donna Edwards (D-MD)
The Honorable Ann Marie Buerkle (R-NY)
FMC CEO Peter Weichlein
FMC COO Sabine Schleidt
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