AUSTIN (Nexstar) — As Texas Democrats began their second full day of breaking quorum to prevent the legislature from approving redrawn congressional maps, a group of House Democrats were joined by national and Illinois Democrats, along with their counterparts in the U.S. House at a media conference Tuesday.

As of Tuesday afternoon's session of the House, 54 Democrats were not present in the chamber, enough to prevent the legislature from reaching the two-thirds quorum needed to take up any items and vote. The proposed congressional maps are drawn to give Republicans up to a five seat gain.

Joining the Texas House Democrats in Chicago were U.S. Reps. Lizzie Fletcher and Al Green, D-Houston, Mark Veasey and Julie Johnson, D-Dallas, as well as Democratic National Committee Chair Ken Martin,

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