This evening, before giving yet another full-throated defense of his nominee Donald Trump, Speaker Ryan called House Democrats’ efforts to secure a simple up-or-down vote on commonsense legislation to help keep guns out of the hands of terror suspects “a publicity stunt.” In reality, all House Democrats are trying to do is advance the interest -and safety- of the American people and their families, in the face of House Republicans’ inaction.
Further demonstrating how out-of-touch he and House Republicans are on this issue of national security, Ryan then equated this sit-in to one conducted by House Republicans in 2008 over their effort to advance the interests of the big oil and gas lobby.
The vast majority of Americans, including gun owners and Republicans, support closing the dangerous loophole that allows individuals on the FBI’s suspected terror watchlist to purchase firearms, and yet Speaker Ryan and House Republicans have blocked even the consideration of the bipartisan “No Buy, No Fly” bill on 13 separate occasions. Because Republicans refuse to take even the most basic step towards doing the right thing to keep the American public safe, House Democrats have held and will continue to hold the floor until Speaker Ryan and the GOP allows a vote on this commonsense solution.
“House Democrats aren’t looking for publicity, Mr. Speaker. They’re demanding action,” said DCCC Chairman Ben Ray Lujan. “It shouldn’t take a sit-in for House Republicans to do the responsible thing and work to keep guns out of the hands of terror suspects. But the American people are fed up, and if this is what it takes to force House Republicans to do the right thing, we’re not going anywhere.”