House, Senate return to Capitol to finish certifying Electoral College vote
'Today was a dark day in the history of the United States Capitol,' Vice President Pence said
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The House and Senate reconvened Wednesday, hours after their sessions on the 2020 Electoral College results were interrupted by a mob of demonstrators who stormed the Capitol Building.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky. and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., each condemned the violence before their respective chambers and said they would not be intimidated by a mob and would not shy away from doing their jobs.
A few minutes after the lawmakers resumed at 9 p.m. ET, the Senate sent a message to the House that it had disposed of the objection to Arizona’s electors and was ready to return to a joint session.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}LAWMAKERS, AIDES, AND OTHERS SHELTERING INSIDE CAPITOL DESCRIBE CHAOS; AT LEAST ONE DEAD
Then Senate voted 93-6 against the objection to Arizona's electors. The six Republicans who voted in favor of it were Sens. Ted Cruz, of Texas, Josh Hawley, of Missouri, Cindy Hyde-Smith, of Mississippi, John Kennedy, of Louisiana, Roger Marshall, of Kansas, and Tommy Tuberville, of Alabama.
Hawley said he planned to raise another objection to Pennsylvania's results as well, prolonging the proceedings.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}In its own vote on the objection to Arizona's electors, the House voted 303-121, with dozens of Republicans joining Democrats to reject it.
After the vote, Pelosi announced that the two chambers would resume the delayed joint session.
Earlier, Vice President Mike Pence, presiding over the Senate session while the two bodies were apart for separate debates on Arizona’s electors, praised law enforcement officers for overcoming the mob.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"Today was a dark day in the history of the United States Capitol," Pence said. "But thanks to the swift efforts of U.S. Capitol Police, federal, state, and local law enforcement, the violence was quelled."
He also offered prayers for police, and the woman who was killed during the protests.
"We grieve the loss of life in these hallowed halls," Pence added. "As well as the injuries suffered by those who defended our Capitol today, and we will always be grateful."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}McConnell pledged to finish the electoral validation and certify a winner.
"Criminal behavior will never dominate the United States Congress," he said. "This institution is resilient. Our democratic republic is strong. The American people deserve nothing less."
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., condemned the chaos and blamed it, at least in part, on the presdient.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"This mob was, in good part, President Trump’s doing, incited by his words and his lies," Schumer said. "This violence, in good part, his responsibility, his everlasting shame. Today’s events certainly, certainly, wouldn’t have happened without him."
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Other lawmakers urged their colleagues to tone down the rhetoric and find some kind of common ground after the earlier chaos.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"It is a sad day in America," Rep. Steny Hoyer, D-Md., said on the House floor before delivering remarks on the Arizona electors issue. "It is a wrenching day in America. It is a day in which our words and our actions have had consequences of a very, very negative nature. We ought to watch our words."
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House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., also condemned the violence and pledged to "follow the Constitution and the laws" and finish the certification process.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"Our democracy cannot be disrupted by criminal behavior," he said. "Let me be very clear: Mobs don’t rule America. Laws rule America. It was true when our cities were burning this summer and it’s true now."
Fox News’ Caroline McKee contributed to this report.