--- title: House Sit In: House Democrats Say Why Staged the Sit-In description: Yesterday it was Periscope, and today Snapchat brought us to the front lines of the Democratic House sit-in for a vote on gun control canonical: https://time.com/4380152/watch-democratic-reps-house-sit-in/ author: Julia Zorthian article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2016-06-23T17:52:15.000Z article:modified_time: 2023-12-13T07:30:16.000Z article:section: Politics og:title: Watch Democratic Representatives Explain Why They Staged the Sit-in og:description: Rep. Cheri Bustos posted over 40 interviews to Snapchat og:url: https://time.com/4380152/watch-democratic-reps-house-sit-in/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt29db6915723c48b2/69889927bc6cfcdf6d3dd871/dems-explain-why-sit-in-house-floor.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 4306 og:image:height: 2422 og:image:alt: dems explain why sit in house floor og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Watch Democratic Representatives Explain Why They Staged the Sit-in twitter:description: Rep. Cheri Bustos posted over 40 interviews to Snapchat twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt29db6915723c48b2/69889927bc6cfcdf6d3dd871/dems-explain-why-sit-in-house-floor.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # Watch Democratic Representatives Explain Why They Staged the Sit-in > Sponsored content. Supplied in partnership with TIME. 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It explains the politics, personalities and power dynamics behind the headlines, twice a week. #### 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. ### Sources * TIME Newsletters: [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-dcbrief-2026q3/newsletters?i=697d7b0b-ba0f-4d16-9a91-646a89dfdcac&cr=time-nl-dcbrief-2026q3-v1) ## Video: Watch Democratic Reps Explain Why They Staged The Sit-In [Watch (HLS stream): Watch Democratic Reps Explain Why They Staged The Sit-In](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/EjlaV5hB.m3u8) (4:55)  _Published 2016-06-23. Rep. Cheri Bustos interviewed more than 40 representatives on Snapchat on why they're sitting in for the gun control vote._  by [Julia Zorthian](https://time.com/author/julia-zorthian/)  ## Julia Zorthian Updated: Dec 13, 2023 7:30 AM UTCPublished: Jun 23, 2016 5:52 PM UTC Rep. Cheri Bustos interviewed more than 40 representatives on Snapchat on why they're sitting in for the gun control vote.  by [Julia Zorthian](https://time.com/author/julia-zorthian/)  ## Julia Zorthian Updated: Dec 13, 2023 7:30 AM UTCPublished: Jun 23, 2016 5:52 PM UTC Yesterday [it was Periscope](http://time.com/4379139/sit-in-congress-gun-control-house-democrats/), and today Snapchat brought us to the front lines of the Democratic House sit-in pushing for a vote on gun control legislation. Rep. Cheri Bustos, an Illinois Democrat, posted videos to her Snapchat of more than 40 Democratic Representatives telling their own reasons for sitting in on the floor of the House of Representatives. The Democrats [ended the sit-in Thursday afternoon](http://time.com/4380254/house-sit-in-ends-gun-control-democrats/), though it’s not clear why — many in the video said they would not leave until they voted on gun control. Since the Democrats were “shut down from a communications perspective,” Bustos tells TIME, she drew on her 17-year career as a newspaper reporter to conduct the interviews for her Snapchat Story. “The microphones were turned off. There was an attempt to muffle what we were trying to share with the American public. Through technology, we were able to \[share\] what was going on on the House floor,” says Bustos. “I wanted to show the behind the scenes emotions that were attached with our sit-in.” Bustos added that some of the reps she interviewed didn’t know what Snapchat was, and she would simply ask each member what they hoped to accomplish. > [](https://twitter.com/RepCheri/status/745770495556096001) “Today is a day of history,” said Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi in the footage. “Members of Congress have been empowered and emboldened to speak out for gun safety.” The Democrats all had reasons for fighting for gun control: some cited shootings in their own district, while others said they had enough of reasonable legislation being blocked by Republicans. “\[I’m\] standing here to bring some action to the 30 moments of silence that we’ve had in Congress since I got elected,” said Rep. Grace Meng of New York. Others seemed downright fed up: Rep. Peter DeFazio, for example asked, “Really? We can’t even vote on a bill to prohibit people on terrorist watch lists from buying guns? Really?” A few interviewed were frustrated by their Republican counterparts who went home. “We will not allow the Republican Party to shut down and not address this issue of gun violence,” said congresswoman Brenda Lawrence of Michigan. Earlier Thursday, a spokesperson for Pelosi had [told TIME](http://time.com/4379721/gun-control-sit-in-house-democrats-july/) the House Dems may stay on the floor for days. In the videos, some confirmed they didn’t intend to leave before reaching their goals. “What sprung out of emotion is now action taking place on the floor. No bill, no break,” said Rep. Joe Crowley of New York. “We’re staying ’til we get it done.” Yet as House members surrounded Rep. John Lewis around 1 p.m. Thursday, he indicated the close of the sit-in, and said the efforts would instead continue next month. “We must never, ever give up or give in,” [Lewis said](http://time.com/4380254/house-sit-in-ends-gun-control-democrats/). “We must come back here on July 5th more determined than ever before.” ## Transcript [00:00] We're here on the floor, we're going to continue to be on [00:00] the floor until we get a vote. We're here to keep fighting for [00:00] the safety of America, and let's see the Republicans will [00:00] join us. What we are doing today is important because it [00:00] demonstrates the commitment we have to the people of this [00:01] country. We're not talking about gun control, we're talking [00:13] about terror control. We are protesting the refusal of the [00:17] Republican leadership to allow the House to vote on any [00:17] kind of gun control reform. We're here to force no [00:17] Republican action, the people on the other side to do [00:23] something. We [00:28] need a vote. We're sitting in on the house floor today [00:28] because somebody who's on the [00:33] domestic terrorist list should not be allowed to buy a gun. [00:36] We're standing up for the American people. They want us [00:40] to debate and vote on common sense gun legislature [00:40] Dissension. Let's [00:44] do it. Really? We can't even vote on a bill prohibit people [00:48] on terrorist watch lists from buying guns? Really We [00:53] have a house sit- in going on, and we're demanding a vote [00:56] on no fly, no buy. We've taken to the floor today in [00:59] [ SOUND ]. Obedience to fight for the right to vote, the right [01:00] to vote for gun safety legislation in this country. This [01:09] is a great day on the floor, we are having a sit in until the [01:11] Republicans decide to put a bill on the floor for gun control. [01:15] We're on the floor to demand, Republican leadership bring [01:18] up legislation on gun violence prevention, in will help [01:21] America. Today on the floor we are standing up for our [01:25] right to represent our constitutes with a vote so we can [01:26] have common sense gun legislation. Am proud to be on [01:28] the floor today to stop gun [01:33] violence, we are taking over the floor. Just want the people [01:36] of America to know that your members care, that the [01:40] democrats are here to support you to put an end to this [01:43] violence. We're taking democracy back we want to stop the [01:47] gun violence in this country, we need to vote on the floor, [01:50] we need bring democracy back. Let's vote Today, [01:54] we're on the floor because we will not allow the Republican [01:57] party to shut down and not address this issue of gun [01:59] violence. I'm going to say enough is enough. We must get [01:59] the guns off the street of America. Regina Jeffries, 16 years [02:00] old, was killed last week in [02:10] my district. About to sit in with my colleagues to fight for gun [02:10] violence to give voice once again to my friend, Gabby [02:14] Giffords, the strongest woman I know. Staying here to bring [02:14] some action to the 30 [02:19] moments of silence that we've had in Congress since [02:24] I got elected. Enough is enough. We've had it. No [02:28] more victims. We have to act now. The American people [02:32] need a vote on common sense gun safety. That's what [02:35] we're doing here today. If the GOP would give us [02:39] votes on guns, violence and prevention bills, we wouldn't [02:39] have to do a sit- in. Enough is enough. We [02:46] are all here to take a stand. There's been too much [02:47] senseless violence. We've gotta stop it now. [02:51] So Democrats are here, trying to make sure the voice of [02:53] the American people is being heard, in Congress that [02:56] means common sense, gun safety, legislation here in [02:59] Congress. Today we're here on the House board, doing a [03:01] sit in. We are demanding that the Republicans bring up a [03:04] vote, to close the terrorist gun loop hole. It is past time for [03:07] us to do this. 15 years ago it was [ INAUDIBLE ], today it's [03:07] the House of Representatives. We [03:12] stand today to demand a vote on gun violence. No [03:17] fly, no buy. It should be easy. The republicans need to join [03:19] us. No fly, no buy. Columbine is in my district and I have [03:23] been fighting for common sense gun safety for 25 [03:27] years. Enough is enough. Let me tell you, if guns [03:32] made people safer. America would be the [03:36] safest country on Earth. What we're doing here today is [03:38] doing everything we can to make sure we just have a vote. [03:41] That's what the people want. What's sprung out of a motion [03:44] is now action taken twice on the floor. No bill, no break. We [03:44] stay until we get it done. Well I've [03:51] been here since early this morning with John Lewis and [03:53] Katherine Clark and my Democratic colleagues. We're [03:55] trying to keep weapons out of the hands of terrorist. We're [03:59] here to make sure that in the house of Representatives we [04:01] vote to make sure terrorist can't get guns. I grew [04:05] up in San Bernardino, people in San Bernardino know how [04:08] important this issue is. Demands that we have a [04:12] vote on these bills. Hi, my name is Gwen, and I'm a [04:15] Floridian. I woke up in Orlando on the day of the massacre, [04:17] and my heart broke, and it's still broken. And we must do [04:18] something. We're [04:23] not just Democrats. We're Americans, and we're trying to [04:25] ease the pain and the desperation of so many Americans. [04:29] No bill, no break. This has been an incredible Powerful day, [04:29] we're out here with these grassroots people who have [04:29] come to say, no more silence. It's amazing to be able [04:38] to use the tools that we have as a minority to make sure [04:41] that our voices are heard, and you've got to stand up [04:43] against this violence. Today is a day [04:47] of history, where members of congress have been [04:49] empowered and involved in it to speak out for gun safety ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/4380152/watch-democratic-reps-house-sit-in/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/4380152/watch-democratic-reps-house-sit-in/"},"headline":"Watch Democratic Representatives Explain Why They Staged the Sit-in","datePublished":"2016-06-23T17:52:15.000Z","dateModified":"2023-12-13T07:30:16.000Z","description":"Rep. 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