John Larson

House Democrats returned to Congress this month frustrated that Republicans have not brought gun-related bills to the floor following a nearly 26-hour demonstration in June in the well of the chamber.

But one thing the minority party may expect before the end of September is a rule change to prevent members from orchestrating another sit-in on the floor — and a vote on such a change could be the last thing on the House’s agenda before it dashes off for recess in a few short weeks, Rep. John B. Larson told Roll Call on Tuesday.

House Speaker Paul D. Ryan met privately Tuesday night with two Democrats leading the push for gun control legislation. But the Wisconsin Republican did not provide any assurances that the Democrats would get the votes on the measures they can support.  

At the same time, some conservative House members said they are concerned about aspects of a counterterrorism bill that the Republican leadership introduced last week with one saying it would be “among the most egregious gun control measures ever to pass either house of Congress.”  

The stalemate between Republicans and Democrats in the House over gun control persists despite a private Tuesday night meeting between Speaker Paul D. Ryan and Democratic Reps. John Lewis of Georgia and John B. Larson of Connecticut.  

A source familiar with the meeting said Ryan told the two Democrats that their party is winning the public opinion war on gun control, but a Ryan spokesperson denied that the speaker made such a remark.  

Saying that violating decorum on the House floor would "not be tolerated," Republican leaders explored what action they might take against Democrats over their sit-in on gun control. House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy said Tuesday that he and Speaker Paul D. Ryan would meet with the sergeant-at-arms over the nearly 26-hour protest nearly two weeks ago.  

McCarthy said he wanted to discuss treatment of staff during the demonstration, damage to furniture, and fundraising by Democrats during the protest period.  

After the shootings in Orlando took a record-breaking 49 lives, Rep. Katherine Clark , D-Mass., says she got “that sinking feeling that we were going to have yet another moment of silence” on the House floor in response.  

Not that she doubts the sincerity of her Republican colleagues in offering their prayers and condolences to survivors and the families of victims, she said in an interview. But she and others couldn’t bring themselves to participate in a ritual they felt had been rendered downright disrespectful by repetition.