Massachusetts Lawmakers Join Sit-In on House Floor to Force Gun Vote
Update: Wednesday, 4:32 p.m.
Representatives Richard Neal and Bill Keating are also in attendance, per Elizabeth Warren.
3:15 p.m.
Right on schedule, Sen. Elizabeth Warren has joined the sit-in. Quite a way to celebrate her 67th birthday.
.@SenWarren is sitting on House floor & joins House Democrats in shouting "no bill no break."
— Craig Caplan (@CraigCaplan) June 22, 2016
.@SenWarren joins the sit-in…literally. #NoMoreSilence #NoBillNoBreak pic.twitter.com/rp1xLUOfTS
— Earl Blumenauer (@repblumenauer) June 22, 2016
In lieu of cameras inside the chamber, C-SPAN is broadcasting the demonstration via Rep. Scott Peters’ Periscope feed.
Previously:
House Democrats, including members of the Massachusetts delegation, are currently staging a “sit-in,” occupying the body’s chamber in order to force a vote on gun control legislation in the wake of the Orlando gay nightclub shooting, the deadliest mass shooting in the country’s history.
Representatives Katherine Clark, Mike Capuano, Joe Kennedy, and Jim McGovern all participated in the sit-in, reportedly planned by Democratic leadership in the House days prior. Members of the Senate, including Sen. Ed Markey, also joined their Congressional colleagues.
#NoMoreSilence #WheresTheBill pic.twitter.com/u5AMX5lzew
— Katherine Clark (@WhipKClark) June 22, 2016
Thanks to @SenMarkey for joining sit-in. Proud every day to be part of #mapoli delegation fighting for #MA families. pic.twitter.com/NvyddHwIs8
— Rep. Jim McGovern (@RepMcGovern) June 22, 2016
Not long after the demonstration began, Democrats, as well as C-SPAN, suspected that Republicans briefly turned off the cameras inside the chamber, preventing it from being broadcast to the public.
C-SPAN has no control over the U.S. House TV cameras.
— CSPAN (@cspan) June 22, 2016
Members at sit-in shouting "Shame Shame" after Pelosi says public is being restricted from entering galleries above House floor.
— Craig Caplan (@CraigCaplan) June 22, 2016
GOP turned off the cameras #nomoresilence #nobillnobreak #disarmhate #enough https://t.co/HjMaw1bErn
— Katherine Clark (@WhipKClark) June 22, 2016
https://twitter.com/chelliepingree/status/745643679671521281?refsrc=email&s=11
The sit-in, led by Georgia Rep. John Lewis, earned praise for President Barack Obama, who tweeted earlier this week that the Senate “failed the American people” when it rejected a bill that would have prevented those on the terror watchlist from purchasing guns.
Thank you John Lewis for leading on gun violence where we need it most. https://t.co/vctfqAH5Wt
— President Obama (@POTUS44) June 22, 2016
We will provide updates as more information is available.
