Pelosi cheers, Trump jeers GOP votes for Jan. 6 commission

The 35 out of 211 Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives who voted for the independent commission to probe the Jan.

6 attack on the Capitol signaled some cracks in the party's defense of former President Donald Trump.

This report produced by Chris Dignam.

NANCY PELOSI: "Take back your party." House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Thursday commended the 35 House Republicans who voted with Democrats to approve a bill to form an independent commission to investigate the deadly Jan.

6 attack on the Capitol by Donald Trump's supporters, defying their party's leaders' attempts to block the commission and the former president's strong opposition to it.

PELOSI: "It is interesting to see 35 members coming forth.

I'm very proud of them, and it was a recognition that this was a bipartisan product." Outside the Capitol, at a press event to commemorate Cuban Independence Day, House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy got no questions related to Cuba.

MCCARTHY: "What do we have about Cuba?" REPORTER #1: "Would you be willing to testify about your conversation with Donald Trump on January 6th if you were asked by an outside commission?" MCCARTHY: "Sure.

Next question."REPORTER #2: "Do you think it's a conflict of interest for members to be voting on a commission that they might have to potentially be witnesses for and provide information on?" MCCARTHY: "No, 'cause who knows what they're going to do on the commission?

So, no, I don't think so." McCarthy, a close Trump ally, and Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell worked to kill the bipartisan bill to establish the Jan.

6 commission, which would be modeled after the panel that investigated the Sept.

11 attacks.

The bill now goes to the Senate where its future was uncertain.

But Pelosi expressed optimism about its chances in the other chamber.

PELOSI: "I don't think that what we've heard from the Senate is so bad." Republican Senators Lisa Murkowski and Mitt Romney signaled support for the commission.

On Thursday, moderate Republican Susan Collins told reporters that while she thought the House bill needed modifications, she thought "a commission is a good idea." Republican Senator John Cornyn also left open the possibility of negotiating changes to the House bill.

Republican lawmakers who vote in favor of the commission risk drawing the wrath of Trump ahead of the 2022 elections.

STENY HOYER: "...that's what they fear." On Wednesday, Democratic House Majority Leader, Steny Hoyer, slammed Republicans on that point.

And fellow Democrat Tim Ryan said House Republicans who opposed to the bill weren't "living in reality." RYAN: "We have people scaling the Capitol, hitting the Capitol Police with lead pipes across the head and we can't get bipartisanship.

What else has to happen in this country?" On Thursday, Trump bemoaned the House vote in a statement, saying "...the Democrats stick together, the Republicans don’t.

They don’t have the Romney’s, Little Ben Sasse’s, and Cheney’s of the world.

Unfortunately, we do."