"No bill, no break," they chanted. The House is scheduled to break on Sunday, and Democrats are demanding a vote on two bills before they go: one that bars anyone on the no-fly list from buying a firearm and another that broadens background checks for firearm purchases.
A prayer was said and members recited the Pledge of Allegiance, but once it became clear that regular business would not take place, Poe called for another recess.
AshLee Strong, a spokeswoman for House Speaker Paul Ryan, said the House "cannot operate without members following the rules of the institution, so the House has recessed subject to the call of the chair."
Rep. John Lewis, a Democrat from Georgia, announced the sit-in earlier this morning.
"We have lost hundreds and thousands of innocent people to gun violence -- tiny little children, babies, students and teachers, mothers and fathers, sisters and brothers, daughters and sons, friends and neighbors -- and what has this body done?" Lewis said, flanked by fellow Democrats. "Mr. Speaker, nothing. Not one thing."
Lewis' colleagues in the Senate held the floor for nearly 15 hours last week demanding much the same thing. Senate Democrats eventually succeeded in getting a vote, but all four gun control measures failed.
There is no live video of the demonstration on the floor because the cameras in the House are turned off once the chamber goes into recess.
This is a breaking news story. We'll update as we know more throughout the day.
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