House Democrats started staging a sit-in on the House floor in response to the Republican-led failure of any legislation that would lead to gun reform in the wake of the Orlando mass shooting which killed 49 people.
A small group of close to 30 Democratic lawmakers led by Rep. John Lewis (D-GA) demanded a vote on legislation that would expand background checks and block gun sales to suspected terrorists on terror watchlists.
The lawmakers are currently sitting and occupying the house floor, with no plans to move until there is a resolution.
We must hold the floor until we get a vote. The time to act is now. #holdthefloor #goodtrouble https://t.co/vfZS3QJ5ZH
— John Lewis (@repjohnlewis) June 22, 2016
The group demands that House Speaker Paul Ryan keep the House in session and cancel its planned weeklong recess next week so that they can debate and vote on gun legislation.
Rep. Jon Larson of Connecticut said that Democrats were “calling for the simple dignity of a vote.”
Our country cannot afford to stand by while this Congress continues to be paralyzed by politics,” he added.
Larson, as well as, other Democrats cited polls which show that the majority of the public supports expanding background checks for firearms and blocking suspected terrorists on terror watch lists from buying guns.
Rise up Democrats, rise up Americans,” Larson said. “We will occupy this chamber.
Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-MD), declared:
We will not be shut up. We will not be shut down.
After Democrats demanded a vote, Republicans immediately ordered a “lunch” recess and fled the building. Democrats stayed put. Meanwhile, Republican leaders ordered the C-SPAN cameras be turned off.
Here are some Tweets documenting this event.
Stop watching Trump and tune into CSPAN! @repjohnlewis leading sit-in in the House DEMANDING vote on gun measures pic.twitter.com/XVjYcNafo8
— igorvolsky (@igorvolsky) June 22, 2016
.@repjohnlewis: "the time to act is now. the time for silence is over. we will be silent no more." https://t.co/sVq9h4U0t7
— igorvolsky (@igorvolsky) June 22, 2016
I mean this is really amazing. Look at this. House members gather to demand a vote on background checks, terror gap pic.twitter.com/8CVaNuxAIz
— igorvolsky (@igorvolsky) June 22, 2016
"We will occupy this floor, we will no longer be denied the right to vote" on gun measures pic.twitter.com/Sv5QYWJEmD
— igorvolsky (@igorvolsky) June 22, 2016
As members started sitting down for sit-in, House majority cut them off, gaveled House out of session & into lunch https://t.co/YBQhC2diy4
— igorvolsky (@igorvolsky) June 22, 2016
NOW: House members are sitting on the floor in protest of @SpeakerRyan refusal to bring gun measures to a vote pic.twitter.com/8RPQzVZSUF
— igorvolsky (@igorvolsky) June 22, 2016
Video of House Republicans shutting down the Congressional Black Caucus' sit-in demanding votes on gun bills: https://t.co/piQP60P9oq
— igorvolsky (@igorvolsky) June 22, 2016
Featured image via Twitter
