NEW: Cicilline Joins Dems in Sit-In on House Floor to Demand Action on Gun Violence

NEW: Cicilline Joins Dems in Sit-In on House Floor to Demand Action on Gun Violence

U.S. Congressman David Cicilline has joined a sit-in demonstration on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives, led by U.S. Congressman John Lewis. The group is demanding that Speaker Ryan keep the House in session through its planned recess to debate and vote on gun violence legislation. 

See Cicilline's Remarks in the Video Below 

The group is pushing for a vote on expanded background checks and legislation preventing gun sales to suspected terrorists. 

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In a letter to Speaker Ryan, the group said the following: 

As the worst mass shooting in our nation’s history has underscored, our country cannot afford to stand by while this Congress continues to be paralyzed by politics. We urge you to lead the House into action and work with both sides of the aisle to pass commonsense solutions to keep American children and families safe.

There is broad agreement among Americans – greater than 90 percent by some measures – that expanding background checks for firearms purchases is a reasonable measure for this Congress to pass. An overwhelming majority also agree that we should enact safety measures that keep guns out of the hands of suspected terrorists.

The question before us is, what is this Congress waiting for?

Over the last 12 years, gun-related crimes claimed more American lives than AIDS, war, and illegal drug overdoses combined. Since Newtown, tens of thousands of lives have been lost to this deadly crisis. The number of bills that have been debated and passed by this Congress to prevent such deaths is zero.

Together we represent families who are worried and frustrated – millions of Americans who are fed up with the inaction in Congress. There is no doubt that our path to solutions will be arduous, but we have to agree that inaction can no longer be a choice that this Congress makes. We cannot enact solutions for families at home if the Speaker will not even allow a debate.

Therefore, we stand with thousands of brokenhearted families who have not been served by this Congress, and millions more who are counting on us to find the moral courage to do the right thing. We stand together in our refusal to sit by while this Congress abdicates its fundamental responsibility to protect American families from harm. We urge you to keep the House in session until we have robust debate and votes on expanding background checks and banning the sale of firearms to suspected terrorists.

Until then, we are resolved and committed to speaking out for victims, survivors, and families at home who deserve a vote. We are prepared to continue standing on the House floor whenever the House is in session to assist you in bringing these bills to a vote.

 

Sincerely,

Rep. Katherine Clark
Rep. John Lewis

Rep. Gregory Meeks

Rep. John Larson

Rep. Robin Kelly

Rep. John Yarmuth

Rep. Chellie Pingree

Rep. Stacey Plaskett

Rep. Michael Capuano

Rep. Rosa DeLauro

Rep. David Cicilline

Rep. Kathy Castor

Rep. Bonnie Watson-Coleman

Rep. Steve Cohen

Rep. Peter Welch
Rep. Bill Pascrell

Rep. Joyce Beatty
Rep. Joseph Kennedy