Rep. Elijah Cummings Elijah Eugene CummingsBlack GOP candidate accuses Behar of wearing black face in heated interview Overnight Health Care: US won't join global coronavirus vaccine initiative | Federal panel lays out initial priorities for COVID-19 vaccine distribution | NIH panel: 'Insufficient data' to show treatment touted by Trump works House Oversight Democrats to subpoena AbbVie in drug pricing probe MORE (D-Md.) on Tuesday joined a growing chorus of Democratic lawmakers calling for President Trump Donald John TrumpFederal prosecutor speaks out, says Barr 'has brought shame' on Justice Dept. Former Pence aide: White House staffers discussed Trump refusing to leave office Progressive group buys domain name of Trump's No. 1 Supreme Court pick MORE to be impeached.

"When the history books are written about this tumultuous era, I want them to show that I was among those in the House of Representatives who stood up to lawlessness and tyranny," Cummings, the chairman of the House Oversight and Reform Committee, said in a statement.

ADVERTISEMENT

"If Senate Republicans choose to close their eyes, put party over country, and forego their duty under the Constitution, the history books will show that too."

Pressure on Democratic leadership to back impeachment has grown in recent days amid reports that Trump pressed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to investigate former Vice President Joe Biden Joe BidenFormer Pence aide: White House staffers discussed Trump refusing to leave office Progressive group buys domain name of Trump's No. 1 Supreme Court pick Bloomberg rolls out M ad buy to boost Biden in Florida MORE's son Hunter earlier this year.

Trump has defended his conversations with the Ukrainian leader and said he has authorized the release of a transcript of his July call with Zelensky.

The call has come under mounting scrutiny, while lawmakers have also demanded that the administration hand over a whistleblower complaint that reportedly raised concerns about the president's discussion with a foreign leader reportedly related to Ukraine.

“We can now see with our own eyes that the President is jeopardizing our national security," Cummings said in his statement Tuesday afternoon that alluded to remarks the president has made in recent days defending his call with Zelensky.

"He admitted to personally withholding military security aid that Congress appropriated to help Ukraine counter Russian aggression. He admitted to personally urging a foreign actor to dig up dirt on his political rival. And he personally attacked a whistleblower whose protected information is being withheld from Congress in violation of the law," Cummings said.

Cummings's statement did not directly mention efforts to impeach Trump, though a release from his office that accompanied the statement said that the Maryland Democrat "supports impeachment."

Moments later Tuesday, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi Nancy PelosiDemocratic senator to party: 'A little message discipline wouldn't kill us' Overnight Health Care: New wave of COVID-19 cases builds in US | Florida to lift all coronavirus restrictions on restaurants, bars | Trump stirs questions with 0 drug coupon plan Overnight Defense: Appeals court revives House lawsuit against military funding for border wall | Dems push for limits on transferring military gear to police | Lawmakers ask for IG probe into Pentagon's use of COVID-19 funds MORE (D-Calif.) announced the launch of a formal impeachment inquiry targeting Trump.

Pelosi said that the process will involve six House panels continuing their investigations under the umbrella of an impeachment inquiry.

Cummings's support for impeachment is crucial given his committee leadership position.

He has already been aggressively pursuing investigations into the Trump administration, including on relations with Ukraine, and has battled the president on various other issues.