To end Democratic gun vote sit-in, House Republicans push through Zika bill, vote to adjourn until July

House Democrats hold sit-in for gun control vote

(Image credit: House Television via AP)

published 23 June 2016

At 2:30 a.m. on Thursday, Republicans gaveled the House back into session, pushing through a partisan bill to fund the fight against the Zika virus, voting to adjourn until after July 4, and trying to end a 16-hour sit-in by Democrats demanding a vote on a Senate bill that would prevent certain suspected terrorists from purchasing a gun. As of 3 a.m., Democrats were still giving speeches, led by Rep. John Lewis (D-Ga.). More than 100 House Democrats participated in the sit-in, waving photos of victims of gun violence, singing "We Shall Overcome," and livestreaming their protest after House Speaker Paul Ryan ordered the C-SPAN cameras turned off.

"Democrats can continue to talk, but the reality is that they have no end-game strategy," said AshLee Strong, Ryan's press secretary, "and no stunts on the floor will change that." House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi accused Republicans of leaving town "in the middle of the night in a cowardly fashion."

Democrats oppose the House GOP's Zika bill because it falls well short of the $1.9 billion President Obama has requested to fight the virus, and because Republicans fund the bill by siphoning money from other programs, including ObamaCare. Congress now won't act on Zika funding until after the July 4 recess. During Ryan's earlier attempt to shut down the sit-in, at 10 p.m. on Wednesday, Democrats blocked a Republican attempt to override Obama's veto of a measure to beat back new rules for financial advisers.

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Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.

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