Press Staff Blog
House Democrats have been on the House Floor for over an hour, asking for unanimous consent to bring up legislation to address gun violence. As Members hold up photos of gun violence victims and ask for a vote, House Republicans continue to be deeply divided over their NRA-endorsed bill and announce that they will indefinitely delay a vote on their own bill.
Speaker Ryan and House Republicans are breaking their promise of regular order tonight to pass a Zika conference report, ignoring the three day rule. And because they’re pulling this off in a matter of hours - and in the dead of night - it seems pretty unlikely that any of their Members have actually read the full bill. In fact, they’re calling a vote so quickly, CQ can’t provide a full summary before votes:
Today, House Democrats are staging a sit-in on the Floor of the House of Representatives, demanding that Republicans hold a vote on legislation to address gun violence. As soon as the House of Representatives was brought to order this afternoon, House Republicans gaveled out the proceedings, refusing to allow Democrats to be heard. Here’s a look at how it’s playing out in the news:
Reporters may want to head to the gallery. Rep. John Lewis is leading a sit-in in the Well of the House Floor with dozens of House Democrats to demand that House Republicans allow a vote on legislation to address gun violence. After the worst mass shooting in modern history, it's time for Speaker Ryan to bring a bill to the Floor. House Democrats will continue to demand: no bill, no break.
Last night, House Republican leaders decided against allowing a vote on Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney’s amendment to the defense appropriations bill to prohibit #LGBT discrimination. In the wake of this weekend’s horrific shooting in Orlando, the House should be sending a strong signal that we will stand united against discrimination. Yet, once again, House Republicans are showing their true colors. But don’t just take it from us. These headlines speak for themselves:
Yesterday, Speaker Ryan and House Republicans decided to abandon their promise of regular order because they’re worried about having to show the American people where they really stand on critical issues. Despite promising an open appropriations process, Republican leadership is tightening their grip after their Members took down their own Energy and Water appropriations bill because it banned discrimination.
Bottom line: House Republicans are changing rules so they can discriminate. And Speaker Ryan’s decision to do so isn’t playing well with his own Members:
Speaker Paul Ryan and House Republicans are going to unveil their “new” national security plan today, the second plank of their #WrongWay agenda. We don’t think it will come as a shock to anyone that the Republican plan is more of the same policies they’ve put forward before and lacks any actual details.
A look at the news also indicates that – just like their poverty plank – Speaker Ryan isn’t having much success in presenting an alternative to their presumptive Presidential nominee or distracting from Trump’s reckless comments and policy positions:
Today, Speaker Paul Ryan and House Republicans are unveiling the first plank of their #BetterWay agenda, meant to address poverty. But early press coverage provides a few key takeaways:
-Their “new” agenda isn’t really new at all – they have only repackaged the same GOP proposals we’ve seen in the past.
-Ryan’s attempt to present a “better” vision than his presumptive Presidential nominee has resulted in more infighting among his Members and legislative paralysis.
Today, House Republicans failed to pass their Energy and Water appropriations bill because an amendment protecting LGBT Americans from discrimination was included in the bill. Rep. Sessions said on the Floor last Thursday that Republicans “do not discriminate.” We think it’s safe to say that’s inaccurate:
Roll Call: House Rejects Spending Bill After Gay Rights Measure Added
After last week’s anti-LGBT vote fiasco on the Floor, House Republican leaders are trying to restore order by getting rid of “regular order.” So much for Speaker Ryan leading an open House.