2nd sit-in an option if GOP refuses to play ball, Valley congressman says

YOUNGSTOWN

The rare sit-in staged by House Democrats after Republican leadership declined to vote on gun-control legislation could occur again when Congress returns July 5 from recess, said U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan.

“If [Republicans] behave in a certain way, another sit-in is an option,” Ryan, of Howland, D-13th, said Thursday, shortly after the conclusion of the 26-hour sit-in on the House floor. “If Republicans come back from recess and try to move appropriation bills [and ignore gun-control legislation], we can stop that process.”

U.S. Rep. Bill Johnson of Marietta, R-6th, described Democrats participating in the sit-in as “petulant children” who “violated the rules of the House of Representatives by sitting down on the House floor.”

Ryan, who called Republicans “soft on terrorism” during the sit-in Wednesday, said a day later: “People are really now seeing the Republicans holding things up and throwing sand in the gears.”

The House should vote on provisions to ban those on the federal no-fly list from owning guns, require universal background checks, and change a federal rule that allows licensed firearm dealers who begin a background check to sell the weapon to a person if they haven’t been notified within three days if there is a reason to deny that person the gun, Ryan said.

Read more about the matter in Friday's Vindicator or on Vindy.com.