Most of us went into the military because we wanted to be a part of a mission that is greater than ourselves. That's why I think you see so many hono… - Adam Kinzinger

It's all about the end of your life. What can you say you did? What was your life worth? What did you contribute? We don't all have to go into the military, but we can all make America a better place. That's the aspect of life today, especially in politics, that really troubles me. We're experiencing a real breakdown in appreciation with each other and all the ways we contribute to our collective betterment. That's what drives me. I've been around the world and seen situations far worse than our own. I've also seen some of our modern warriors come back from war, and I admire their efforts to show people again what life is about. Just like in the Bible, they were willing to enact violence to protect the people they love. Then they come back, pass on lessons, and inspire a new generation to bigger things.

Here’s what we know: Congress was not prepared on January 6th. We weren’t prepared because we never imagined this could happen: an attack, by our own people, fostered and encouraged by those granted power through the very system they sought to overturn. That is a lesson, not a conspiracy theory or counter-narrative. Some have concocted a counternarrative to discredit this process on the grounds we didn’t launch a similar investigation into the urban riots and looting last summer. Mr. Chairman, I was called on to serve during the summer riots as an Air National Guardsman. I condemned those riots and the destruction of property that resulted. But not once did I ever feel that the future of self-government was threatened like I did on January 6th. There is a difference between breaking the law and rejecting the rule of law, between a crime—even grave crimes—and a coup.

They always taught us in the military that if you are in a situation where somebody walks into a room with a gun, half the people in that room will run, 40 percent will freeze because they want to act but don't know how and they can't think. Ten percent of people will take over and tell other people what to do. You need to be able to take action. To do something.