Despite the worst mass shooting in recent U.S. history – one that ended in the deaths of 49 people at a gay nightclub in Orlando – gun control remains an issue our government can’t agree on. Spurred by the tragic shooting, Democrats and Republicans proposed their own solutions for gun control, but both sides are so entrenched in their positions that the vote went nowhere. This week, four gun control measures failed to pass in the U.S. Senate, and this morning, the House rejected a “no fly, no buy” amendment that would have kept those who can’t fly from purchasing guns.
As a result, 60 Democrats have taken to the House floor and staged a sit-in to pressure the remaining members to vote for the amendment, according to CBS News. The House members took turns speaking, saying “No bill, no break” after each speech. “We have been too quiet for too long,” Rep. John Lewis, who led the sit-in, said. “There comes a time when you have to say something. You have to make a little noise. You have to move your feet. This is the time.”
The sit-in comes on the heels of Sen. Chris Murphy’s filibuster last week, but according to Vox, House Speaker Paul Ryan controls the cameras for the live footage and tried to shut out media by having them turned off. C-Span resorted to airing Periscope and Facebook streams, so that people could follow the protest.
Though Ryan tried different suppression tactics – including breaking for recess – he apparently forgot that anyone can report on the news. Representatives started documenting their surroundings and explaining why they joined the protest, and people like Rep. Beto O’Rourke are live streaming. And further counteracting Ryan, the hashtag #NoBillNoBreak has started trending, which has allowed the conversation to continue moving forward.
As Ryan finds a way to explain why he shut down the cameras, here’s how 16 Latino reps reacted on Twitter:
1
Norma J. Torres
2
Michelle Lujan Grisham
3
Pete Aguilar
4
Jose E. Serrano
5
Tony Cárdenas