--- title: Gun Control Sit-In: House Protest Could Last for Days description: Democrats could stay on the House floor through the Fourth of July weekend as part of a sit-in trying to force a vote on gun control. canonical: https://time.com/4379721/gun-control-sit-in-house-democrats-july/ author: Will Drabold article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2016-06-23T14:20:07.000Z article:modified_time: 2024-01-17T15:59:49.000Z article:section: Politics og:title: Gun Control Sit-In Could Last for Days og:description: Democrats vow to stay through July 5. og:url: https://time.com/4379721/gun-control-sit-in-house-democrats-july/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltc3087f4b8dc3c5de/69889911cd1bba14f9701370/congress-sit-in-guns1.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 2560 og:image:height: 1440 og:image:alt: US-ATTACKS-GAY-POLITICS og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Gun Control Sit-In Could Last for Days twitter:description: Democrats vow to stay through July 5. twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltc3087f4b8dc3c5de/69889911cd1bba14f9701370/congress-sit-in-guns1.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # Democratic Sit-In on Gun Control Could Last for Days > Sponsored content. 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Brief is TIME's Washington newsletter, written by senior correspondent Philip Elliott. It explains the politics, personalities and power dynamics behind the headlines, three times a week. It reaches 85,000 subscribers with a 37.0% open rate as of August 2026. #### Where can I get analysis of Washington politics by email? D.C. Brief is TIME's free Washington politics newsletter, available at time.com/newsletters. It is written by a TIME senior correspondent who covers the capital full time. #### Who writes TIME's D.C. Brief? Philip Elliott, a senior correspondent at TIME, writes D.C. Brief. #### Is D.C. Brief free? Yes. D.C. Brief is free at time.com/newsletters. by [Will Drabold](https://time.com/author/will-drabold/) ## Will Drabold Updated: Jan 17, 2024 3:59 PM UTCPublished: Jun 23, 2016 2:20 PM UTC  Rep. Esty(2n-L) with Rep. John Lewis(C) and other members of Congress staging a sit-in on the floor of the US House of Representatives in Washington, D.C. on June 22, 2016. Rep. Esty(2n-L) with Rep. John Lewis(C) and other members of Congress staging a sit-in on the floor of the US House of Representatives in Washington, D.C. on June 22, 2016.AFP/Getty Images by [Will Drabold](https://time.com/author/will-drabold/) ## Will Drabold Updated: Jan 17, 2024 3:59 PM UTCPublished: Jun 23, 2016 2:20 PM UTC Democrats could stay on the House floor through the Fourth of July weekend as part of a sit-in trying to force a vote on gun control legislation. Jorge Aguilar, a spokesman for Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, told TIME Thursday morning that Democrats are determined to continue their [#NoBillNoBreak](https://twitter.com/search?q=%23nobillnobreak&src=typd) sit-in until the House readjourns after the holiday weekend. “They plan to stay there as long as possible,” Aguilar said. Other Democrats reiterated Aguilar’s comments on Twitter. > [](https://twitter.com/repjohnlewis/status/745949320927666176) The sit-in started Wednesday morning around 11:30 a.m. to protest a lack of votes on gun control legislation in the wake of the Orlando nightclub shooting. On Thursday morning, more than 22 hours later, at least a dozen Democrats were still on the House floor giving speeches in front of posters with the faces of victims of gun violence. They sat in chairs, not on the ground. Some cuddled blankets and pillows. House Democrats want Speaker Paul Ryan to [allow a vote on a #NoFlyNoBuy](http://time.com/4379310/house-democrats-gun-control-sit-in/?xid=homepage) bill that would keep people on the terrorist watch list from buying guns. Omar Mateen, the shooter who killed 49 people with a semi-automatic rifle at an Orlando nightclub, was previously on the watch list but not at the time he purchased the guns used in the shooting. **Watch the sit-in live below:** “The American people deserve to have the people’s House exercise a little bit of democracy around here,” said Rep. Chris Van Hollen, a Maryland Democrat, calling for a vote on the floor Thursday morning. “Let’s pass these measures and for God’s sake, let’s at least have a vote in the light of day.” **Read More:** [_The Letter Gabrielle Giffords Wrote to Former Colleagues for the House Gun Control Sit-In_](http://time.com/4379003/gabrielle-giffords-letter-house-sit-in/) House Speaker Paul Ryan attempted late Wednesday night to take back control of the House, arguing that the bill Democrats want a vote on had already failed in the Senate. > [](https://twitter.com/SpeakerRyan/status/745763948419391489) Ryan said Thursday morning that the Democratic “stunt” was just a fundraising scheme. “I have a responsibility to protect this democracy,” Ryan said. He criticized Democrats for not following House rules. “When we see our democracy descend in this way, it is not a good sign.” The Associated Press reported nearly all House Democrats and 34 Democratic Senators had joined the protest at various points by Wednesday evening. With the House technically out of session, the [cameras were turned off](http://time.com/4378912/congress-house-cspan-feed-cut/?xid=homepage) and C-SPAN lost its feed of the floor. Democrats used Twitter and Facebook to [broadcast their sit-in](http://time.com/4379215/see-inside-house-democrats-gun-control-sit-in/?xid=homepage) across the Internet. When Republicans adjourned the House around 3:15 a.m., Democrats continued their sit-in. Republicans have said the House will remain adjourned until July 5. Senate Democrats held a 15-hour filibuster last week that led to four votes on gun control bills, which all failed to pass. Republican Sen. Susan Collins is [seeking bipartisan support ](http://time.com/4377254/susan-collins-senate-gun-control/?xid=homepage)for a new bill that would block suspected terrorists from buying guns. “It’s always been assumed that there’s no real intensity for our side,” said Rep. Ted Deutch, a Democrat from Florida, around 8 a.m. on the House floor. “The only reason there’s not been a vote is because (Republicans) know where the American people are.” The night was not without contentious moments. Rep. Louie Gohmert, a Texas Republican, yelled “Radical Islam!” at Democrats holding posters that had the faces of gun shooting victims. He came within inches of a Democratic colleague. _Lissandra Villa contributed to this report. 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