Congressman Cleaver’s Participation in Historic House Floor Sit-in to Address Mass Gun Violence Goes into Second Day

Congressman Cleaver on the House Steps around 12:30am.

WASHINGTON, DC – House Democrats began the second day of their historic House Floor sit-in on Thursday. At approximately 3:15 am, House Republicans adjourned until July 5, 2016, leaving town for thirteen days with no plan to bring any gun violence prevention legislation to the floor for a vote.

“To be clear, all we are asking for is a vote,” Congressman Cleaver said. “It's a sin that after the largest mass shooting in US history, we are denied the right to a vote. Terrorists can obtain guns and we cannot even get the microphones or the cameras turned on in the House Chamber. The solution to gun violence is not to run away and recess in the middle of the night. We need action. This has happened too many times in the past several years – on guns, immigration, the budget, the list goes on. I’m here to tell you, we are in this for the long haul, for the thousands of people who have lost their lives in this country due to mass gun violence. It is time for us to stop sugarcoating and start voting.”

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Emanuel Cleaver, II is the U.S. Representative for Missouri’s Fifth Congressional District, which includes Kansas City, Independence, Lee's Summit, Raytown, Grandview, Sugar Creek, Blue Springs, Grain Valley, Oak Grove, North Kansas City, Gladstone, Claycomo, and all of Ray, Lafayette, and Saline Counties. He is a member of the exclusive House Financial Services Committee, the Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Housing and Insurance, and also a Senior Whip of the Democratic Caucus. A high-resolution photo of Congressman Cleaver is available here.

For more information, please contact Heather Frierson at 816-842-4545 or Heather.Frierson@mail.house.gov.