House Speaker Paul Ryan met Tuesday with Rep. John Lewis, D-Ga., the former civil rights activist who last month led a House floor sit-in and is threatening to continue demonstrations in the chamber.
Lewis, who was joined in the meeting by Rep. John Larson, D-Conn., is demanding votes on a bill expanding background checks and legislation that would ban people on the federal terror watch list from purchasing firearms.
“This evening, Speaker Ryan met with Reps. Larson and Lewis at their request,” Ryan spokeswoman AshLee Strong said Tuesday. “While they have different views on how to achieve a shared goal of preventing gun deaths in America — particularly on matters of due process — the speaker was glad they were able to have the discussion. The path ahead on the anti-terrorism package will be discussed and determined by the majority in the coming days.”
Ryan is expected to bring a GOP-authored bill to the House floor this week that would require a three-day waiting period for gun purchases by those on the terror watch list.
Earlier Tuesday, House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., said the GOP would not allow votes on the gun control legislation sponsored by Democrats because such a move would appear to reward the Democrats for their disruptive floor behavior in June. The GOP majority was forced to adjourn early because Democrats shouted and waved signs during legislative business, and forced the House to adjourn.
