House Democrats end their sit-in

25-hour protest over guns a ‘publicity stunt,’ speaker says

Democrats, led by House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, descend the steps of the U.S. Capitol to speak Thursday after ending their sit-in protest calling for a vote on gun-control measures.
Democrats, led by House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, descend the steps of the U.S. Capitol to speak Thursday after ending their sit-in protest calling for a vote on gun-control measures.

WASHINGTON -- House Democrats ended their 25-hour sit-in over gun-control proposals on Thursday, a protest Speaker Paul Ryan labeled a high-profile stunt that undermined the basic institutions of government.

"One of the things that makes our country strong is our institutions," Ryan, R-Wis., said at a news conference, as Democrats continued to hold the House chamber. "No matter how bad things get in this country, we have a basic structure that ensures a functioning democracy. We can disagree on policy, but we do so within the bounds of order and respect for the system, otherwise it all falls apart."

Ryan said he was "not going to allow stunts like this to stop us from carrying out the people's business." He added, "This is about a publicity stunt and now a fundraising scheme."

But Democrats countered that they had effectively drawn attention to gun-control proposals. "The American people are with us and people around the world are with us," said Rep. John Lewis, D-Ga., one of the leaders of the protest. "We are going to win this struggle."

Indeed, Democrats had amassed a large audience by using social media, primarily Twitter's live-feed Periscope service, to broadcast their sit-in after the official television coverage of proceedings ceased because the House was not formally in session.

But on legislative business, it was Ryan who prevailed. He personally reclaimed control of the House, pounding his gavel and muscling through a major appropriations bill that included funding for combating the Zika virus, without debate. Arkansas' four representatives, all Republicans, were on hand to support the measure.

He and the Republicans, who hold the majority, then declared the House adjourned about 3:15 a.m. with no votes until after the Fourth of July holiday.

Democrats remained and said they would continue to press their case throughout the recess for votes to tighten the nation's gun-control laws.

The protest began around 11:30 a.m. Wednesday, unfolding on the House floor with little advance warning from the Democrats.

One by one, Democrats delivered speeches that mixed victory declarations with promises not to back down in their drive to curb firearm violence. Placards with photos of gun victims and the phone number of the Capitol switchboard were prominently displayed on the floor.

"It's rightful indignation," Rep. Paul Tonko, D-N.Y., said about the Democratic sit-in and the positive reaction it was getting from supporters. "America has had enough."

When Republicans streamed to the exits hours earlier, Democrats stayed behind on the House floor, shouting "No bill, no break!" and waving papers with the names of gun victims written in black.

At one point, Democrats began singing "We Shall Overcome" -- altering the lyrics to say "We shall pass a bill some day" -- as Republicans shouted in anger.

"We will not rest," the Democratic leader, Rep. Nancy Pelosi of California, said in a speech at 7 a.m. Pelosi politely rebuffed an officer who asked if Democrats might clear the chamber for a daily security sweep. "We're not going to be able to do that," she replied.

With a crowd cheering them on from outside the Capitol and many more following the protest on social media, Democrats declared success in dramatizing the argument for action to stem gun violence.

Republicans shut off the cameras in the House gallery throughout most of the protest, but Democrats used their cellphones to capture the action. C-SPAN carried the feeds live via Periscope and Facebook.

Pressure had built on Capitol Hill after the shooting massacre at a gay nightclub in Orlando, Fla., that killed 49 people and injured 53 others. The assailant also died. The attack followed similar deadly assaults over the past years, including the elementary school shooting in Newtown, Conn.

Ryan said the gun bills pushed by Democrats, to expand background checks and keep people on the no-fly list from getting guns, would take away people's constitutional rights and deprive them of due process.

An effort to craft a new compromise aimed at blocking suspected terrorists from buying guns faltered Thursday after an initial test vote in the Senate showed the effort lacked enough support to ensure Senate passage.

Republican Sens. Susan Collins of Maine and John Cornyn of Texas were unable to bridge the differences between his plan, backed by the National Rifle Association, and her bipartisan bill backed by a handful of Republicans and Democratic leaders, which the NRA had labeled unconstitutional.

A Collins amendment narrowly survived a test vote in the Senate but fell well short of the 60 votes needed to advance it in the Senate, garnering only 52 votes in support. The Senate also voted to kill a Republican alternative offered by Sen. Ron Johnson of Wisconsin.

A disappointed Collins told reporters that the decision by Republican leaders to put up the Johnson amendment against hers made it harder for her to line up backers for her amendment.

Eight Republicans joined Democrats in backing her proposal, and she said other Republicans had been on the verge of backing her plan. She suggested that the Democratic takeover of the House floor hurt because it made the issue partisan.

After the vote she remained optimistic. "This is the first time in a very long time there has been a significant bipartisan vote on an issue that would limit access to guns for those who are on terrorist watch lists," she said, adding that she would continue to reach out to Republicans.

In 2008, House Republicans, then in the minority, had a sit-in of their own during summer recess to protest the Democrats' refusal to hold votes on energy policy amid sharply rising gasoline prices. The House was already in recess then and no business was interrupted as the protest continued for several days.

Information for this article was contributed by David M. Herszenhorn and Emmarie Huetteman of The New York Times; by Erica Werner, Matthew Daly, Mary Clare Jalonick, Andrew Taylor, Darlene Superville and Alan Fram of The Associated Press; and by Steven T. Dennis of Bloomberg News.

A Section on 06/24/2016

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