WASHINGTON, D.C. - For many congressional members, when they think about January 6th,  they think about the law enforcement officers who put their lives on the line. Some even died defending them and the Capitol. As the year anniversary of the attack arrives, it's still hard for members to grasp what has happened here. 

The images, the noises and the range of emotions. This is what congressional representatives and senators remember about the attack on the U.S. Capitol on January 6th, 2021. 

“That anger, that hatred that way of thinking that’s how you deal with whatever disagreement is before you, it was very troublesome,” said Rep. Tom Reed (R- NY).  

The capital sees it’s fair share of protests, but members said they knew this one was different.  

“I had been in Washington the day before and actually driven around the capitol and watched some of the protesters as they were beginning to prepare,” recalled Congresswoman Stacey Plaskett (D- VI). “Reading some of the signs seemed very violent to me.” 

Inside the building Congress counted the electoral votes and on the outside, crowds of pro-Trump rioters, angry about the election results were determined to stop the vote. They pushed through barricades and Capitol Police. Then stormed the building.  

Congressman Reed recalls what he saw when he left the House floor and stepped outside the Capitol.  

“I was walking outside as the buildings went into lock down and I got locked outside as you can hear the people coming up from the National Mall,” said Reed. ‘You can hear the flash bangs going off. You can see that unfolding in real-time and it was one of those scenes where I was shocked I was like, ‘what’s going on here?’” 

Congresswoman Plaskett was inside her office when the rioters breached the doors.  

“As I was walking to the door, my staff locked the door and said you can’t leave, they have stormed the Capitol,” said Plaskett. “So I watched on TV incredulous.”  

On the floor, Senator Bob Casey (D- PA) remembers no one had a real sense of how many rioters made it through. He said he didn’t feel a real sense of danger until Capitol Police told them to evacuate.  

“I remember thinking as we were filing out of that doorway because of that logjam its possible some of us would be more vulnerable,” said Casey. “I just had for an instant thought of possibly being shot that maybe the people who broke into the capitol had brought a firearm that they could shoot us or something else could happen. I think it’s highly likely that Vice President Mike Pence would’ve been killed or badly injured and they might’ve been a few minutes not even five minutes away from him. I think it’s highly likely if they got in a little earlier they would’ve secured the ballot box and then they could’ve destroyed the ballots and then you could’ve had no electoral college result.” 

They were eventually moved to a secure location. 

“There was a lot of anger and frustration,” said Casey. “There was a lot of calls to the White House by Republican Senators saying ‘what are you guys doing to deal with this?’” 

Hours later, members went back on the floor to finish certifying the electoral college vote. Now a year later, it’s still hard for them to grasp what had happened and what could’ve happened.  

“It was one of the darkest days during my tenure in congress and I think as a citizen of this country was right up there with 9/11 in regards to something I’ll never forget,” said Reed.  

Members said they’ll always remember about the bravery of the law enforcement officers who stood their ground to defend the Capitol, the staff and our democracy.