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Rep. Titus Backs Colleagues Calls For Gun Control

Rep. Dina Titus sits on the floor of the House of Representatives with Rep. John Lewis, a Democrat from Georgia.
Associated Press

Rep. Dina Titus sits on the floor of the House of Representatives with Rep. John Lewis, a Democrat from Georgia.

Whether it was a publicity stunt or a call for action, the House Democrats' decision to hold a sit-in on the floor of the House of Representatives was unprecedented.

Just before noon Wednesday, the sit-in began, with Democrats vowing not to let allow any House business happen until there were votes on two gun control measures.

It finally ended Thursday afternoon, but that was long after the Republican representatives, who control the House, adjourned the body for the Fourth of July break. 

Between those two events and throughout the night, the decorum of the House deteriorated into yelling matches between lawmakers. Democrats drowned out Republican lawmakers with shouts of “Shame, shame, shame” and “No Bill, No Break,” and one Republican lawmaker yelled “Radical Islam,” to Democratic lawmakers.

Nevada Congresswoman Dina Titus joined her colleagues on the floor of the House to ask for gun control measures. 

"Ask the parents and the families and the friends of the people who have been shot," Titus said, "Those little first graders, the people in the club, the people in the picture show in Aurora, San Diego, you name it. I don't think they believe it's a publicity stunt."

Titus said the Democrats simply wanted to bring up two bills. One would stop people who are on the federal no fly list from purchasing a gun. The second is similar to Question 1 on Nevada's ballot, which aims to close some of the loopholes for background checks for online and private gun sales.

"We weren't saying 'Pass the bill.' We were saying, 'Bring it up for vote and go on record,'' she said, "There might have been some Republicans who would have voted for it. I would like to think so."

Titus admits that most of the Republican lawmakers would have voted against it. She said before even voting on the bills they "cut and run."

"I think it just made them look bad," she said, "They looked like cowards."

Titus said she does not know the stance of the rest of Nevada's congressmen on the issue. They are all Republicans.  

Titus said her party is using a holistic approach to preventing violence while across the aisle, Republicans are doing what the National Rifle Association wants them to do.

"The Republicans just refuse to do anything about gun violence and say it is all terrorism," she said, "The Democrats on the other hand say, 'Yes, it's a problem with terrorism, we should address radicalization of people here at home. Yes, it's a problem with mental health, but yes, it's also a problem of easy access to weapons by people who shouldn't have them."

Rep. Dina Titus, D-NV 

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Casey Morell is the coordinating producer of Nevada Public Radio's flagship broadcast State of Nevada and one of the station's midday newscast announcers. (He's also been interviewed by Jimmy Fallon, whatever that's worth.)
Natalie is an Emmy-award winning journalist who has worked in the Las Vegas market since August 1996, starting as a newscast producer for KLAS-TV Channel 8, and later as an online editor for 8newsnow.com.