The U.S. House of Representatives finally adjourned until July 5 after sit-in protests by Democrats halted business in the chamber for more than 17 hours.
Despite the decision to end the legislative session, more than a dozen Democratic members, including Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., were still protesting on the House floor as of this morning. It's unclear exactly how Democrats will proceed with their efforts to bring up a vote on gun control.
The unprecedented demonstration, which was broadcast live through C-SPAN and social media across the country, started Wednesday morning and ended early this morning.Democrats seized the floor and demanded a vote, ripping Republicans for being "silent for too long" about the "epidemic" of shootings, while the GOP blasted the demonstrations as a "stunt" and "disgrace."
Democrats and Republicans clashed throughout the night in the House chamber. Several Republicans heckled Democrats, and tensions flared when Rep. Louie Gohmert, R-Texas, confronted Democrats speaking on the floor about radical Islam, prompting at least one plainclothes Capitol security officer to walk onto the floor, as members separated the representatives.
Around 10 p.m., House Speaker Paul Ryan briefly called the chamber back into order amid shouts of "No Bill, No Break" from the protesting members of Congress. The roar was so loud in the chamber, with chants of "Shame," that the speaker's voice could not be heard. Democrats also were heard singing, "We Shall Overcome."
The House finally adjourned this morning at 3:19 a.m., after passing a $1.1 billion Zika funding proposal, with no votes on gun control.
"Democrats can continue to talk, but the reality is that they have no end-game strategy," Ryan spokeswoman AshLee Strong said in a statement. "The Senate has already defeated the measure they’re calling for. The House is focused on eliminating terrorists, not constitutional rights of law-abiding citizens. No stunts on the floor will change that."
Led by Rep. John Lewis of Georgia, the members had planned to stay on the floor until they get a vote on proposals to strengthen background checks and block individuals on the “terror watch list” and “no-fly” list from buying guns.
Thursday, June 23, 2016
Democrats Vow to Continue Gun Control Protests as House Adjourns
The U.S. House of Representatives finally adjourned until July 5 after sit-in protests by Democrats halted business in the chamber for more than 17 hours.
Despite the decision to end the legislative session, more than a dozen Democratic members, including Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., were still protesting on the House floor as of this morning. It's unclear exactly how Democrats will proceed with their efforts to bring up a vote on gun control.
The unprecedented demonstration, which was broadcast live through C-SPAN and social media across the country, started Wednesday morning and ended early this morning.Democrats seized the floor and demanded a vote, ripping Republicans for being "silent for too long" about the "epidemic" of shootings, while the GOP blasted the demonstrations as a "stunt" and "disgrace."
Democrats and Republicans clashed throughout the night in the House chamber. Several Republicans heckled Democrats, and tensions flared when Rep. Louie Gohmert, R-Texas, confronted Democrats speaking on the floor about radical Islam, prompting at least one plainclothes Capitol security officer to walk onto the floor, as members separated the representatives.
Around 10 p.m., House Speaker Paul Ryan briefly called the chamber back into order amid shouts of "No Bill, No Break" from the protesting members of Congress. The roar was so loud in the chamber, with chants of "Shame," that the speaker's voice could not be heard. Democrats also were heard singing, "We Shall Overcome."
The House finally adjourned this morning at 3:19 a.m., after passing a $1.1 billion Zika funding proposal, with no votes on gun control.
"Democrats can continue to talk, but the reality is that they have no end-game strategy," Ryan spokeswoman AshLee Strong said in a statement. "The Senate has already defeated the measure they’re calling for. The House is focused on eliminating terrorists, not constitutional rights of law-abiding citizens. No stunts on the floor will change that."
Led by Rep. John Lewis of Georgia, the members had planned to stay on the floor until they get a vote on proposals to strengthen background checks and block individuals on the “terror watch list” and “no-fly” list from buying guns.
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