Democrats may continue their rebellious occupation of the House floor through Friday and even beyond that, House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer, D-Md., said late Wednesday.
“Folks are pretty fired up about this,” Hoyer said in an interview just outside the House chamber, where Democrats were giving speeches and demanding votes on two gun control bills.
“It could go through Friday and then, when they adjourn, people may come to the floor as [Republicans] did when they felt strongly about drilling for oil,” Hoyer said, referring to the GOP floor speeches delivered during a House recess in 2008.
Hoyer said Democrats have not discussed what to do beyond this evening and have had no formal talks with the GOP leadership other than one conversation earlier in the day between Hoyer and House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif. McCarthy asked Hoyer what Democrats needed in order to end their protest.
“I told him very simply, put the two bills on the floor,” Hoyer said.
Democrats have been occupying the well of the House since around 11:30 a.m. and said they will not relinquish it until the Republican majority allows votes on two gun control bills.
Hoyer said he expects the GOP majority will attempt to adjourn the House later this evening and that Democrats will not leave the chamber, but will instead stay all night, even if the GOP turns out the lights, as Democrats did when Republicans took to the floor eight years ago to demand drilling to combat high gas prices.
“It poses a challenge,” Hoyer told a group of reporters who asked about a lights-out scenario. “But you will still cover it if we are here through the night.”
Republicans held two votes earlier in the evening, gaveling in a chaotic session in which Democrats shouted, chanted and sang a civil rights protest song.
Republicans plan to hold more votes this week.
But unlike the Senate, which is writing a bipartisan bill to stop terrorists from buying guns, the House GOP does not seem interested in negotiating a deal with Democrats on gun control legislation, although a few GOP lawmakers are floating proposals.
Some Republicans remained in the gallery while Democrats flouted chamber rules, engaging the gallery audience to clap and using their phones to live-stream their speeches on the Internet, which is prohibited.
Hoyer said he believes Democrats can push the GOP to give in and allow votes on the two proposals, one which would expand gun background checks and another that would prevent those on the federal terror watch list from purchasing firearms.
Hoyer pointed to poll numbers showing the public wants gun background checks and to stop terrorists from purchasing guns.
In an election year, he said, those poll numbers and the Democratic floor vigil might be enough to force the GOP to bring the legislation to the floor.
“The end game is ultimately passing these bills,” Hoyer said. “Whether we pass them before the election or after the election, when Republicans lose control of the Senate and the House.”
