Mass. Representatives 'Hold the Floor'; House Speaker Blasts Gun Vote Sit-In 'Publicity Stunt'

• Story Update: House Speaker Foils Democrats' 15-Hour Sit-in; No Gun Legislation Vote

Saying they won't leave the floor until Republicans agree to take a vote on certain gun control measures, all nine Massachusetts Congressional Representatives and both Senators took part in a Capitol Hill "sit-in" Wednesday.

U.S. Rep. Katherine Clark led the act of protest alongside Rep. John Lewis, of Georgia.

Joining her were fellow Massachusetts Reps. Michael Capuano, Jim McGovern, Bill Keating, Joseph P. Kennedy III, Stephen Lynch, Seth Moulton, Richard Neal and Niki Tsongas, based on social media posts by each representative from the floor.

"We are resolved and committed to speaking out for victims, survivors, and families at home who deserve a vote," Clark said in a Tweet, as the sit-in got underway around noon. "We're prepared to (continue) standing on the Floor whenever the House is in session to assist in bringing these bills to a vote."

Nearly 10 hours later, Massachusetts' representatives remain on the House floor, as of 10 p.m. Speaker of the House Paul Ryan blasted the sit-in as a "publicity stunt." The house will reportedly reconvene -- but to vote on separate legislation, not Democrats' gun bill.

Kennedy addressed the House shortly after 5 p.m. Wednesday, invoking the death of Raekwon Brown.

Brown was shot and killed earlier this month outside of his high school in Dorchester. In his remarks, Kennedy cautioned against turning Brown and other victims of gun violence into "just another statistic."

Massachusetts Sen. Ed Markey was also on-hand to show his support, as was U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren.

Last week Connecticut Sen. Chris Murphy led a nearly 15-hour filibuster in an effort to get a vote on two primary legislative measures: universal background checks, or closing the “gun-show loophole,” and the prevention of suspected terrorists from buying firearms.

Murphy's filibuster was heavily watched on C-SPAN. The network faced criticism Wednesday because its cameras turned off during the Democrats' sit-in. C-Span says it does not control those cameras - the majority leadership does. Ryan's press secretary said that those occupying the floor aren't following House rules, and noted cameras are not turned on when the House is in recess.

>> Read the full story with live updates from Patch here.

Both Massachusetts Senators joined Murphy's filibuster last week. You can read the full transcript of Sen. Warren's widely shared remarks from the floor here.

Ultimately last week's filibuster forced a vote, but it failed along party lines.

>> Top image shared by Rep. Donna F. Edwards via Twitter. In it, Rep. Clark is second from the right.

>> This story last updated at 9:56 p.m., June 22. For updated, June 23 story, please click here.