Senators Thursday rejected another attempt at expanding gun control, and voted against an amendment that would have required background checks for Internet and gun show purchases.
Senators voted 47-50 against the amendment sponsored by Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va.
“This is common sense, supported by a majority of Americans,” Manchin said before the vote.
Republicans are opposed to expansion of gun control, including more background checks, and say it could encroach upon families passing guns to relatives.
The measure was originally co-sponsored by Sen. Pat Toomey, R-Pa. It was first debated as part of a broader measure in 2013 after the deadly shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School, but failed to win passage.
Democrats on Thursday moved to bring a variety of pro-gun control measures to the floor during debate on a bill to repeal much of Obamacare.
The debate on guns comes after two mass shootings occurred within one week in the United States, first in Colorado Springs, Colo., last Friday and then in San Bernardino, Calif., on Wednesday.
Earlier Thursday, the Senate rejected an amendment to prohibit gun and explosive purchases by individuals who are on the federal government’s terror watch list.
The amendments would not have become law, as President Obama has vowed to veto the underlying healthcare law repeal bill and Republicans lack a supermajority to override it.
