Democrats pledge to continue sit-in ‘until hell freezes over’

UPDATE (3:50 p.m.): House Democrats admitted defeat and ended their nearly 24-hour sit-in on the House floor, an attempt to force Republican leaders to allow a vote on gun-control legislation. But the protesters insist they’re not giving up.

“We must come back here on July 5 more determined than ever before,” said Rep. John Lewis, D-Ga., referring to when Congress returns to work at the end of the holiday break.

While back home to mark Independence Day celebrations, Democrats vowed to take the gun-control issue to their constituents.

Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, is trying to gather bi-partisan support for her bill, which would ban people on the “no fly” and selectee lists from purchasing weapons. She criticized the sit-in as hampering those efforts.

“It is not helpful to have had the sit-in on the House side because that made it partisan, and I’ve worked very hard to keep this bipartisan, so that set back our efforts somewhat,” she said. Her bill failed to pass a procedural vote today.

OUR EARLIER REPORT: WASHINGTON—Chanting “No Bill, No Break,” Democrats shut down the House with a sit-in on the chamber floor Wednesday, refusing to leave for recess until Republican leaders schedule a vote on gun control legislation. Late Wednesday night, Republicans decided to adjourn the House anyway, without holding the vote.

“The silence is not only defeating, the silence is killing us,” said Rep. Anna Eschoo, D-Calif.

Rep. John Lewis, D-Ga., a civil rights veteran known for initiating 1960s lunch counter sit-ins, spearheaded the protest. During the first few hours, as many as 100 legislators flocked to the floor. They filled the chamber with jeers, clapping, and shouts of “give us the vote.”

“Sometimes you have to do something out of the ordinary,” Lewis said. “Sometimes you have to make a way out of no way. We have been too quiet for too long.”

The amendments on which Democrats want to vote include a bi-partisan bill sponsored by Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, that prevents terror suspects on the “no fly” and selectee lists from purchasing guns. Four other gun control measures failed to pass Senate votes earlier this week.

House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., restricted C-Span coverage of the sit-in, but the public network and CNN started using Periscope to broadcast the action filmed by lawmakers on their phones. Representatives on the floor flooded social media with selfies and updates to rally support.

House members have staged only two sit-ins since the 1970s and Democrats—on the floor and social media—celebrated the history-making event. But Republicans called the sit-in nothing more than a publicity stunt.

After a midnight GOP meeting Wednesday, Republican leaders decided to adjourn the House until after the July 4th weekend.

“The sit-in by House Democrats is nothing more than a publicity stunt,” Ryan said in a statement. In response to the trending #nobillnobreak hashtag on Twitter, Ryan began using his own: #stopthestunt.

Refusing to cave in to Democrats’ demands, Republican lawmakers at 2:30 a.m. started voting on bills to fund Zika virus eradication efforts and military construction.

Rep. Charlie Dent, R-Pa., one of Ryan’s advisors, invited reporters to come and watch the show. Democrats delivered: Using paper cards to halt votes, they bellowed the civil rights song, “We Shall Overcome,” and launched into a shouting showdown with Republicans.

“It’s a new day in the people’s House,” Ryan later said, mimicking protesting Democrats. “We’ve now begun work on additional funding in the fight against the #Zika threat.”

Initially, many GOP lawmakers seemed hesitant to comment on the protest. Others berated Democrats for breaking House rules for media attention.

Rep. Jeff Duncan, R-S.C., one of the most outspoken sit-in critics, tweeted: “Dems protesting on House Floor over GOP refusal to destroy 2nd & 5th amdnts. Is this to distract from State Dept scandal & GOP health plan?” On the way to the late-night closed-door meeting, Rep. Steve Stivers, R-Ohio, echoed Ryan’s response and blasted the sit-in as a publicity stunt.

Democrats promised to continue the protest until Thursday—or even longer if they have to.

“I am willing to stay here until hell freezes over,” said Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Calif.