WATCH: Sen. Schiff, Leader Schumer, January 6th Committee Members, Congressional Leaders Gather to Honor Heroes Who Defended Capitol at the Site of Newly Installed Plaque

Washington, DC - On Wednesday, March 25, U.S. Senator Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.-08), Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.-11), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Senator Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Ranking Member of the House Committee on Homeland Security and former Chairman of the January 6^th Committee Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.-02), and members of the House Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack on the United States Capitol gathered at a ceremony to commemorate the installation of the plaque honoring the bravery of U.S. Capitol Police, Washington D.C. Metropolitan Police Department, and other law enforcement officers who protected the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021.

The ceremony took place on the Senate's Upper Terrace on the West Front of the Capitol, at the very place where rioters stormed the Capitol building during the deadly insurrection. Guests included law enforcement officers and the families of fallen officers who defended our democracy that day, as well as lawmakers and former staff of the January 6^th Committee.

"Today, we come together to honor those who risked and, in some cases, gave their lives to protect our Capitol on January 6, 2021. They will be forever remembered for their heroism and now through this plaque for their contributions to our safety and our democracy and will become an essential part of the fabric of the Capitol building itself," said Senator Schiff.

Watch Schiff's opening remarks HERE. Download remarks HERE.

Read the full transcript of his remarks as delivered below:

Good evening, everyone. It's an honor to be here with you today.

Five years ago, our nation and its democracy experienced one of its darkest days when a violent mob attacked the Capitol in an effort to overturn a free and fair election. It was the first serious effort to interfere with the peaceful transfer of power in our history.

Brave police officers were beaten, crushed, bear sprayed and maced while defending our democracy with their bare hands.

The halls of Congress were desecrated. Symbols of hate were paraded through a convening place of the greatest democracy in history. Blood and worse were smeared on the walls and floors.

The certification of the election was delayed.

During that horrific day, we witnessed the immense heroism of the Capitol Police, the D.C. metropolitan police and other law enforcement officers who protected this temple of democracy.

Like many of you, I remember January 6, 2021, vividly.

I remember being on the floor of the House of Representatives as one of the managers of the floor debate that day, opposing efforts to decertify the electors.

As the chaos began, I remember noticing members on their phones watching hundreds and then thousands of people outside the Capitol starting to beat their way into this building.

Breaking down fences and barricades, attacking officers, including in the very spot we gather today.

Until I could hear them myself inside the chamber, banging on the doors and trying to get in.

I remember our Capitol police officers coming onto the House floor to evacuate our leadership and making increasingly serious statements about the emergency at hand.

Advising us to get out our gas masks, creating an escape route, telling us eventually you need to get out, now.

At the center of those memories are the brave law enforcement officers who protected us in the face of this unprecedented tragedy.

Today, we come together to honor those who risked and, in some cases, gave their lives to protect our Capitol on January 6, 2021.

They will be forever remembered for their heroism and now through this plaque for their contributions to our safety and our democracy and will become an essential part of the fabric of the Capitol building itself.

I want to recognize some of those joining us today, Sergeant Aquilino Gonell. Aquilino, thank you for being here, who protected our Capitol on January 6, along with Erin Smith, whose late husband D.C. Metropolitan Police Officer Jeffrey Smith, tragically passed away in the days following the insurrection. Erin, thank you for being here. Both of you I know, carry the heavy burden of what occurred that day. And we are grateful to you both for your service and sacrifice.

I want to recognize our Leader Chuck Schumer for being here today. He, along with Leader Thune, were instrumental in having a plaque that could be installed to honor the service of our Capitol police force and other law enforcement agencies who protected the Capitol that day.

My deep appreciation as well to Senator Jeff Merkley and Senator Thom Tillis, who introduced the bipartisan resolution to ensure the plaque we are here to recognize would be put up in the Capitol.

I want to recognize my colleague, Senator Alex Padilla, the Ranking Member of the Rules Committee; Senator Amy Klobuchar, the former chair of the Rules Committee; and Senator Patty Murray, who is also here Vice Chair of the Appropriations Committee, and who also contributed enormously to those efforts.

We're also very grateful to Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi for their leadership on that day and for joining us today.

In the aftermath of that attack, we knew we needed to investigate and tell the full story of what happened.

I'm proud to have served on the January 6 Committee alongside my colleagues who are here, our January 6 Committee Chair, Bennie Thompson, Congressman Pete Aguilar, Congressman Jamie Raskin and Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren and those who could not make it today, Vice Chair Liz Cheney, Congressman Adam Kinzinger, Congresswoman Stephanie Murphy and Congresswoman Elaine Luria, along with dozens of our former January 6 Committee staff who worked diligently to provide a full documentation and painstaking detail of how our democracy held just barely, in large part, thanks to a critical mass of honorable officials of both parties.

I will close with this.

Despite the painful memories of what happened at the Capitol on January 6, there continues to be an insidious effort to paper over the truth of what occurred to rewrite the history of that day, to undermine elections and the rule of law.

We must never allow the truth of what happened five years ago to be forgotten, and we must rededicate ourselves to making sure that something like January 6 never happens in our country again. That's what this plaque represents.

I thank you all for attending.

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