Impeachment article has 200 cosponsors: US rep.
The draft, citing "incitement of insurrection," could be introduced Monday.
President Donald Trump is slated to hand over control of the White House to President-elect Joe Biden in 11 days.
Top headlines:
- Rep. Cicilline: 'Just passed 200 cosponsors' on article of impeachment
- GOP Rep. Kinzinger: Best thing for the country is Trump to resign
- Pence to attend Biden's inauguration: Source
- Senate Democrat says Cruz, Hawley should resign or 'the Senate must expel them'
- Trump asked Georgia election investigator to 'find the fraud': Source
McConnell says US Senate 'will not be intimidated' as session resumes
Speaking after Vice President Mike Pence, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said, "the United States Senate will not be intimidated."
"We will not be kept out of this chamber by thugs, mobs, or threats. We will not bow to lawlessness or intimidation. We are back at our posts. We will discharge our duty under the Constitution and for our nation, and we are going to do it tonight," he said.
While McConnell condemned the violence, he also seemed to downplay the threat at the Capitol Wednesday, saying, "the United States and the United States Congress have faced down much greater threats than the unhinged crowd we saw today."
"We will certify the winner of the 2020 presidential election. Criminal behavior will never dominate the United States Congress," McConnell added. "This institution is resilient. Our democratic republic is strong. The American people deserve nothing less."
Pence makes statement on the Senate floor, reconvenes session
Vice President Mike Pence opened the joint session shortly after 8 p.m. with a brief statement after hours of chaos and riots ravaged the U.S. Capitol complex.
"The Senate will come to order," Pence began. "Today was a dark day in the history of the United States Capitol. But thanks to the swift efforts of U.S. Capitol Police, federal, state, and local law enforcement, the violence was quelled."
"The Capitol is secured, and the people’s work continues. We condemn the violence that took place here in the strongest possible terms," he continued. "We grieve the loss of life in these hallowed halls, as well as the injuries suffered by those who defended our Capitol today. And we will always be grateful to the men and women who stayed at their posts to defend this historic place," he said.
"To those who wreaked havoc in our Capitol today, you did not win. Violence never wins. Freedom wins, and this is still the people's house. And as we reconvene in this chamber, the world will again witness the resilience and strength of our democracy," he continued. "For even in the wake of unprecedented violence and vandalism at this Capitol, the elected representatives of the people of the United States have assembled again, on the very same day, to support and defend the Constitution of the United States."
"Let's get back to work," he added to applause.
Melania Trump's chief of staff resigns because of protests
Stephanie Grisham, Melania Trump's chief of staff and the former White House press secretary has resigned in the wake of violent protests in Washington Wednesday.
“It has been an honor to serve the country in the White House. I am very proud to have been a part of Mrs. Trump’s mission to help children everywhere, and proud of the many accomplishments of this Administration," Grisham told ABC News in a statement.
-ABC News' John Santucci
Pelosi says Congress has decided to proceed with business 'tonight'
In a "Dear Colleague" letter Wednesday evening, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi called the breach of the U.S. Capitol "a shameful assault was made on our democracy" but said it wouldn't deter lawmakers from carrying out their duties.
"To that end, in consultation with Leader Hoyer and Whip Clyburn and after calls to the Pentagon, the Justice Department and the Vice President, we have decided we should proceed tonight at the Capitol once it is cleared for use," she wrote.
"We also knew that we would be a part of history in a positive way, today, despite ill-founded objections to the Electoral College vote. We now will be part of history, as such a shameful picture of our country was put out to the world, instigated at the highest level," Pelosi continued.
"Members and staff should remain on the Capitol complex until they are notified by the United States Capitol Police. I look forward to seeing you later this evening, during this time of great sadness," she said.
-ABC News' Mary Bruce
Cheney argues an Electoral college challenge sets an 'exceptionally dangerous' precedent
Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyo., a member of House GOP leadership and one of the first prominent Republicans to acknowledge Biden's victory, sent a 21-page memo to her conference making the case against a challenge to the Electoral College certification process on Wednesday, arguing that it would improperly overrule states' authority over elections, and set a "dangerous precedent" down the line for future elections and sessions of Congress.
"By objecting to electoral slates, members are unavoidably asserting that Congress has the authority to overturn elections and overrule state and federal courts. Such objections set an exceptionally dangerous precedent, threatening to steal states’ explicit constitutional responsibility for choosing the President and bestowing it instead on Congress," Cheney wrote.
"This is directly at odds with the Constitution’s clear text and our core beliefs as Republicans. Democrats have long attempted, unconstitutionally, to federalize every element of our nation—including elections. Republicans should not embrace Democrats’ unconstitutional position on these issues," she added.
Cheney raises questions about the proposal from some Republicans to set up a commission to investigate concerns about the election, calling it a "problematic" set up that would take much longer than ten days to wrap up, and potentially delay the inauguration. The memo also exhaustively summarizes the court rulings against the president's legal efforts in the six states Republicans plan to target on Wednesday: Arizona, Nevada, Wisconsin, Michigan, Georgia and Pennsylvania.
-ABC News' Benjamin Siegel