Democrats called on Americans to never forget the events of Jan. 6, 2021, as lawmakers prepared to certify President-elect Donald Trump’s electoral victory.

Congress is convening a joint session Monday afternoon to make official Mr. Trump’s win in November, but the affair is expected to look much different than what played out on Capitol Hill four years ago.

Still, the throngs of Trump supporters that stormed the Capitol and burst through thick, metal doors remain fresh on the minds of Democrats, who contend that it is a day that should not be washed away with the changing of administrations.

President Biden, whose own certification was interrupted by the Capitol rioters, wrote in an op-ed for The Washington Post that for much of America’s history, the certification of a presidential election was considered little more than a formality of democracy working as intended.

But Jan. 6, 2021, changed things.

“We should not forget,” Mr. Biden wrote. “We must remember the wisdom of the adage that any nation that forgets its past is doomed to repeat it. We cannot accept a repeat of what occurred four years ago.”

“An unrelenting effort has been underway to rewrite — even erase — the history of that day,” he wrote. “To tell us we didn’t see what we all saw with our own eyes. To dismiss concerns about it as some kind of partisan obsession. To explain it away as a protest that just got out of hand.”

Democrats have continued to reiterate the events of that day, during floor testimony or on the campaign trail, recalling the thousands of Mr. Trump’s supporters who crashed through doors and smashed windows, and the subsequent deaths of five police officers and Trump supporter Ashli Babbitt, who was shot and killed as fellow rioters tried to break into the House chamber.

Ultimately the reminders to voters of what happened did not sway the election results in Democrats’ favor, as Mr. Trump prevailed in the presidential race and Republicans won races across the country to retain control of the House and flip the Senate.

Mr. Biden has pledged a peaceful transition of power, as has Vice President Kamala Harris, whose job it is to oversee the certification of the Electoral College results.

Ms. Harris posted a video on X early Monday saying she was prepared to perform her constitutional duty and “sacred obligation” to oversee the election certification. She said the peaceful transfer of power is a fundamental principle of American democracy that distinguishes it from monarchy or tyranny.

“As we have seen, our democracy can be fragile, and it is up to then each one of us to stand up for our most cherished principles and to make sure that in America, our government always remains of the people, by the people and for the people,” she said.

Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, California Democrat, said in a statement that Jan. 6 “left behind physical scars and emotional trauma” on lawmakers, staff and the country that persist to this day.

“The parable of January 6th reminds us that our precious democratic institutions are only as strong as the courage and commitment of those entrusted with their care,” she said. “On January 6th, we gave proof through the night that our Flag was still there by returning to the Capitol to certify the election results and demonstrate to America and the world that our Democracy prevailed.”

Ms. Pelosi, like other members of Congress, was evacuated from the Capitol as the events of the day unfolded. A documentary following her that day captured footage of her telling her chief of staff that she bore responsibility for not having the National Guard on hand during the certification process.

House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries noted in his statement that some of the rioters threatened to assassinate Ms. Pelosi, in addition to then-Vice President Mike Pence, as they sought to “hunt down” members of Congress.

“History will always remember the attempted insurrection and we will never allow the violence that unfolded in plain sight to be whitewashed,” the New York Democrat said.

Senate Democratic Whip Richard J. Durbin of Illinois said “the grimmest reality” of the Jan. 6 riots is the subsequent deaths of five law enforcement officers and injuries to approximately 140 others — “many of whom still pay a price for that day when they stood in defense of the Capitol building and the people inside of it.”

“But out of this darkness, I hope that all of us, regardless of our political persuasion, will finally come to an agreement on one thing — that violence has no place in a democracy, and a day like January 6, 2021, must never happen again,” he said.

Sen. Patty Murray, Washington Democrat, said “it is shameful” that House Republicans have yet to put up a plaque honoring the officers who kept lawmakers safe on Jan. 6. Congress had passed a law requiring the plaque to be placed at a permanent location on the West Front of the Capitol, where the conflict was particularly intense, by March 2023.

She recalled her personal experience being locked down in her office after most members were evacuated, saying, “I heard the insurrectionists storming the building, shouting ’kill the infidels,’ and banging on my door trying to get in.”

Capitol police officers have also shared their stories of serious injuries sustained in attacks from the rioters, Ms. Murray said.

“Officers suffered cracked ribs and severe brain injuries. One officer lost an eye. Officers injured in the line of duty died in the aftermath, including those who took their own lives,” she said. “They sacrificed to keep us safe — we cannot forget that.”

While most top Democrats avoided attacking Mr. Trump in their statements, some reiterated their view that he incited his supporters to storm the Capitol.

“Incited by the Big Lie — a coordinated campaign led by former President Trump to cast doubt on the outcome of our democratic elections — the deadly January 6th attack remains a stain on American history,” Sen. Alex Padilla, California Democrat, said. “Thanks to the resilience of our institutions and the bravery of U.S. Capitol Police officers who risked their lives, this assault on our democracy failed.”

Ms. Murray said Mr. Trump “sat by — even as they called to kill his own vice president.”

“As we will certify today — Donald Trump has been re-elected President. It’s already painfully clear he hopes he can paper over the dark chapter he wrote in our nation’s history,” she said. “But no action he takes can erase the past, unless we let it — and as long as I can stand, as long as I can speak, as long as I am here, I will not let him, or anyone, rewrite the history of the January 6th Insurrection, or erase the important lessons we must learn from it.”

• Lindsey McPherson can be reached at lmcpherson@washingtontimes.com.

• Alex Miller can be reached at amiller@washingtontimes.com.