The article of impeachment which formally accuses the ex-US President Donald Trump of inciting insurrection was delivered to the Senate on Monday.
It puts into motion an historic second impeachment trial for the controversial Republican in the wake of the deadly riots on January 6 when his supporters stormed the US Capitol.
Nine House Democrats who will serve as prosecutors in the trial carried the written accusation through the Capitol Rotunda and to the Senate chamber.
They followed the same path that a mob of Trump supporters took as they clashed with police only weeks ago.
On arrival in the Senate, the lead House impeachment manager, Representative Jamie Raskin, read out the charge.
He said: "Donald John Trump engaged in high crimes and misdemeanours by inciting violence against the government of the United States."
The Senate is expected to begin a trial on February 9 on the article of impeachment against Trump with the 100 senators due to serve as jurors in proceedings.
If convicted it would mean that Trump would be disqualified from ever again serving as president.
Ten House Republicans joined Democrats in voting to impeach Trump earlier this month and Senate Democrats will need the support of 17 Republicans to convict him in the Senate.
Speaking to CNN, new US President Joe Biden said of the trial: "I think it has to happen" before adding there would be 'a worse effect if it didn't happen.'
He went on to say that he believed the outcome would be different if Trump had six months left in his term, but said he doesn't think 17 Republican senators will vote to convict Trump.
He added: "The Senate has changed since I was there, but it hasn't changed that much."
Democrat Patrick Leahy, the Senate's longest-serving member, said on Monday he will preside over the trial.
Trump is the only U.S. president in history to have been impeached by the House twice and is set to become the first to face trial after leaving office.
