House Democrats Stage Sit-in to Push for Action on Gun Control
Video
John Lewis Leads House Sit-In
Representative John Lewis, Democrat
of Georgia, was joined by others from his party on the House floor on
Wednesday to demand a vote on gun-control legislation.
WASHINGTON
— Dozens of House Democrats on Wednesday staged a sit-in on the floor
of the House chamber to demand that the Republican majority hold a vote
on a gun-control measure before a weeklong recess for Independence Day.
Plunked
down in the well of the House chamber, the Democrats — including some
party leaders — effectively halted any legislative activity as they
chanted, “No bill, no break!”
The
Democrats continued to chant as Republicans gaveled, demanding “order
in the House.” But the Democrats paused, stood and bowed their heads
after the speaker pro tem announced that the chaplain would offer the
opening prayer.
As the chaplain concluded, the Democrats shouted “Amen,” then sat down and returned to their chant.
Republicans
quickly declared a recess, but Democrats refused to leave and began
making speeches. Representative James E. Clyburn of South Carolina, the
No. 3 Democrat, spoke of the church shooting in a Charleston, S.C., a year ago.
Representative
Kathy Castor, Democrat of Florida, said: “We will not leave the floor
of this House until this Congress takes action!”
Congress has long been deadlocked over tightening the nation’s gun laws. But outrage and frustration have grown since the massacre in Orlando on June 12 and a number of other mass shootings in recent years.
“We
stand for those who do not see this day, whose days were taken from
them in an instant, by weapons of violence,” Representative Steny H.
Hoyer of Maryland, the No. 2 Democrat, said in his speech, his
colleagues gathered around him.
After
the prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance, Republicans swiftly called
another recess, leaving Democrats occupying the floor but technically
not obstructing any official proceedings.
Photo
House Democrats, including
Representative John Lewis of Georgia, center, and Representative Joe
Courtney of Connecticut, left, participated in a sit-in on the House
floor Wednesday. Video feeds from C-Span were shut off after Republicans
called a recess in response to the protest. The only images of the
demonstration came from the members themselves on social media.
Credit
Representative John Yarmuth, via Associated Press
A
spokeswoman for Speaker Paul D. Ryan said business could not proceed as
long as Democrats continued their protest. “The House cannot operate
without members following the rules of the institution,” the
spokeswoman, AshLee Strong, wrote in an email.
While
Mr. Ryan theoretically could demand that the sergeant-at-arms remove
protesting lawmakers, such a move would have been impractical and
provocative given that more than 50 Democrats were taking part in the
demonstration.
By
calling a recess, the Republicans effectively cut off the C-Span
broadcast from inside the chamber, leaving the events to be described by
reporters in the House gallery.
While
the speeches in the House chamber veered all around the gun-control
issue, making it difficult at times to ascertain what specific
legislative action protesters wanted, a spokesman for the House
Democratic leader, Representative Nancy Pelosi of California, said
Democrats were seeking votes on measures similar to two proposals by
Democratic senators that failed to advance in the Senate.
One
of those sought to restrict gun sales to people on the government’s
terrorism watch list, while the second would expand and toughen
background checks for gun buyers. Those two measures were defeated on Monday in the Senate, along with Republican alternatives.
Senator
Susan Collins, Republican of Maine, has drafted a narrower compromise
measure. But despite some bipartisan backing, that proposal also seemed
in danger of failing for lack of sufficient Republican support.
Even
if all Senate Democrats and the independents who caucus with them voted
in favor, which is hardly assured, at least 14 Republicans would need
to agree to reach the 60-vote threshold for advancing the measure. Ms.
Collins still seemed far short of that number on Wednesday.
Many
Democratic senators — including Edward J. Markey of Massachusetts,
Mazie K. Hirono of Hawaii and Al Franken of Minnesota — came to the
House chamber and joined the protest. Mr. Franken sat on the floor in
the center aisle blocking the path that the president walks down each
year before giving the State of the Union speech.
Elsewhere
at the Capitol, the House Appropriations Committee debated an amendment
to the annual homeland security spending bill that would bar terrorism
suspects from purchasing firearms, similar to a Democratic measure that
failed in the Senate on Monday.
“I
just want to make it very clear that I’d rather my child be
inconvenienced than dead,” said Representative Nita M. Lowey of New
York, the committee’s top Democrat.
The amendment failed, with every Republican voting against it.
No comments:
Post a Comment