John Lewis leading gun control sit-in on House floor [View all]

[La Lioness Priyanka]

http://politics.blog.ajc.com/2016/06/22/john-lewis-leading-gun-control-sit-in-on-house-floor/

U.S. Rep. John Lewis, D-Atlanta, is currently leading a sit-in on the House floor, part of an attempt to force votes on gun control legislation in the wake of the June 12 Orlando massacre.

Democrats want GOP leaders to agree to a vote on legislation that would prevent people on the government’s no-fly list from buying guns. They said Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., should keep the House in session, skipping the scheduled July 4 recess, to debate and vote on gun violence legislation.

In a searing speech on the House floor, Lewis said Congress has dragged its feet for too long:

“We were elected to lead, Mr. Speaker. We must be headlights, and not taillights. We cannot continue to stick our heads in the sand and ignore the reality of mass gun violence in our nation. Deadly mass shootings are becoming more and more frequent. Mr. Speaker, this is a fact. It is not an opinion. We must remove the blinders. The time for silence and patience is long gone.

We are calling on the leadership of the House to bring common-sense gun control legislation to the House Floor. Give us a vote. Let us vote. We came here to do our jobs. We came here to work. The American people are demanding action.”