Standing alongside gun violence victims and their families Wednesday, House Democrats renewed their fight to get a vote on proposed gun control legislation.
"We are trying to say, members of Congress, all members, you must do something," said Rep. John Lewis, D-G.A., who led the 26-hour sit-in for gun control in June. "You must act. Today. Not tomorrow, but now."
There are two proposals Democrats want the House to vote on before the summer recess. One would prevent anyone on the federal "no fly" list from purchasing a gun. The other plan would expand background checks to include all firearm purchases.
House Speaker Paul Ryan has said he will not allow votes on the proposals. He met with Lewis and Rep. John Larson, D-C.T., on Tuesday in the hopes of calming partisan tensions surrounding this issue.
Neither party plans to budge, with control of the House in November potentially at play.
"We will not stop until every one of these NRA-funded politicians either step up to the plate and enact change or we will vote them out of office," said Barbara Parker, the mother of slain TV reporter Alison Parker who was killed by a former colleague on live television last year. The crowd responded with chants of "vote them out!"
House Democrats have not released any concrete plans for future steps on gun control, but they hinted they may carry out more disruptions like the sit-in.
"We are going to have some more action," Lewis said. "We don't know what form it's going to take but stay tuned... stay tuned."
House Republicans plan to vote this week on their own proposed bill on gun control, which would give a court 72 hours to find probable cause to prevent someone suspected of being a terrorist from buying a gun.
Democrats have said that proposal is too weak. They already blocked a similar version in the Senate.
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