House Democrats demand Republicans greenlight gun control vote
House Democrats demanded Wednesday morning that their Republican counterparts allow a vote on legislation that would prevent people who are on the no-fly list from purchasing guns.
"I would hope that we could reach out to our Republican colleagues and say the least we can do is the no-fly, no-buy legislation," House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-California, told reporters.
Pelosi and other Democratic leaders blasted GOP lawmakers for refusing to take action on the legislation, especially in the wake of the Orlando shooting attack early Sunday morning that has left 49 people dead and 53 people wounded. The shooter was found with an Sig Sauer MCX rifle and a semi-automatic pistol.
"The Republican majority is a wholly owned subsidiary of the National Rifle Association," Pelosi said.
Rep. Joe Crowley, the vice chairman of the Democratic caucus, said that the House has voted a dozen times on no-fly, no-buy legislation in this Congress and each time Republicans have rejected it.
"If you're not part of the solution, you are part of the problem," Crowley said.
"I don't mind House Republicans being out of touch," Rep. Steve Israel, the chairman of the Democratic Policy and Communications Committee, added. "I mind them being dangerously, recklessly out of touch...refusing to enact no-fly, no-buy, it's a form of political criminal negligence."
Congress shouldn't leave Washington this week until House Republicans allow a vote on the no-fly, no-buy bill, said Rep. Xavier Becerra, the chairman of the Democratic caucus.
"This Congress is asleep at the wheel," Becerra said. "It's time to stand with Orlando, or San Bernardino or Charleston or Newtown. It's time for us to stand and do something, not just hold moments of silence."
Asked why Democrats are only focused on the no-fly, no-buy legislation and not focused on renewing the assault weapons ban that expired in 2004, Becerra said that Democrats would like to do everything, but explained, "We're saying we want to do something. We're tired of not being able to do anything."
The House has the votes, Pelosi said, to expand background checks, for example, but Republicans have refused to bring such legislation to the floor for a vote.
Their calls for action comes about a day after Democrats shouted down Speaker Paul Ryan on the House floor following a moment of silence for Orlando as they highlighted the lack of congressional action.
Senate Democrats also called on Monday for no-fly, no-buy legislation. Sen. Dianne Feinstein first introduced the bill after the San Bernardino shooting last December. It failed 45-54 on a procedural vote that month. Only two senators broke ranks: North Dakota Democrat Heidi Heitkamp voted with Republicans to block it, and Illinois Republican Mark Kirk voted with Democrats in favor of the bill.
But Democrats might have just won over an unlikely ally: Donald Trump.
The presumptive GOP nominee on Wednesday tweeted that he plans to meet with NRA about the legislation.
Trump told CBS's "Face the Nation" host John Dickerson just days after the San Bernardino attack that he would look at no-fly, no-buy.
"Well, I would certainly take a very look at it. I would. I'm very strongly into the whole thing with Second Amendment," Trump said at the time. "But if you can't fly, and if you have got some really bad -- I would certainly look at that very hard."
CBS News' Rebecca Kaplan contributed to this report.
