Washington, Aug 3 – House Republicans will be back on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives again Monday to continue the unprecedented protest that began last Friday, when dozens of Republicans joined hundreds of American citizens on the House floor to protest Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s (D-CA) decision to send Congress home for the rest of the summer without a vote on legislation to lower gas prices and move America toward energy independence.

In an urgent memo sent to GOP Members and staff Saturday (“A Call to Action on American Energy”), Republican Leader John Boehner (R-OH) and Whip Roy Blunt (R-MO) hailed Friday’s action, which was led by Reps. Mike Pence (R-IN), Lynn Westmoreland (R-GA), Tom Price (R-GA), and others, and encouraged House Republicans to return to the Capitol beginning Monday morning to help keep the historic effort going.

“It’s not a request we make lightly. But the American people are suffering,” Boehner and Blunt said in the memo. “The consequences of continued congressional inaction on gas prices are unacceptable. We’ve called on the Speaker to call Congress back into an emergency session this month and schedule a vote on the American Energy Act. We must continue to make a stand until the Speaker complies.”

“We realize not everyone can be in Washington next week. But if you can be, we ask that you come to the Capitol, join our colleagues, and lend your voice, beginning this Monday at 10:00 am,” the GOP leaders wrote. “If you can’t be in Washington, we ask that you contribute to the cause in other ways – such as spreading the word among your constituents, writing an op-ed for your local newspaper, or taking our ‘all of the above’ energy message to your local airwaves.”

“Republicans stand with the American people. We share their passion and determination for energy independence, and we’ve pledged to fight boldly until Congress heeds their will,” Boehner and Blunt concluded.

Great quote seeing she is a member of the Democratic Socialists of America.

4:27pm: Pelosi has ordered the chamber to be closed at 4:30pm (right about now).

Fox just carried some live cell phone camera footage, showing the spectacle is still ongoing.

Bush should order a special session of Congress

4:35 pm:
The GOP is now in the press area outside the chamber holding a formal news conference demanding a vote and saying they refuse to give up regardless of how Pelosi tries to shut them down.