Members of the US Congress will be launching a committee designed to probe the January 6 riots at the US Capitol, according to an announcement made by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Thursday. The initiative has been announced just months after a similar law was stopped in its tracks after members of the Republican party blocked a 9/11 style commission.

“This morning, with great solemnity and sadness, I am announcing that the House will be establishing a select committee on the January 6 insurrection,” Pelosi, the top Democrat in Congress, told reporters.

Pelosi said that the January attack was a “day of darkness” for the country and that a deep investigation is necessary.

“It is imperative that we establish the truth of that day, and ensure that an attack of that kind does not happen” in the future, Pelosi said.

She also leveled criticism at the “cowardly” Republicans whom she said obliged when Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell asked them to vote against creation of the broader, bipartisan commission a month ago.

Six Republicans broke ranks and voted with Democrats to launch the commission, but it was four short of the number needed to advance the bill.

In a display of loyalty to Trump — and likely concerned about how the findings of an investigation might impact the 2022 midterm elections — the other Republicans voted against launching the probe.

Now, rather than a thoroughly bipartisan panel, Pelosi will retain full control of the select committee, and will name its leader.

Few details have been formally released but the committee is expected to have subpoena power.

Republicans have bristled at the prospect of House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, top aides to Trump and even Trump himself being compelled to testify about any role they may have played in the run up to the riot.

Pelosi waved off concern that the select committee’s findings might be dismissed by the American public because it is not a fully bipartisan commission.

The committee will be headed by a Democrat but the speaker said she hopes the House’s top Republican will appoint “responsible people” to it.

As for the timing of the committee’s work and its final report, Pelosi stressed a comprehensive investigation rather than speedy conclusions.

“The timetable will be as long as it takes,” she said.

The committee, so far, does not have a hard deadline for producing results and could spill over to next year too. In such a case, the results of the investigations have the influence to hamper the 2022 election outcomes.

US Attorney General Merrick Garland said the number of arrests connected to the attack, in which rioters stormed the Capitol seeking to halt the certification of Joe Biden’s November presidential election victory over Trump, has topped 500.

“I assure the American people that the Department of Justice will continue to follow the facts in this case and charge what the evidence supports to hold all January 6th perpetrators accountable.”