NEWS

Thompson joins Democratic sit-in over gun violence

Deborah Barfield Berry and Donovan Slack
USA TODAY

WASHINGTON — Mississippi Rep. Bennie Thompson joined other House Democrats as they staged a sit-in Wednesday in the House chamber and demanded Congress act on gun-control measures.

Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss.

“I support the effort because it’s the right thing to do,'' Thompson, the top Democrat on the House Homeland Security Committee, said outside the chamber. "The cause is just.’’

Scores of House lawmakers took turns giving floor speeches on gun violence and vowing not to leave until House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., allows a vote on measures to curb it.

"No bill, no break!" they chanted.

The House is scheduled to adjourn on Friday and be out of session until July 5.

“Where is our courage?" said Democratic Rep. John Lewis of Georgia, a civil rights icon, who organized the impromptu sit-in. "Those who pursue common-sense improvement are beaten down  ... Give us a vote! We came here to do our job!"

On Monday, four gun control amendments failed to advance in the Senate on mostly party-line votes.

Thompson supported the two proposals introduced by Democrats. One would have allowed the attorney general to halt sales to suspected terrorists and also allowed people to appeal to the Justice Department if they are denied a firearm.

Thompson complained the Republican-controlled House hasn’t acted on gun measures in the wake of the June 12 mass shooting in Orlando, Florida, that left 49 dead.

House sit-in over gun legislation enters seventh hour

“We can’t even debate it (legislation),’’ he said. “This Republican-led House refuses to bring forth common-sense answers to this problem.’’

Rep. Ted Poe, R-Texas, repeatedly banged his gavel to call the House into order, but the Democrats refused, so Poe gaveled the House into recess.

House Republicans called the sit-in a publicity stunt.

"The House cannot operate without members following the rules of the institution, so the House has recessed subject to the call of the chair," said Ryan spokeswoman AshLee Strong.

G.K. Butterfield, D-N.C., chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus, said Republicans are in "panic mode.''

“They call this a political stunt, which is really an insult,''  he said. "This is the beginning of a movement.''

’Thompson, a civil rights veteran, and other Democrats said they turned to the sit-in to demand action.

“If you’re passionate for what’s going on, then you’ll support it (the sit-in), and I’m passionate,’’ he said. “Some of us did lunch counters, buses and other kinds of things years ago, and it accomplished over time getting the attention of the public.’’

Many Democratic speakers conjured up the struggles of the civil rights movement.

With their arms wrapped around each other, the Democrats prayed on the House floor, guided by Democratic leader James Clyburn of South Carolina, also a civil rights veteran. The state was the scene of a mass shooting last June in which a white gunman is accused of shooting and killing nine black parishioners inside a church in Charleston.

“This is more than a sit-in,’’ said Rep. John Larson, a Democrat from Connecticut. “This is a teach-in for America.’’

The dozen Democratic lawmakers who began the sit-in in the House well steadily grew to nearly 100. They cited the deaths of gun victims across the country, including the children killed at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut, Emanuel AME Church in Charleston and the night club in Orlando.

Cochran, Wicker support Republican gun measures; amendments failed

There were “6,354 souls taken from us by gun violence — 49 just a week ago,’’ said Democratic leader Steny Hoyer of Maryland.

Some Democratic senators, including Sen. Chris Murphy of Connecticut and Senate Democratic leader Richard Durbin of Illinois, joined their House colleagues for the sit-in. Murphy led a 15-hour filibuster over gun-control measures in the Senate earlier this week.

More than six hours after the sit-in started, Democrats were still on the floor. Larson urged his colleagues to reschedule their trips back home to their districts. He said the sit-in could last awhile.

“I’m not sure what the House leadership is going to do. It remains to be seen,’’ said Thompson before returning to the House chamber.  “(But) we’re in this. I’m going to be here until hell freezes over …That could be a long time, especially in June.’’

Contact Deborah Barfield Berry at dberry@gannett.com. Follow @dberrygannett on Twitter.