House Democrats had long sought to bring gun control legislation to the floor of the House , and this desire was reinvigorated in the aftermath of the Orlando nightclub shooting , which had left 49 dead . The use of a discharge petition to force a vote was being considered by the chamber 's Democratic leadership , but was not pursued due to the lengthy process involved , and a doubt that it would be able to obtain the requisite majority of 218 signatures from members of the House
Orlando nightclub shooting
Orlando nightclub shooting
2016 United States House of Representatives sit-in