Davis said the "poison pill" on gun control would have killed the bill in committee.

DC Vote Executive Director Ilir Zherka was disappointed Thursday but said the bill's advocates would regroup Thursday and decided what to do next.

"Our opponents understood that we had the votes to pass this bill," Zherka said. "We may have stalled the vote today, but we have not ended out fight here."

But even if the bill passes the House, it still needs to clear the Senate and faces a strong veto threat from the White House. The White House issued a statement earlier this week outlining its opposition to the bill on constitutional grounds.

There is even opposition in Utah against the bill, with a group of residents ready to file a lawsuit once the bill is passed.

Jack Kemp, a former Republican vice presidential candidate and Cabinet secretary under the first President Bush, said the Republican Party "must get on the side of history and must be on the side of the vote for the people of the District of Columbia."

He said the president should approve the bill, and its constitutionality should be decided by a court, "not some staff in the White House."

---

E-mail: suzanne@desnews.com