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Pelosi: Democrats Wore Sweaters to Deal With 'Freezing' Conditions During Sit-In

June 23, 2016

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D., Calif.) said Thursday that Democrats had to wear sweaters to endure freezing conditions on the House floor during the Democratic sit-in on gun control, but she said those conditions could not deter her.

A reporter brought up the live periscope feed that showed the sit-in since CSPAN cameras were not allowed to film because the floor was in recess. The reporter asked, since there was a constant periscope feed of the sit-in, if the rule about the speaker having control of the camera is obsolete.

Pelosi asked for clarification on this rule.

"The rule about the Speaker has control of the cameras to cover the floor of the House," the reporter said.

Pelosi responded by stating that Ryan had "awesome power." She noted that he also had the power to control the lights and even the heat.

"Let me think about that," Pelosi said. "It's irrelevant. I think that that's something—the Speaker has awesome power. The Speaker has control of the lights, the heat. It was freezing in there last night. It was freezing. People were starting with sweaters and then blankets, and then I think they were practically having rugs, because it was freezing in there. That was one way, but we would not be deterred."

To deal with the elements, the other Democrats were supplied with donuts, pizza, pop-tarts, and sleeping bags by congressional staffers.