Donovan Slack, and Erin Kelly

USA TODAY

WASHINGTON – Democratic lawmakers took to the floor of the House of Representatives once again Thursday to push for votes on gun legislation as Republican attempts to find consensus on the issue appeared to stall.

Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., had pledged to bring a gun measure up for a vote but then pulled it from the schedule Tuesday amid criticism from both sides of the aisle.

He said Thursday that Republicans are still working on a package of anti-terrorism bills that includes gun legislation, but "We're not going to rush it . . . We're going to get it right."

Democrats, who held a 25-hour sit-in to demand action two weeks ago following the mass shooting in Orlando, started showing up on the House floor Thursday afternoon and taking turns showing photos of victims’ of gun violence and asking that the House bring up bills to expand background checks and ban gun sales to suspected terrorists. As each request was rejected, another Democratic lawmaker would stand and repeat the request.

They kept at it for about two hours before Republicans took back over.

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., wouldn’t say if Democrats would continue attempting to disrupt legislative business as they did before, but she said they will keep pressing for action on the bills.

Even if Ryan allows votes, they will likely be on legislation Democrats oppose. The proposal he had intended to take up would have allowed the attorney general to delay a gun sale for three days to a person on a terror watch list and halt a sale only after proving terror concerns before a judge.

Democrats already blocked a similar measure in the Senate, saying the timeframe and standard of proof make it unworkable and therefore meaningless. The legislation they want would require background checks for nearly all private gun sales, including at gun shows and over the Internet, and allow the Justice Department to block sales without a court order. Republicans say that infringes on Americans right to bear arms and due process.

Conservatives have also voiced concerns with the bill Ryan was planning to bring to the floor. The political arm of the conservative Heritage Foundation announced its opposition in an email Thursday, saying "House Leadership is now putting forth a bill, without any committee consideration, impacting American citizens’ Second Amendment rights to have firearms, presumably in an effort to placate Democrats for their floor antics. Such a move essentially rewards Democrats with a debate on gun control after completely upending the regular order of the House."

Ryan is also looking for ways to address Democratic disruptions on the House floor. The speaker said Thursday that he and Majority Leader Rep. Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., met with the House parliamentarian, who reviewed video of the Democrats’ sit-in last month, and are considering disciplinary action, including reprimands.

"We are looking at all options for consequences," he said.

Pelosi scoffed at the idea that Republicans would try to discipline sit-in leader Rep. John Lewis, D-Ga., or other Democratic leaders.

"Make my day," she said.

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