WASHINGTON -- Dozens of Democratic lawmakers are holding a vigil on the House steps to commemorate the one-month anniversary of the murders of 49 patrons of a gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida.

They took turns addressing a small gathering of onlookers with pleas for equality of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people, new laws to limit sales of assault weapons, and other gun control measures.

Some lawmakers noted that Tuesday's vigil came as the Republican Party added measures to its platform in opposition to same-sex marriage and other items seen as against LGBT rights.

Most of the Democratic lawmakers held poster-sized photographs of victims of the Orlando massacre, many of whom were Hispanic.