Adam Silverman

Free Press Staff Writer



Vermont's lone congressman and the state's two senators joined Democrats in a 25-hour sit-in that began Wednesday on the floor of the U.S. House to demand a vote on gun legislation.

Rep. Peter Welch and Sen. Patrick Leahy both tweeted in the early afternoon Wednesday they had joined the protest, which began at about 11:30 a.m. The protest ended Thursday afternoon.

Welch delivered passionate remarks to his colleagues on the floor. He said regular Americans show up to work each day and do what they were hired to do — unlike lawmakers of late.

“Members of Congress have a job. We have a job! It is very simple: It’s to vote. It’s to address the tough issues that we face. It is to vote!" Welch said.

"And when there is a challenge that faces our communities, whether it’s economic dislocation, or they need a new hospital, or they need sensible gun laws to protect their kids and their families, it’s our job to show up for work, to have the debate, to be accountable by voting yes or no,” he continued, drawing applause and cheers.

Earlier, using the hashtag #HoldTheFloor, he tweeted: "Proud to be part of the sit-in demanding action on gun violence."

Leahy posted on Twitter: "Responsible gun owners (I'm one) support meaningful background checks and closing Terror Gap. Time for Republicans to listen #NoBillNoBreak."

Sanders, an independent who caucuses with the Democrats and campaigned for the party's nomination for president, arrived in the House chamber at about 4:30 p.m. Wednesday to much attention.

"Change only happens when people come together to say the status quo is unacceptable. We stand with you @HouseDemocrats. #NoBillNoBreak," Sanders tweeted. "Proud to stand with my colleagues to demand action."

Television camera feeds of the demonstration were turned off when Republican House leadership adjourned the session, lawmakers said, but Democrats posted on Twitter and Facebook and shared live video via social media to keep the public up to date.

C-SPAN began broadcasting a Periscope feed from Rep. Scott Peters, D-Calif., and later aired live video from other lawmakers' accounts to circumvent restrictions on the network's broadcast. Other networks followed suit.

Dozens of Democrats, led by Rep. John Lewis of Georgia, sat on the floor and refused to allow majority Republicans to take back control. The demonstrating lawmakers, including several senators, said they would stay put until House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., allowed a vote on measures to curb gun violence.

The lawmakers took turns talking about gun violence and chanted repeatedly, "No bill, no break!"

"Where is our courage?" Lewis asked. "Those who pursue common-sense improvement are beaten down. Reason is is put aside. ... What is the tipping point? Are we blind? Can we see? ... Give us a vote! We came here to do our job!"

He took issue with those who argued it was inappropriate to break the rules of the House to stage the protest.

"What is the tipping point? How many more mothers? How many more fathers need to shed tears of grief, before we do something?" Lewis wrote in a series of Twitter posts. "We have to disturb the order of things to build a world at peace with itself."

The sit-in raised the ire of Republicans, who labeled the protest a stunt — and worse.

"I've had it with the gun grabbing Democrats and their sit in anti 2nd amendment jihad," tweeted Iowa Rep. Steve King. "I'm going to go home and buy a new gun."

In an overnight move orchestrated by House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., the House convened for a series of votes and then adjourned through July 5. Democrats ended the sit-in about 10 hours later but said they would resume the civil disobedience when Congress is back in session.

"We got in trouble. We got in the way. Good trouble. Necessary trouble," Lewis, a long-serving congressman and veteran of the civil-rights movement, tweeted at the end of the protest Thursday. "By sitting-in, we were really standing up."

This story was first posted online on June 22, 2016, and updated later in the day and again Thursday. Contributing: USA TODAY. Contact Adam Silverman at 802-660-1854 or asilverman@freepressmedia.com. Follow him on Twitter at @wej12.