KATY MAGAZINE NEWS
July 20, 2021
By Natalie Cook Clark
Fort Bend Congressman Troy Nehls is one of five Republicans picked for the Select Committee to investigate the January 6 insurrection. Nehls stood by Capital police that day and spoke to the rioters, trying to bring peace to the escalating situation.
Texas Representative District 22 Congressman Troy Nehls.
Rioters Targeted Members of Congress
On January 6, 2021 rioters protesting the Presidential election breached the capital and targeted the U.S. Congress. They were meeting in the House Chamber in a joint session to count the electoral votes and officially name President Biden the next President of the United States.
Nehls Stood with Capital Police
Newly sworn in Texas Representative for District 22, that covers a lot of Fort Bend County, Troy Nehls was there and quickly jumped to action helping the Capital police.
“I wasn’t going to leave,” says Rep. Troy Nehls. “I was going to stay and support my brothers and sisters.”
Nehls was experienced to offer aid as he served previously as the Fort Bend County Sheriff and the served in the military.
For a new congressman, Nehls quickly became one of the most photographed on that day as he was seen in his blue dress shirt and Texas state flag mask up against the broken door talking to the rioters.
“One of them told me that I was from Texas and that I should be with them,” says Nehls. “I told him, oh no sire we are conducting official business here and what you are doing is un-American.”
Nehls described that day as being a very sad day and a black eye in our country’s history.
"Other countries were laughing at us," says Nehls.
Nehls Named Among 5 Republicans to Committee
House Republican leader Kevin McCarthy picked Representative Nehls along with four other Republicans to serve on the select committee that will investigate that day.
"I appreciate the confidence bestowed in me by Leader McCarthy and I'm honored to be names to serve on this committee," says Nehls.
Next, Nehls and the other Republicans have to be approved by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi as this is committee rules. Pelosi has received the list from McCarthy but it isn’t known when she will approve the names.
"My team and I have reviewed the Senate report that includes testimony going back to February and March," says Nehls. "We discovered things in the report that are alarming and need to be investigated."
The other Republicans selected include Indiana Rep. Jim Banks, Ohio Rep. Jim Jordan, Illinois Rep. Rodney Davis, and North Dakota Rep. Kelly Armstrong.
The fact that the insurrection happened at all shows some of the concerns that Nehls has for our country and its people.
“We turn into violence,” says Nehls. “That’s what we do today, and our children are watching.”
Rep. Nehls already serves on the House Committee of Transportation and Infrastructure as well as the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
"I look forward to getting to the bottom of exactly how January 6 happened and ensuring it never happens again," says Nehls.
Follow him at his website.