House Speaker Paul Ryan promised Thursday to quickly restore order to the House floor, where Democrats are in the second day of a sit-in that has halted legislative business.
“Democrats can talk all they want,” Ryan said, adding that he won’t turn the lights off in the chamber the way Democrats did to Republicans in 2008.
Still, he said he is looking into ways to prevent the unprecedented disruption that took place in the the House chamber early Thursday morning, when the GOP called votes on legislation and Democrats interfered with the proceedings with shouts and hoisted signs.
“I think it sets a very dangerous precedent,” Ryan said. “We are reviewing everything right now as to what happened and how to make sure we can bring order to the chaos. This is the people’s House and they are descending into chaos. I don’t think this should be a very proud moment for democracy or for the people who staged these stunts.”
Democrats are hoping their floor takeover will force the GOP to take up two gun control bills that have not made it to the floor through regular order, which requires majority support. Democrats believe the public favors more gun control in the wake of a string of mass shootings and following the terrorist attack in Orlando that killed 49 people and injured 53 others.
But Ryan accused Democrats of conducting a publicity stunt to raise money. He held up fundraising requests from the Democrats, which were sent out beginning Wednesday, publicizing the floor protest and requesting donations to the Democratic party.
“If this is not a political stunt, why are they trying to raise money off this, off a tragedy?” Ryan asked.
In the Senate, the GOP majority plans to hold a test vote on a bipartisan gun control bill that would prevent some on the federal terror watch list from purchasing firearms. Ryan has said the House would probably not take up the Senate bill unless it passes with significant support in that chamber.
Among the GOP concerns, Ryan said, is a warning from federal law enforcement officials that the measure could curtail FBI investigations into terror suspects who are trying to buy guns.
Many Republicans are also wary of gun control bills that strip citizens of their second amendment right to own guns without first requiring the government to prove why they shouldn’t be able to buy them.
“We want to see what the Senate produces,” Ryan said. “We are looking at this issue, we are doing it deliberatively. We want to get it right while protecting people’s constitutionally protected rights.”
The House early Thursday adjourned for a recess period that will last until July 5, giving up two legislative days. Republicans, who control the majority, decided to call it quits after Democrats refused to leave the floor and shouted, chanted and sang songs as Republicans conducted legislative business and during roll call votes.
Republicans responded by eliminating floor debate and instead voted immediately on a $1.1 billion Zika funding bill before gaveling to a close.
